Cedrick Hawkins

A feisty defensive back prospect with plenty of experience. Thin and wiry (might honestly be under 175 pounds), but plays much bigger than his size/frame suggests as he isn’t afraid to square up with a ball carrier or lower his shoulder pad and make a hit. Got varsity snaps as an eighth grader at Cocoa and will likely leave the storied program on Florida’s Space Coast with over 250 tackles, nearly 50 pass break ups and a dozen or so interceptions to his credit. Fluid backpedal and looser hips allow him to cover a ton of grass and get to the deeper parts of the field. High football IQ allows him to anticipate throws and jump routes with his advanced ball skills leading to takeaways. Hasn’t tested in over two years, but posted a respectable laser-timed 4.6 in the 40-yard dash as a ninth grader before clocking a 4.2 in the short shuttle. Was also a regional qualifier in the 200-meter dash as an 11th grader. Will eventually need to add some body arm and fill out in the lower half if he’s going to make stops near the line of scrimmage in the Big Ten or SEC, but understands that oftentimes the low man wins. Should be viewed as a versatile safety prospect that could play the deep post or come down in the box, should he bulk up a bit. Might also be able to get a look in the nickel or as a boundary corner given play style and movement patterns. Will likely need some time in a college weight room before he’s ready to go on Saturdays, but has a chance to be an impact player at the next level given everything that what we know.