Flowers are blooming, the sun is out, and the temperatures are starting to heat up across the country. Spring football is on the horizon for Oklahoma football, and the Sooners are getting more clarity about their recruiting targets off the field.
One of those targets, 2025 DB [autotag]Maliek Hawkins[/autotag], has narrowed down his recruitment and is planning to announce his decision in early April. Hawkins announced on his social media pages on Saturday afternoon.
#AGTG Thank you God,and everyone who has been with me on this journey. I will be COMMITTING early April @ParkerThune @EHSMavsFB @Rivals @RivalsFriedman @On3sports @MikeRoach247 @Bdrumm_Rivals @RivalsRichie @GPowersScout @dctf #HailState #WooPig #OUDNA #HookEm #Txlege #rivals pic.twitter.com/sY9zkm5cJv
— Maliek Hawkins ‘25 (@MaliekHawkins37) March 2, 2024
Hawkins, the younger brother of Oklahoma freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., has narrowed his schools to Mississippi State, Arkansas, Texas State, Texas, and the Sooners.
Mississippi State is now led by Jeff Lebby, who has strong ties to the Hawkins family. via Lebby recruited Michael during his tenure as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma. It’s unlikely that the Bulldogs will be the choice. The same goes for Arkansas and Texas State. Leaving the Sooners and Longhorns set to duke it out again for another Texas-based recruit.
This feels like Oklahoma’s recruitment to lose. The ties to Oklahoma are strong. Maliek’s father Mike played for Brent Venables in the early 2000s and his older brother Michael joined the Sooners this spring.
The Sooners have also been pushing for the younger Hawkins brother for years. The Sooners have long been the favorite in his recruitment with predictions dating back to last March.
The Sooners have to close are the clear frontrunners, but have to continue to recruit the athletic and tenacious four-star cornerback.
As it stands, the Sooners are No. 5 in the country in team recruiting in the class of 2025. A Hawkins commitment would also give them their first secondary commitment of the cycle.
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