Welcome to the 80s! Have a wine cooler, loosen your skinny tie, enjoy the music of Roxette, and read about the first offensive player of our preseason roster countdown:
#89 Jeff Hawkins
Redshirt Junior, 6'4, 256 lbs.
Stats in 2010: Played in 11 games, missing West Virginia and the bowl game. But that's it as statistics go. Played mostly on special teams; did not record any tackles.
Current Spot on Depth Chart: Not listed. There are six tight ends on the roster and only two on the depth chart.
How did he come to USF: From Ocala Vanguard High School, in the conventional fashion.
Recruiting Rankings: Rivals listed him as a two-star recruit, while Scout rated him at three starts and #35 nationally among tight ends. He was USF's first verbal commitment of the 2008 recruiting season, and faxed in his letter bright and early on Signing Day.
Projected Playing Time for 2011: Difficult to see. There are six tight ends on the roster, all of whom have redshirted already, and none of whom will run out of eligibility before Hawkins does. His size, and high school statistics (12 pass receptions, 22 pancake blocks) suggest he's more of a blocker. Perhaps he'll see more action in jumbo offensive packages, while continuing to contribute to special teams. It may require attrition, injuries, or a position change for #2 tight end Isaac Virgin (which itself would require attrition) for Hawkins to play a major role in the USF offense.