If Vegas had odds prior to Saturday on which recruit was the most likely to commit next to Ohio State in the 2023 cycle, four-star Florida safety Cedrick Hawkins likely would have been off the board.
Nevertheless, Hawkins committed to Ohio State on Saturday in the midst of the Buckeyes falling behind two touchdowns in the second quarter in the Rose Bowl, becoming their third commit in the cycle. The game started to turn around shortly after his commitment, so maybe he's a good luck charm? He visited Columbus over the summer and impressed the coaching staff enough during a camp workout to earn an offer.
OSU running backs coach Tony Alford, who is in charge of recruiting the state of Florida for the Buckeyes, was Hawkins’ lead recruiter. Hawkins told On3 that he thought about committing for the last two weeks, then called Alford a few days ago to inform OSU of his decision.
“Ohio State is going to get me where I want to go,” Hawkins told On3. “I want to get to the NFL, and they have the great coaches to get me there. I like the atmosphere, I love the coaches, and I know they will get me to the league. I am 100% committed to Ohio State. It feels good.”
On the field
In his junior year, Hawkins was all over the field, finishing with 117 total tackles (three for loss), four interceptions, 10 pass deflections and three fumble recoveries. He helped lead Cocoa High School (Titusville, Florida) to an 11-2 record last year. As a sophomore, Hawkins had 29 tackles and four interceptions. He also started as a freshman and racked up 63 tackles, 13 pass breakups and five interceptions. The newest Buckeye is a true ballhawk, as evident by his 13 interceptions in his high school career.
At 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, Hawkins definitely has some bulking up to do, which isn’t entirely worrisome seeing as he just finished his junior season.
In high school, Hawkins has mostly lined up as a single-high safety. His usage makes his high tackle total all the more impressive. As evident by his tape, he reads running plays well and shows tremendous aggression flying to the ballcarrier. He’s also a punt returner, returning one for a touchdown in his sophomore season.
Hawkins is a dual-sport athlete who also runs track. He is a cousin of former Louisville running back Javian Hawkins, who is now with the LA Rams.
In the class
Hawkins is now the third Ohio State commit in the 2023 cycle, joining tight end Ty Lockwood and offensive lineman Joshua Padilla. Five-star safety/linebacker Sonny Styles was previously the crown jewel of the 2023 cycle, but he reclassified to 2022 during the early signing period.
Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Hawkins is ranked as the 226th-best player and the 20th-best safety in the 2023 class. He becomes the first player from Cocoa High School to commit to the Buckeyes since Bruce Judson in 2015. Judson later decommitted from the Buckeyes and signed with Oregon in 2017.
Of note in the 2023 class, Hawkins is friends with OSU five-star wideout target Brandon Inniss, who also is from Florida. Having Hawkins on board could bolster the Buckeyes’ pursuit of Inniss.
Blessing https://t.co/HrtvcPWKWR
— BrandonSHOWTIME inniss (@brandon5star2) January 1, 2022
Hawkins picked Ohio State over a list of offers that includes Arizona State, Florida, Cincinnati, Florida State, Tennessee, Penn State, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi State and more.
