Joseph Hawkins - Creating Separation at the Top of Route

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Joseph Hawkins, a Chicago native, joined Northern Illinois University's football coaching staff as the wide receivers coach in April 2022 after serving on the coaching staff at Bryant University during the 2020 and 2021 seasons and working as an offensive and special teams analyst at Duke University. In his first season at NIU, he helped Cole Tucker lead the Huskies with 45 receptions for 632 yards and four touchdowns, earning Third Team All-MAC honors from Pro Football Focus and becoming the fourth overall pick in the 2023 CFL Draft. Additionally, Kacper Rutkiewicz led the team with 16.6 yards per reception and six touchdown catches.

Hawkins, a former three-time all-conference tight end at Norfolk State University, earned third-team All-America honors in 2013. Over the past eight seasons, he has coached wide receivers and tight ends at four different universities, bringing extensive experience and a proven track record to his role at NIU.