Brad Hawkins to Michigan: Wolverines Land 4-Star WR Prospect

Brad Hawkins, a 4-star wide receiver prospect from Camden, New Jersey, announced his commitment to play college football for the Michigan Wolverines on Friday, according to Brian Dohn of Scout.com.

“He gelled really well with the coaches and he liked the vibe with the coaches,” Camden coach Dwayne Savage said, per Dohn. “He felt like (coach Jim) Harbaugh was down to earth, and with all the former NFL coaches, he feels that might be his best chance to get to the next level.”

Although Hawkins is rated a rather modest No. 38 in the 2016 class among receivers, per 247Sports' composite rankings, he has the upside to be a major playmaker for Michigan. A 6'1", 202-pound frame makes him ready to chip in right away.

Whatever he lacks in speed, Hawkins makes up for with a huge catch radius and unique versatility. He carried the ball 39 times for 255 yards (6.54 average) in 2014 to go with 11 receiving touchdowns and three pick-sixes as a safety.

To achieve such gaudy statistics, a combination of ball skills and instincts in the open field has allowed Hawkins to shine in all sorts of diverse, situational football. The Wolverines can get creative with how to use him.

The vast majority of the catches Hawkins makes on the following highlight reel show his knack for snatching the ball with his hands:

Especially for young wideouts used to dominating the competition, it can be easy to lose focus or let the ball come into one's body. The combination of Hawkins' plucking and size makes him a recruit to watch with a close eye in the future.

Hawkins also plays faster than he might time on a stopwatch, with better explosiveness and lateral cutting ability than one might expect. The competitive atmosphere of a game situation seems to give him a big boost, allowing him to thrive with an undeniable nose for the football.

Michigan has to be eagerly anticipating Hawkins' arrival, given his ability to line up in a number of different places. His future seems to ultimately be at receiver, and if he works on his acceleration and burst in college, he has the prototypical body and physical tools to become a star.

The prominence of uptempo offenses in college—and across all of football, for that matter—should only benefit Hawkins. Should he emulate his current style in college, opponents trying to stop Michigan from lighting up the scoreboard will have to account for him in hurry-up situations, when he could line up at any receiver spot or in the backfield.