Never, never, never, never give up.
It’s been a while since Winston Churchill spoke those words, and as immortal as they sound, they’ve fallen on deaf ears more times than not. Supposed giants of the sport of football hang it up for a variety of reasons. Perhaps their contract isn’t as fat as they’d like. Maybe the ball too often ends up in someone else’s hands. It could be that that sprained ankle is just too painful to overcome.
Not Andrew Hawkins. Though it would have been easy to quit so many times.
Like when he was injured during his senior year of high school. Or when he received zero scholarship offers as an 18 year old. How about when he decided to attend a prep school before college. He could have given up when he went overlooked in the 2008 NFL Draft. Or when he wasn’t offered a contract after his stint in the Browns’ minicamp.
But he didn’t. And that decision in itself has made all the difference. Hawkins comes from a football family, and more importantly, a family that doesn’t believe in hanging their heads.
That’s why he was recently chosen to appear on Michael Irvin’s reality show, 4th and Long. That’s why he now has a chance to earn a roster spot in the Dallas Cowboys’ training camp if he walks away from his television debut victorious.
Sure his old school ability to play both ways, without so much as a sigh, if it helps the team will get him noticed. And his sick 4.3 speed will help him outrun the best of defensive backs. And his dedication to constantly better his game will ultimately better his team.
But the quality that will make Andrew Hawkins a success can’t be measured in inches and feet. The quality that will make him an asset to his future teammates, and there will be future teammates, is that Hawkins has never given up.
Never, never, never, never.
Draft Zoo: How you doing Andrew? I’ve got to ask about your family history with football. Your dad played for Pittsburgh, right?
Andrew Hawkins: I’m great, thanks. Yeah, my dad played at Pitt, and my little brother plays there right now. He’s a defensive tackle.
DZ: They’ve really started to get things back on track there. Your little brother must be helping. What brought you to Toledo from such a Pitt family?
AH: I was small, and I didn’t have many schools coming after me out of high school. At the time, Toledo was winning football games. Toledo offered me the chance to play football.
DZ: Coming from such a football family, was football a given for you? Was it something you always wanted to do?
AH: Growing up, everyone in my family played football, so that was kind of like the family thing. There was never any pressure to get into it, but when all the guys you look up to are doing it, it’s something you want to do too. I’m sure if everyone in my family was a horse jockey I’d have grown up wanting to be a horse jockey [laughs]. So I inherited it, and I just stuck with it man.
DZ: Haha. Well we could have seen you in the Kentucky Derby. Riding Mine That Bird. Coming out of Toledo as an undersized receiver, what were your expectations heading into the NFL Draft?
AH: Having so many friends and family that had been through the process before, I stayed open-minded about it. Obviously I didn’t put up thousands of yards at Toledo, so I kind of new what the situation was. I planned on going in, having a good pro day, and hoping some team took notice. I did get picked up for minicamp with the Browns, and that was enough for me. All I wanted was a chance, and I was given one.
DZ: What was that like? The experience of heading into an NFL camp as an undrafted free agent.
AH: It was amazing. You work your whole life for something, and to finally see it start happening was a great experience. I actually had a really great minicamp, and the GM at the time, Phil Savage, worked as hard as he could to get me a contract. But they said it came down to a numbers game, and that’s how the NFL works. I feel like I’ve established some connections there, and in the long run we’ll see how [4th and Long] turns out. You never know.
DZ: Is Cleveland a consideration in the future? Is that a team you’d consider trying out for again?
AH: All 32 teams are teams I would be interested in trying out for again in the future. But right now, with this Cowboys opportunity, I want to be wearing a star on my helmet.
DZ: You mentioned your production at Toledo. With Bruce Gradkowski there, you had some success with the passing game. Why do you think some of your numbers were down?
AH: A couple of years I was battling injuries. At Toledo we had some great receivers. Throughout my career there, I played with six guys that ended up signing contracts in the NFL. Which is a testament to the program. But I also played defense and special teams. So I tried to do as much as I could to help the team win.
DZ: Let’s talk some about your measurables then. After evaluating talent for this year’s draft, one of the most talked about aspects of any prospect was the fact that taller corners have a harder time with hip fluidity. On the flip side, you don’t hear too much about that being a real strength of smaller receivers. Do you feel like your size gives you an advantage when creating seperation against DBs?
AH: Well, I try to use it to my advantage because most of the time when I step onto the field I’m the smallest receiver. So I really have to use everything I can to my advantage. You know, taller guys can say that they’re a big target. So for me to be effective in the slot or as a wideout, I have to create more seperation than bigger guys. That’s one thing that I really focus on, as well as my speed. I just try to get as much seperation from the defensive back as possible to give the quarterback a clear target to get me the football.
DZ: There have been some very successful smaller receivers lately. Guys like Steve Smith and Santana Moss are proving that is really is more about seperation than pure size.
AH: No question. Like you said, a lot of smaller guys are having success because the NFL is a fast league. Size is good, but I think some teams are starting to think that speed is better. You see guys jump from a fourth round grade to a first round selection because of their speed. If you can outrun the best defensive backs then that really opens up the passing game.
DZ: A guy that you compare to is Mike Thomas out of Arizona. He was praised for his quickness and his route running. How much extra time do you put into working on your route running and your cuts?
AH: I know for a fact that I put probably triple the emphasis on my route running and all the little things I do than bigger guys. I’m sure guys like Mike Thomas, Steve Smith, Santana Moss, and Wes Welker can all attest to the fact that when you’re smaller you have to do everything perfectly. There are so many things that you don’t have the luxury of doing at our size. If I was 6-06 220 and I didn’t run great routes, teams might still say well he’s big. But I don’t have that, so I have to be perfect to even catch the eye of a scout or a coach.
DZ: Being undersized then, did you use that as extra motivation to really be perfect?
AH: Definitely. No question about it. I put a lot of time into football. Football really is my life; it’s my passion. I watch a lot of tape. I’m not the type of guy that thinks I’m “good enough.” Ever. I can’t imagine thinking that I’ve ever reached my peak as a player. I’m always looking for new things to learn. I like to look at all types of receivers. I try to pick up anything I can from anybody. I feel like if I can bring all those things to the table then that will make up for my lack of size. That’s just my personality.
DZ: Is there a specific receiver that you like to watch more than others?
AH: There are a lot of receivers. I like Steve Smith and Chad Johnson a lot. Chad Johnson because he’s so athletic, and the way he comes out of his breaks is so amazing. Just that he can stop on a dime at that speed and change directions. That’s something you don’t see in a lot of guys. And Steve Smith because, like you said, he’s not the biggest receiver, but he plays with such a chip on his shoulder. That persona that there’s nothing a defensive back can do to stop me. Those are guys that I definitely try to mimic.
DZ: You played some cornerback and special teams in college. Is that something that has drawn interest from NFL teams?
AH: Definitely. My older brother (Atrell Hawkins, Jr) played in the NFL for 10 years as a defensive back. He really tutored me all throughout high school as a DB. So I really didn’t get into playing receiver until college. All my skills were really honed to play DB. I came to college and they played me both ways so I did it. The Jets actually brought me in for a full workout as a cornerback in August. So, I’ve gotten a little interest as a DB from some teams. Either way, I’m undersized, but I think I bring a lot to the table that makes up for that.
DZ: Speaking of bringing things to the table, what kind of 40 times are you running right now?
AH: Right now I’m around a high 4.3. My best was my pro day when I ran a 4.34. But I’m always a 4.3 guy.
DZ: That’s pretty damn fast. What about your weight? I know you were trying to get up to around 185 for your pro day. What are you now?
AH: Right now I’m about 180. Which is a good weight for me. This is where I’m going to stay. I feel lean. I feel fast. But also powerful enough to be effective.
DZ: Alright, let’s talk about Hard Knocks. How did you end up getting on the show?
AH: I heard about the show through ESPN, and a friend of mine that I used to play with was trying out. They had a couple of open calls, but I was working the Texas vs. The Nation all-star game as a coach. So I couldn’t make it, but I sent a DVD in and made it through the cut. They held a combine for the top 50 guys in Los Angeles. So they flew me out there, and I performed well and was lucky enough to get on the show.
DZ: Were you already in top shape, or did you have to start really working out again?
AH: I did have to start training harder. I was staying in shape some, but I wanted to get better. It was kind of a surprise opportunity. I had about a month and a half to train so I went into it in pretty good shape, and I was able to do a couple of good things.
DZ: I know you can’t talk about it much, but were you happy with your performance on the show?
AH: Yeah, I’m definitely happy with my performance. First of all, God has presented me with so many opportunities. I’m trying my hardest to break in, and it’s a hard process. It just seems like every time I’m ready to give up, God presents another opportunity for me. I wanted to show up with the faith that I was going to work as hard as I could, and whatever happened happened. I can’t worry about the outcome. I can’t worry about things I can’t control. So as long as I was working hard, I told myself I would be happy. And that’s what I did.
DZ: Do you feel like being on the show made you better? Was getting to compete again something that fueled your desire to play the game?
AH: Most definitely. When you’re with Michael Irvin everyday, I don’t think you’ve got a choice but to learn something [laughs]. Michael Irvin and the other coaches have so much knowledge. They’ve been doing it for so long. Sometimes we get to a point in our athletic careers where we feel like we don’t have anything left to learn. And when you’re surrounded by guys like that, you feel like a first-grader again. They teach you so much stuff you just didn’t know. I honestly feel like leaving that camp I’m a better football player than I was going into it.
DZ: Again, I know you can’t say much, but will you keep trying if this opportunity doesn’t work out?
AH: Football’s always going to be the goal. Whether I’m playing, coaching, scouting, writing about it, broadcasting. Football is my life. You know, I think football is a blessing. My family has been blessed by football. It put me and four of my brothers through college. So football is always going to be a part of me. From this experience, I’m hoping it opens up doors first as a player, but I hope everything else falls into place also.
DZ: So coaching is something that would be an option for you?
AH: Definitely. One of my favorite things is helping kids out. When I was going through the process, there weren’t a lot of guys going to bat for me. I was doing a lot of it for myself. So I’m looking to help other kids who want to go to college. I want to be that guy who says, “Give this kid a shot.” Just someone who helps give a kid some advantages that I didn’t have.
DZ: What would you say is the hardest obstacle you’ve had to overcome in your athletic career?
AH: Hmm, that’s tough. I would have to say when I had my back injury. I had a lot of people telling me that it was time to stop playing, but when your soul doesn’t feel like it’s time to give up it’s just not possible to quit. You know I had a lot of people in my inner circle and even some coaches telling me it might be time to hang it up and it might not work out this time. And this was early on in the process. And I was thinking hell no. It’s going to take more than that to stop me. That was probably the hardest thing — to go against the people that I knew cared about me when they were telling me to do one thing, and my heart was telling me to do another.
Looking back, I’m glad I overcame it. I’m glad I continued to strive for my goal because it showed me that all you need is belief in yourself, faith, and God. Honestly, I really believe that anything is possible.
DZ: That’s another question I had for you. How important do you feel it is to surround yourself with the right kind of people?
AH: I think that’s one of the most important things, because no matter who you are or what you’re going through rarely are you ever going to have everyone telling you that you’re right or you can do it. There are always going to be those people telling you it’s not possible or there’s no chance. You have to surround yourself with people that are going to trust what you say.
My mom really helped. Coming out of high school I didn’t have any scholarship offers because I got hurt during my senior year. I only had a couple of Division II offers and a walk-on opportunity. And a lot of people and coaches were telling me to take one of those. But I wanted to play Division I. People kept telling me I was too short and I wasn’t going to grow. Well, I decided to go to a prep school for a year and eard a D-I scholarship and it worked out. I went to a camp that a lot of D-I schools were, and I ended up outplaying a lot guys that were being recruited. I ended up getting like four or five scholarship offers.
So it’s very important to have someone in your circle, like my mom, who told me I was right and that if I worked hard enough I could do it. And I’m thankful to God that I have those kind of people in my life.
DZ: Alright, one last question. A lot of guys that come from big football families like to play basketball against each other. Any of that going on in the Hawkins household?
AH: Oh yeah, definitely. I remember one specific time we all went down to the gym and played, and it got intense. There were lips busted, eyes blowing up [laughs]. We’re a competitive family. We love each other, but we can’t help but to go at each other when it’s called for.
DZ: Yeah we race to the front door in my family. Anything to be competitive. One more thing, can you dunk?
AH: Yeah I can dunk.
DZ: You ever dunked on your defensive tackle brother?
[laughs]. No I can’t do that. He’s too big. I can go up, but I can’t dunk on him. He’s huge.
DZ: Well maybe one day. Haha. Thanks for your time, and best of luck with the show and your career.
AH: Thank you. Same to you.
