RB Javian Hawkins, Louisville
HEIGHT: 5-9
WEIGHT: 185
HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL): Titusville, FL (Cocoa)
247 RATING: .8378
STARS: 3
YEAR: Sophomore
POSITION RANK: 14
CAREER
Rushing: 266 rushes, 1,533 yards (5.8 ypc), 9 touchdowns
Receiving: 5 catches, 58 yards (12.4 ypc)
2019
Rushing: 264 rushes, 1,525 yards (5.8 ypc), 9 touchdowns
Receiving: 4 catches, 58 yards (14.5 ypc)
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Javian Hawkins Breakdown
If there’s any doubt about Javian Hawkins’ mindset coming off of a freshman All-American season, he eased those concerns quickly. While he rushed for over 1,500 yards in 2019, he wants more. Not satisfied with his current success, Hawkins has bigger goals set for the 2020 season.
He won’t bring your typical size to the running back position. Far from it actually. At 5’9″, 185 pounds, it’s easy to see why there teams that doubted him. What they didn’t account for his mentality. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not going to run many guys over, but he’s going to work his tail off to get better. He improved as a pass protector as the season progressed, though he’ll still struggle with size rushing the passer. That doesn’t scare him away from initiating contact.
Louisville’s offense relied on it’s speed to gash defenses last year, and Hawkins led the way. It all starts with his decision making. He’s a patient runner who waits for a hole to open, and he doesn’t hesitate once he sees any sort of space. As soon as he sees it, he accelerates through the opening to get to the second and third levels, and has the speed to run away from almost anyone. Once he gets downhill, he’s in his element.
While he’s dangerous when he gets to the second and third levels, it’s tough for him to create that space. He doesn’t get going quickly from a dead stop, and he’s still working on his lateral quickness. We saw a decent spin move from him last year, but he still can work on making guys miss and breaking tackles.
Javian Hawkins emerged as one of the biggest surprises in all of college football. He might have limitations now, but you can bet that he’s going to work to address those. His speed already gives defenses plenty to worry about, and adding to his skillset will help him create more space, and give himself more opportunities to improve from last year.
