Like much of the Gators’ roster heading into the third year of Billy Napier’s reign as head coach, the wide receiver group is expected to infuse a healthy dose of underclassmen into the rotation following the exit of senior Ricky Pearsall to the NFL Draft and sophomore Caleb Douglas to the transfer portal.
The newcomers will include the likes of incoming true freshmen Jerrae ‘Tank’ Hawkins Jr. and Tawaski ‘TJ’ Abrams — joining the fold after signing the dotted line with the program on Dec. 20.
Florida seemingly prioritized one trait when targeting wide receiver talent during the 2024 recruiting cycle: “Speed and more speed,” Napier said on National Signing Day.
Both Hawkins and Abrams fit that mold. They’re the poster children of it, in fact.
Hawkins highlights the incoming duo of wideouts, largely due to the extra gear he can hit with the ball in his hands, sporting a self-reported 4.25 40-yard dash and 10.45 100-meter dash.
“I think Tank is probably one of the more electric skill players in the country,” Napier said when asked about the Hawkins on Dec. 20. “Took a huge step forward this year at IMG, just relative to adding some play strength, run the full route tree inside and outside, dynamic returner, phenomenal story coming down from West Virginia.”
Standing at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds, Hawkins presents a smaller, slender frame usually considered undersized even for the average slot wideout in the SEC. However, Hawkins’ move from his hometown of Wheeling (W.V.) to IMG Academy during his senior season allowed him to showcase his elite speed on a bigger stage to earn considerable interest from schools like Miami, Penn State and 15 others who offered him during his recruitment process.
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