Andrew Hawkins Becoming Star in Cleveland Browns Balanced Offense
Bleacher Report / by Kristopher Knox / 13min ago
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins is probably a pretty easy player to overlook. At just 5'7" and 180 pounds, he is never going to stand out as the biggest guy on the field. Playing alongside guys such as A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham with the Cincinnati Bengals for his first three NFL seasons, Hawkins had trouble standing out in the receiving crowd as well. In fact, Hawkins is likely best-known nationally as a runner-up on Michael Irvin's reality-television competition 4th and Long. However, Hawkins was well-known among diehard Bengals fans as a shifty playmaker with plenty of run-after-the-catch ability. He has quickly made himself known to Browns fans during his short time with his new team, and he is on the verge of letting football fans everywhere know that he shouldn't be overlooked any longer. Through three weeks, Hawkins has racked up 21 receptions for 244 yards. Not only does Hawkins lead the Browns in receptions and receiving yardage, he also currently ranks 16th in the entire league in yards and is tied for ninth in receptions. Sportscaster John Telich provides some additional stats on Hawkins: According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Hawkins is currently the league's second-best overall receiver. For fans who actually have followed Hawkins throughout his young pro career, this shouldn't be a huge surprise. The diminutive wideout is an excellent route-runner who cuts quickly and cleanly out of his breaks, allowing him to gain separation and get open against defenders. "I'd rather guard (Josh) Gordon than him,'' Cornerback Justin Gilbert said of Hawkins during the offseason, reports Northeast Ohio Media Group's Mary Kay Cabot. "He's so little and quick. Those guys are hard to get a handle on. He's out there making plays every day.'' Hawkins has found plenty of ways to make plays on game day because he is a perfect fit for offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan's system. Shanahan's offense is based on a strong zone-running game with plenty of play-action and roll-out passes. Timing is extremely important in the system, as is the ability of the quarterback to deliver the football quickly. Hawkins' ability to quickly get open with precision route running has clearly made him a favorite target of quarterback Brian Hoyer. Hoyer and Hawkins complement each other well, and Hawkins has proved to be capable of delivering in critical situations. It was Hawkins who broke free against the New Orleans Saints defense to set up Cleveland's game-winning field goal in Week 2, and it has been Hawkins who is usually called upon to move the chains. According to Matt Goodwin of NumberFire.com, Hawkins is currently tied for sixth in the NFL with 14 first-down receptions. With Gordon still away serving a 10-game suspension, Hawkins has served as Cleveland's No. 1 receiver, and he has done so well. The interesting thing is that Hawkins would likely be spending another year as a Bengals role player had Browns general manager Ray Farmer not decided to take a chance and had Cincinnati not severely undervalued the Toledo product. During the offseason, the Browns signed Hawkins to a restricted-free-agent offer sheet. The Bengals decided not to match the four-year, $13.6 million deal. Since Hawkins was originally signed as an undrafted free agent, and the Bengals awarded him with an original-round tender, Cincinnati received no compensation in return. Radio host Keith Britton of 92.3 The Fan provided Farmer's comments on Hawkins: The Browns, meanwhile, have been getting a huge return on their investment in Hawkins, and the wideout is finally getting a chance to shine as the go-to guy in Shanahan's offense. “I just thank God for the position I’m in and having great coaches, being here in Cleveland, playing with Brian,” Hawkins said recently, per Scott Petrak of The Medina-Gazette. “I think it’s everything coming together at the right time.” Google+ Visit website
No comments:
Post a Comment