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I just got back from the OTA. I watched most of the practice. I left 20 or 30 minutes early. I focused mostly on Mike Hawkins.
Positives:
His attitude and focus seems to be night and day compared to last year. I'm sure he did his best last year, but after a year with the defense, he looks much more sure of himself. He knows where to be, his head isn't spinning like it appeared to be most of last training camp.
He rarely gets beat to the outside. Any WR running an out route gets smothered.
His body looks stronger and more NFL ready. He can handle himself against Boerigter, but has some trouble with Ferg. Ferg is a beast this year so it's understandable. I don't think I've ever seen Ferg in better shape.
Negatives:
While the extra LBS will probably help him be physical at the line and in the run game, his jaw dropping quickness seems to have gone from the best I've ever seen to something just a notch better than Carroll or Harris.
He did smother every single out route, but when WR's went in, he didn't appear use proper technique. Bigger WR's like Ferg and Boerigter where able to sheild him off with their body. Hawkins is tall and has long arms so he shouldn't be getting beat that way.
Overall
I believe Hawkins has the best physical build of a CB that I've ever seen. He's tall yet jaw dropping quick. He's fast but smooth too. He has a natural instinct to look for the ball. He should get INT's with his deceptive quickness, speed adn ball skills. If he works hard I think he could push Carroll for the #3 CB position. If he continues to progress at his current rate he should be a better player than Carroll by next year. Carroll just cannot compete with his size/speed/quickness combo. Carroll has the speed and quickness, but Hawkins does the same things at 6'2". I think Hawkins tracks the ball better so that is another seemingly unteachable trait that Carroll does not have.
Positives:
His attitude and focus seems to be night and day compared to last year. I'm sure he did his best last year, but after a year with the defense, he looks much more sure of himself. He knows where to be, his head isn't spinning like it appeared to be most of last training camp.
He rarely gets beat to the outside. Any WR running an out route gets smothered.
His body looks stronger and more NFL ready. He can handle himself against Boerigter, but has some trouble with Ferg. Ferg is a beast this year so it's understandable. I don't think I've ever seen Ferg in better shape.
Negatives:
While the extra LBS will probably help him be physical at the line and in the run game, his jaw dropping quickness seems to have gone from the best I've ever seen to something just a notch better than Carroll or Harris.
He did smother every single out route, but when WR's went in, he didn't appear use proper technique. Bigger WR's like Ferg and Boerigter where able to sheild him off with their body. Hawkins is tall and has long arms so he shouldn't be getting beat that way.
Overall
I believe Hawkins has the best physical build of a CB that I've ever seen. He's tall yet jaw dropping quick. He's fast but smooth too. He has a natural instinct to look for the ball. He should get INT's with his deceptive quickness, speed adn ball skills. If he works hard I think he could push Carroll for the #3 CB position. If he continues to progress at his current rate he should be a better player than Carroll by next year. Carroll just cannot compete with his size/speed/quickness combo. Carroll has the speed and quickness, but Hawkins does the same things at 6'2". I think Hawkins tracks the ball better so that is another seemingly unteachable trait that Carroll does not have.
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