Hawkins epitomizes the ideal ball-hawking defensive back with his impressive physical attributes and refined skills. Standing at 6’2″, Hawkins possesses the height and length coveted for the cornerback position, allowing him to match up effectively against receivers and contest jump balls. His exceptional ball skills enable him to track passes in the air and make plays on the football, whether it’s intercepting passes or deflecting them to disrupt the opposing passing game.

In addition to his natural talent, Hawkins’ superb footwork sets him apart, enabling him to maintain tight coverage and mirror receivers throughout their routes. His ability to stay in phase with his assignment allows him to consistently be in position to make plays on the ball, whether it’s breaking up passes or making tackles after the catch.

Hawkins possesses all the traits necessary to excel as a ball-hawking cornerback, combining his height, ball skills, and footwork to make impactful contributions in the secondary. His presence on the field adds a dimension of playmaking ability that can change the course of games and elevate the performance of his entire defense. The Oklahoma commit is one the top returning defensive backs in the state of Texas in the 2025 class.

Hawkins has the prototypical size and length that college programs covet at the cornerback position. He has extended arm length and he enjoys getting his violent hands on wideouts early, to reroute them at the point of attack. Maliek has fluid hips, he has clean footwork, he transitions into his backpedal smoothly and he has the ability to stay locked in at the hip with wideouts in coverage. Hawkins is a ferocious tackler, he comes up in run support under control taking proper angles and he lays the wood and lets them know about it. Hawkins patrols the No Fly Zone like a veteran. Maliek has racked up offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas State but you can expect his stock to continue to rise heading into 2023.