On Monday, Jerrae “Tank” Hawkins, a Class of 2024 four-star athlete out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, narrowed his school choice to six, and Penn State made the list.
Recruitment still 100% open !! pic.twitter.com/kbgTUA3DLr
— Jerrae “Tank” Hawkins Jr 💫 (@Tankk_1k) March 13, 2023
Penn State is in the running along with Florida, Miami, Louisville, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Hawkins (5-foot-9, 165 pounds) is the No. 26 player in Florida, the No. 28 wide receiver nationally and the No. 177 overall player from his class according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings.
Last month, Hawkins told Nittany Sports Now that Penn State would “probably be Number 1” on his list.
A big reason is the bond Hawkins is building with Penn State’s new receivers coach, Marques Hagans.
Like Hawkins, Hagans is from Virginia, which doesn’t hurt. PSU offered Hawkins at the school’s annual Lasch Bash this past July, long before Hagans got hired last month.
But after Hagans got the job, Assistant Recruiting Coordinator for Personnel Rashad Rich made it a point to facetime Hawkins and introduce him to Hagans.
Since then, Hawkins and Hagans have gotten to know each other, and Hawkins says they talk every other day.
Penn State consistently checking in on Hawkins is something that he greatly appreciates.
“Just the consistency of them talking to me,” Hawkins said. “Mainly that, honestly.”
Penn State offered Hawkins last June, and he plans to visit Penn State in April. He last visited Penn State Sept. 10 for its home opener against Ohio.
Hawkins, who is originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, but played his first three seasons at Wheeling Park High School in West Virginia, has elite track speed, evidenced by winning the 60-, 100-, and 200-meter dash in the West Virginia 3A State Championships as a sophomore.
Hawkins has the speed to get by defensive backs but is a very slender player that will need to add weight to his frame to not be limited to gadget plays or playing in the slot at the next level. He also played some snaps at cornerback this past season.
Check out my JR year tape ! https://t.co/EhguS7teD6
— Jerrae “Tank” Hawkins Jr 💫 (@Tankk_1k) November 9, 2022
In his junior season at Wheeling Park High School, Hawkins caught 67 passes for 1,173 yards and 14 touchdowns on offense. On defense, he recorded eight tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception for a touchdown.
Penn State looks to add Hawkins as its first wide receiver to its 2024 recruiting class.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
