GBMWolverine
Fansided

NFL Draft scouting report on Michigan Football’s Brad Hawkins

By Cameron Stokes

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 24: Mohamed Ibrahim #24 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers is tackled by Brad Hawkins #20 of the Michigan Wolverines while Hunter Reynolds #27 defends in the fourth quarter of the game at TCF Bank Stadium on October 24, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Wolverines defeated the Gophers 49-24. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 24: Mohamed Ibrahim #24 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers is tackled by Brad Hawkins #20 of the Michigan Wolverines while Hunter Reynolds #27 defends in the fourth quarter of the game at TCF Bank Stadium on October 24, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Wolverines defeated the Gophers 49-24. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Brad Hawkins of Michigan football put together a solid 2021 season and should have a future in the NFL and here is his NFL draft scouting report. 

Just like other Michigan football seniors Josh Ross, Aidan Hutchinson, Hassan Haskins, and more, Brad Hawkins was one of the vocal leaders on Michigan’s 2021 football team. He’d been through the toughest times, never being able to get over the hump, but finally, during this past season, he and the Wolverines did, in part due to his play on the backend of the defense.

He’s since declared for the NFL draft and looking ahead to the annual selection meeting in April, here is a look at the scouting report of Brad Hawkins, highlighting his strengths and weaknesses.

Info

Position: Safety

Height: 6’1

Weight: 221 pounds

Class: Senior-5th year (declared for 2022 NFL Draft)

Strengths

  • Very tough and scrappy as he started out as a converted WR recruit and eventually switched to free safety during his time at Michigan
  • Physical at all levels of the field. Has good bulk for his position which is good and can be used in run support
  • Aggressive in run support, with a physical mentality
  • Strong enough to chip receivers and tight ends starting their routes
  • Is actually faster than people think for the safety position
  • Knows how to wrap up receivers and running backs when they get loose in space
  • Takes good angles to the ball carrier. Doesn’t back down in run support
  • Positionally versatile as he can be an in-the-box safety or man-coverage safety

Weaknesses

  • Struggles to break down space and leaves too much production on the field
  • Questionable technique and gets lazy with fundamentals sometimes getting too high during backpedals and will blow coverage trying to make the flashy play
  • Opens hips too early and can get turned around in coverage
  • Has only average north-to-south speed
  • Not super tall and on deep balls, can get mossed by bigger, more physical receivers
  • Needs to get stronger and is too skinny
  • Not super fluid in range of motion. Looks stiff
  • Not great in man coverage and loses speed when turning/looking for the football

Overview

Overall, kind of like Josh Ross, Brad Hawkins has a lot of things he needs to work on. He will never have elite speed so that is out of the question, but his fundamentals can be cleaned up. He definitely can’t get lazy with technique in the NFL or he will get exposed more often than not.

He is another Michigan football draft enrollee that needs the NFL Combine and Michigan’s Pro Day to quell some concerns that NFL teams will have about some of his tendencies and weaknesses.

There is definitely upside to him though, and it’s good that he has positional versatility and that he was a converted WR. Teams will definitely like that about him.

Teams always need deep, rangy safeties, so he has a chance to prove everyone wrong and get drafted. Right now, he’s looking at a late Day 3 selection (rounds 6-7) with a chance to be taken in the mid-rounds (rounds 4-5).

Next. Projected two deep before spring ball. dark

It wouldn’t be surprising if Michigan football’s Brad Hawkins was a priority UDFA though, as, if he doesn’t quell some of the weaknesses in the scouting events coming up, he might be looking at potentially being undrafted. Only time will tell.

Home/Michigan Football