Gators land WR Hawkins
Junior Marqui Hawkins of Columbus (Ga.) Carver thinks he is better suited to play receiver than defensive back in college, and apparently Florida agrees with him.
Largely because the Gators recruited him to play on offense, Hawkins committed to Coach Will Muschamp's program Monday night.
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"I knew the depth chart was low at receiver and I could come in and play early," Hawkins said.
The 6-feet-2, 190-pound Hawkins, a three-star prospect, committed to Florida over Clemson, he said. He also claimed offers from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Southern California and Tennessee.
"My coach has been telling me it's a great school," Hawkins said. "And I wanted to be the first player at Carver that went to Florida."
Florida assistant Brian White is Hawkins' primary recruiter. According to Hawkins, White has been to his school three times to see him, including twice this year. White and Florida receivers coach Aubrey Hill are expected to be at Carver tomorrow.
"Coach White and I have a father-son type of situation," Hawkins said. "We talk just like we're family."
Hawkins said he committed to Muschamp over the phone.
"He was happy," Hawkins said. "He was screaming. He was happy for me to be a Gator."
Hawkins, who had 31 catches for 635 yards and six touchdowns in 2011, has never visited Florida. But he plans to be in Gainesville soon.
"I'll be there in a couple of weeks," he said. "I know it's going to be great. It's Florida. There are a lot of things to see there."
Hawkins also intends to check out others schools.
"I just feel like I need to take my official visits just to see … but I know Florida is where I'm committed," Hawkins said.
Keith Niebuhr can be reached at Keithrivals@yahoo.com. You can follow him on Twitter @KeithRIVALS.