Jaylinn Hawkins
{{Short description|American football player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jaylinn Hawkins
| image = Jaylinn Hawkins Atlanta Falcons Visit (52306774219) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Hawkins in 2022
| current_team = New England Patriots
| number = 21
| position = Safety
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|8|25}}
| birth_place = Panama City, Panama
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 208
| high_school = Buena Park {{avoid wrap|(Buena Park, California, U.S.)}}
| college = California (2015–2019)
| draftyear = 2020
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 134
| pastteams =
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2020|2023}})
- Los Angeles Chargers ({{NFL Year|2023}})
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 183
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 0.5
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 2
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 11
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 4
| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue7 = 1
| pfr = HawkJa00
}}
Jaylinn Hawkins (born August 25, 1997) is a Panamanian-American professional football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears and selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
College career
Hawkins attended Buena Park High School, where he was a four star recruit, and graduated in 2015. He played college football at the University of California, Berkeley, and redshirted his first year with the California Golden Bears in 2015.
In the 2016 season, Hawkins played snaps in all 12 games and started three games at safety. He was also recognized as a scholar-athlete of the week. His uncle, Jeremiah Hawkins, joined the Bears as a freshman wide receiver this season.{{Cite web |title=Cal Bears Football Roster - Jaylinn Hawkins |url=https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/jaylinn-hawkins/14198}}
In 2017, Hawkins started 11 of the team's 12 games and played snaps in all 12.
In 2018, Hawkins started 12 of the team's 13 games and played snaps in all 13. He led the Pac-12 with 6 interceptions. When targeted, he held the lowest passer rating (1.7) amongst Pac-12 safeties. At the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl, Hawkins had three interceptions, the most in any bowl game that year. Hawkins was named Defensive MVP of the game despite Cal's loss to TCU.
Prior to the 2019 season, Hawkins was named a preseason 2nd team All-Pac-12 player. He started and played in all 13 games. During a game against Stanford, Hawkins made a one-handed interception that made the SportsCenter Top 10.{{Cite news |last=Conway |first=Kelsey |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Jaylinn Hawkins' eye-popping interception shows glimpse of what he could be for Falcons |work=Atlanta Falcons.com |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/jaylinn-hawkins-eye-popping-interception-shows-glimpse-of-what-he-could-be-for-f |access-date=April 27, 2020}}
In his overall college career, Jaylinn Hawkins recorded 156 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 10 interceptions and three forced fumbles and returned nine kicks for 129 yards. He graduated with a degree in American studies.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 0 5/8
| weight = 208
| dash =
| ten split =
| twenty split =
| shuttle =
| cone drill =
| vertical = 35.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 9
| bench =
| arm span = 31 3/4
| hand span = 9 1/2
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |title=Jaylinn Hawkins Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jaylinn-hawkins/32004841-5741-6901-ca8d-82f5580f7a66 |access-date=April 23, 2021 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1002977&DraftYear=2020 |title=2020 Draft Scout Jaylinn Hawkins, California NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |website=draftscout.com |access-date=November 14, 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/video/atlanta-falcons-select-california-safety-jaylinn-hawkins-with-no-134-pick-in-the |title=Atlanta Falcons select California safety Jaylinn Hawkins with No. 134 pick in the 2020 draft |website=atlantafalcons.com |access-date=November 14, 2022}}
}}
=Atlanta Falcons=
Hawkins was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft with the 134th overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons.{{Cite news |last=Faraudo |first=Jeff |date=April 25, 2020 |title=Cal Football: Shocker -- Jaylinn Hawkins Taken in Fourth Round by Falcons |work=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/jaylinn-hawkins-a-surprise-pick |access-date=April 27, 2020}} His collegiate partner at safety, Ashtyn Davis, was taken in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft with the 68th overall pick by the New York Jets.{{Cite web |last=Costello |first=Brian |date=April 24, 2020 |title=Jets select Ashtyn Davis with No. 68 pick in NFL Draft |url=https://nypost.com/2020/04/24/jets-select-ashtyn-davis-with-no-68-pick-in-nfl-draft/ |access-date=May 27, 2020 |website=New York Post}} Hawkins was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Falcons on July 28, 2020,{{Cite news |last=McFadden, Will |date=July 28, 2020 |title=Falcons place rookie Jaylinn Hawkins on reserve/COVID-19 list |work=AtlantaFalcons.com |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-place-rookie-jaylinn-hawkins-on-reserve-covid-19-list |access-date=July 29, 2020}} and was activated eight days later.{{Cite news |last=McFadden, Will |date=August 5, 2020 |title=Falcons activate three players from reserve/COVID-19 list |work=AtlantaFalcons.com |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-activate-three-players-from-reserve-covid-19-list |access-date=August 10, 2020}}
Hawkins scored his first professional touchdown in Week 6 of the 2022 season against the San Francisco 49ers when he recovered a fumble in the end zone.{{Cite web |last=Rothstein |first=Michael |date=October 16, 2022 |title=Falcons score on a fumble recovery of a fumble recovery |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34809108/falcons-score-fumble-recovery-fumble-recovery |access-date=17 October 2022 |website=ESPN.com}} He also recorded an interception in the same game.
The Falcons waived Hawkins on October 17, 2023.{{cite news|work=USAToday.com|url=https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2023/10/17/atl-falcons-jaylinn-hawkins-cap-space/|title=Falcons free up $1.7M in cap space by cutting Jaylinn Hawkins|first=Matt|last=Urben|date=October 17, 2023|accessdate=October 18, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/safety-jaylinn-hawkins-released-micah-abernathy-signed-roster-week-7|work=AtlantaFalcons.com|title=Falcons release defensive back, sign another from practice squad before Week 7 game with Bucs|date=October 18, 2023|accessdate=October 18, 2023|first=Terrin|last=Waack}}
=Los Angeles Chargers=
On October 18, 2023, the Los Angeles Chargers claimed Hawkins off waivers.{{cite web|url=https://www.chargers.com/news/los-angeles-chargers-claim-safety-jaylinn-hawkins|work=Chargers.com|title=Los Angeles Chargers Claim Safety Jaylinn Hawkins|date=October 18, 2023|accessdate=October 18, 2023|author=Chargers Communications}}
=New England Patriots=
On March 21, 2024, Hawkins signed with the New England Patriots.{{cite web|title=Patriots Re-sign WR Kendrick Bourne; Sign Unrestricted Free Agent S Jaylinn Hawkins|url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-re-sign-wr-kendrick-bourne-sign-unrestricted-free-agent-s-jaylinn-hawkins|website=Patriots.com|date=March 21, 2024}} He played in all 17 games with seven starts, recording 48 tackles and one pass deflection.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{footballstats|nfl=jaylinn-hawkins|espn=3858276}}
- [https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/jaylinn-hawkins/ New England Patriots profile]
- [https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/jaylinn-hawkins/14198 California Golden Bears profile]
{{Falcons2020DraftPicks}}
{{New England Patriots roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawkins, Jaylinn}}
Category:People from Buena Park, California
Category:Players of American football from Orange County, California
Category:American football safeties
Category:California Golden Bears football players
Category:Atlanta Falcons players
Category:Los Angeles Chargers players
Category:New England Patriots players