2022 TE CJ Hawkins flips his commitment from Florida to Stanford

In March, Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep tight end CJ Hawkins committed to Florida. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound athlete grew up following Florida, he knew a lot about the Gators, and after playing one year of football, he committed to the in-state school.

Things happened very quickly for the athletic tight end. Early in 2021, offers started rolling in for Hawkins. On the same day Florida offered (March 9), Stanford offered too.

Five days later, on March 14, Hawkins committed to the Gators.

In between a couple of summer visits to the Swamp, Hawkins took an official visit to Palo Alto.

Since that visit, Hawkins has had thoughts about becoming a Cardinal.

“The visit and the school was everything I thought it would be, and it never left my mind,” Wilson said. “Communication was strong all summer, Stanford was always on my mind, and it came to me that it was the best school for me.”

Over time, Hawkins started leaning towards Stanford

The only official visit Hawkins has taken was to Stanford. That visit gave him and his family a lot to think about. Over the summer months, although he was committed to Florida, he was thinking about the Pac 12 school in California.

“The summer gave me tons of time to think about my decision,” Hawkins said. “I did some real soul searching. I was just trying to figure out where I wanted to be.

“The more I thought about it, the more I started to lean towards Stanford. I would say I have been leaning that way for over a month, maybe two months now.”

Stanford was the perfect fit in Hawkins’ mind. He had nothing but positive things to say about Florida, but he is ready to head to the west coast.

“It came down to life after football. The education at Stanford is different. The prestige Stanford has is different.

“The academics and what Stanford can do for me in life after football played a huge role in my final decision.

“I made the final decision about two weeks ago. I kept thinking about Stanford, what it has to offer, and it just felt right.”

Consistency paid off for Stanford with Hawkins

Despite being committed to Florida, Stanford never stopped or even slowed down their recruitment. Head coach David Shaw and tight ends coach Morgan Turner double-teamed Hawkins, and strong relationships developed.

The consistency paid off.

“Coach Turner and coach Shaw stayed consistent the entire time,” Hawkins said. “They have been the same since the day they offered. They never stopped recruiting me, things never slowed down, and that meant a lot.

“Two great coaches showed me that they wanted me at a great school.”

Coach Shaw put a lot of time in this recruitment. When not leading the Cardinal program in football, he and Hawkins were getting to know one another.

Hawkins is excited about playing for Shaw on the next level.

“Coach Hawkins has been the same from the beginning. He is completely honest, he made me feel very comfortable with the program, and he is just different.

“During the visit, we talked a lot, I got to feel out who he was off the field, and I loved it. He is the same person on and off the field, and he is very genuine and honest. Coach Shaw is going to be great to play for.”

The team he has put together is different too. Hawkins learned a lot about the atmosphere in Palo Alto on his visit, and he feels he will fit right in.

“The vibe of the team is what I remember the most from the visit. The team is different. It felt like a community.

“Everyone was friends and wanted the best for each other. They all pushed each other academically and in football, but it was wanting the teammates to get better. It was just the perfect vibe for me.

“I am excited about being a Stanford Cardinal.”