What Kind of Role Will DB Tre Hawkins III Have This Year?

Will Tre Hawkins III have a role this year or be destined for the practice squad?

Author:
Andrew Parsaud
Publish date:
Jun 5, 2023 2:47 PM EDT

In this story:

Tre Hawkins III, Cornerback

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 195 pounds
2022 stats: GP 12 / GS 12: 57 tackles, six pass breakups, two interceptions, one tackle for loss

The New York Giants selected Tre Hawkins III with the 209th pick in the sixth round of this past April’s draft out of Old Dominion University, where he played two full seasons, starting all 25 possible games at cornerback. In 2021, he recorded 76 tackles: the most by an ODU cornerback in a single season.

The Giants hosted Hawkins on a Top-30 visit in April, and it’s easy to see why they decided to take a chance on the former Monarch. He has size at 6-foot-3 and blazing speed (4.40 40-yard dash).

Hawkins has all the traits to become a solid cornerback in the NFL. He’s still a raw prospect and can improve in a few areas, but the potential exists.

Best Case Scenario

The best case for Hawkins this year is his ability to put his athleticism on display during training camp and preseason to climb up the depth chart. If nothing else, he will see time on special teams given his speed, but if he can outperform the guys in front of him on the depth chart, Hawkins could see valuable playing time during the regular season.

Cornerbacks coach Jerome Henderson will most certainly be pleased to work with Hawkins as he looks to work on cleaning up sloppy penalties, getting beat by quicker receivers, and improving his footwork. If all goes well this summer and beyond, Hawkins can be a late-round steal for the Giants.

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Worst Case Scenario

The worst thing that could happen in Hawkins’ case is he gets caught up in the numbers game. If he doesn’t show anything spectacular or noteworthy during the summer, he will likely see little to no playing time during the regular season.

The Giants drafted Cor’Dale Flott last year, and he has the potential to make a second-year leap, considering the slot cornerback position is arguably up for grabs. Flott showed flashes in the small amount of playing time he received, which is why the team’s excited about his potential.

Darnay Holmes has the experience, and Aaron Robinson played decently before getting injured last season. Nick McCloud was a core special teamer and received valuable snaps at cornerback last year due to injuries, and he is looking to move to safety.

If Hawkins can’t stand out from the rest of the pack in July and August, it’s tough to see how he’ll fit into the defense.

What to Expect in 2023

Hawkins has the chance to be a late-round gem for the Giants. He possesses the size and speed to be a capable outside cornerback. He excels in press-man coverage, which will be useful in Wink Martindale’s scheme. And he can certainly lay the wood, displaying physicality that many cornerbacks do not have.

But Hawkins is a raw player. He had just two full seasons at ODU and still needs development. He is an intriguing prospect that fans should watch when training camp rolls around.