Maddox Hawkins Maddox Hawkins 6'2" | 185 lbs | LB Taylor County | 2028 State KY has played a huge role in the Taylor County defense in his first two seasons of high school football. Hawkins lines up at outside linebacker where he causes a ton of disruption against the run. He is explosive out of his stance and uses his speed to burst into the backfield and make the tackle before the opposing offensive line has a chance to block him. Hawkins finished his sophomore year with 63 tackles and 15 tackles for loss in 11 games. He also recorded 4.5 sacks this past season and recovered two fumbles, returning one of them for a touchdown. Maddox is a player who I expect a lot of college coaches to have their eyes on as he prepares for his junior year.

After a strong freshman year, Maddox Hawkins Maddox Hawkins 6'2" | 185 lbs | LB Taylor County | 2028 State KY picked up right where he left off this season. He lined up at outside linebacker where he was very impressive against the run. Hawkins does a great job of reading the play quickly then using his strength to shed blocks with ease on his way to the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he has proved to be a very good open field tackler, finishing this season with 63 tackles and 15 tackles for loss in 11 games. He also recorded 4.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles this year, returning one of them for a touchdown. Maddox has received some college interest and I expect his recruitment to continue to heat up this offseason.

Maddox Hawkins Maddox Hawkins 6'2" | 185 lbs | LB Taylor County | 2028 State KY is another outside linebacker who impressed as a freshman. He is a very dangerous pass rusher off the edge, showing the speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease on his way to the quarterback. Hawkins has also showed the bend to dip down and avoid being blocked while rushing the passer. He finished this past season with nine sacks in 11 games. Hawkins also finished his freshman year with 47 tackles and five tackles for loss, and caught four passes for 43 yards. Maddox doesn’t currently hold any offers but he is a player who college coaches should keep a close eye on over the next three years.

Maddox Hawkins Maddox Hawkins 6'2" | 185 lbs | LB Taylor County | 2028 State KY is a player who caught my attention quickly in his first season of high school football. Hawkins lines up at outside linebacker where he is a dangerous pass rusher off the edge. He does a great job of using his speed and pass rush moves to blow by opposing offensive tackles with ease on his way to the quarterback. Hawkins finished his freshman year with nine sacks in 11 games. He also showed the ability to stop the run, finishing the season with 47 tackles and five tackles for loss. Maddox doesn’t currently hold any offers but he should be a player to keep an eye on heading into his sophomore year.

– Like Jett Boyd Jett Boyd 6'3" | 155 lbs | RB Somerset | 2028 KY listed above, Hawkins was one of the prospects that upped their stock with a huge performance in the game against Tennessee

– As noted in the Stock Risers article, he looked the part of a kid ready to explode on the high school level with his size and ability

– Lived up to his billing as an Athlete by forcing a fumble on a tackle in the third quarter, then proceeded to haul in a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for Tennessee

 A bit of an asterisk here, because I knew the type of athlete Owensboro’s Maddox Hawkins Maddox Hawkins 6'2" | 185 lbs | LB Taylor County | 2028 State KY is–but seeing it live (instead of on film) highlighted the skill set he has and the world of potential he has. The 6-foot-2, 183-pound Hawkins played a little bit of everything in the game, which is why I have him listed as an Athlete in this 2028 class. He’s physically gifted and looks the part of a future major prospect. Coming into the game if I had to lean one way, it was towards his play as an Outside Linebacker. However, after seeing him run routes and make a beautiful catch for a touchdown late in the game, he could be a very nice Tight End or big-body Wide Receiver.

– A long, athletic frame that should have talent evaluators drooling. Lists himself at 6-foot-2 and 183-pounds

– Is listed as an Athlete because he can play a ton of different positions on both sides of the ball

– Truth be told, based off film, I think he could become a big time Tight End prospect in the future

– Understanding the size and strength of this team, Hawkins looks like a nice fit at Will Linebacker