Tre Hawkins’ path to the NFL has been uncommon.
But there was somewhat of a blueprint waiting for him on the Giants.
They drafted the rookie cornerback in the sixth round out of Old Dominion, a small program in the Sun Belt Conference.
There were only seven former Monarchs in the NFL before the draft, but fortunately for Hawkins, one happened to be on the Giants’ roster.
Oshane Ximines, who starred at Old Dominion, is entering his fifth season with the Giants, who drafted him in the third round of the 2019 draft.
Though they didn’t play together in college, Ximines and Hawkins have quickly developed a close bond.
“I was fired up, another Old Dominion guy in the building,” Ximines told The Post. “How about the camp he’s had so far? It’s great to see.”
Ximines’ sentiment about Hawkins’ performance early in training camp is not a result of their friendship or bias.
Hawkins has been one of the biggest surprises of camp so far.
He has barely missed a step transitioning to the NFL, impressing both his teammates and the coaching staff.
The only thing he claimed he has had to get used to is the increased media coverage, compared with Old Dominion.
Amid deep competition at the position, Hawkins has been receiving ample reps with the first-team defense and is battling for a starting role, or at least significant playing time.
“I’m most definitely proud, but humble at the same time,” Hawkins said, adding that he would have a chip on his shoulder regardless of where he went to school. “From my eyes, I’m not looking at it as if I’m doing too good or doing too bad.
“I’m just trying to stay mellow throughout the whole training camp, stay consistent.”
When Hawkins has been with the starters, defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has often tried putting Adoree’ Jackson in the slot to see how it works.
So, perhaps beyond winning an unlikely starting role, Hawkins can help unlock a new-look Giants defense.
“He’s had a great camp,” Martindale said of Hawkins. “It’s amazing to me as you go back and you think about the different guys and where they come from. It doesn’t matter where you come from once you get here because the resources and people that they have to work with at this level and the guys that are productive, you can see the confidence just build in them. I really think he’s done a nice job but he’s got a lot of things to work on, just like we all do.”