Hawkins Isn't Used To Losing And Doesn't Plan To Start At Arkansas

WR competing in crowded receiver room for snaps as Week 1 looms

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Jamari Hawkins (9) tries to escape the grasp of defensive back Nsongbeh Ginyui (15) during the spring game at Razorback Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — During the four years Jamari Hawkins spent at Memphis under head coach Ryan Silverfield, the Tigers compiled a record of 36-16.

"Coming from Memphis my whole college career, I haven't lost a lot," Hawkins said Monday, "And I don't want to lose games."

The wide receiver is in the midst of an intense competition for a starting job in a deep receiving room.

Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Jamari Hawkins (9) walks back to the line for the next drill during spring practice at the Arkansas Razorbacks practice facilities. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chris Marshall, CJ Brown, Donovan Faupel, Ismael Cisse, Jelani Watkins, Courtney Crutchfield, Antonio Jordan and Hawkins are all battling for reps and will be battling for snaps come the season, a product of a competitive position group.

While Hawkins made it clear he wants to win that position battle, he has a winning mindset and won't mind sacrificing personal success for that of his team.

"Whoever's going to make the play... I'm still competing, because of course I want to play," Hawkins said. "But I'd never, ever be mad or anything like that."

For a team full of new players who are trying to either establish themselves as starters or just carve out the beginnings of a future, that unselfishness is much-needed.

"We're just coming out and competing every day," Cisse said. "Obviously, we were close but we're getting closer. In something like fall camp where you got it going each and every day and grind, obviously tensions get hot when you gotta keep doing the same thing over and over again.

"So, just being able to be with the guys for so many hours during the day, it allows us to build camaraderie and what we've been talking about with the team."

Faupel, who was a major third down target at New Mexico State last season, comes to Arkansas not as heralded of a transfer, but his fulll body of work as a sure-handed pass catcher is nice to have for either of the yyoung quarterbacks.

"I feel like we look at ourselves as a receiver group, we're the energy for the team," said Faupel, who transferred to Arkansas from New Mexico State. "When we go out there and make plays, that brings up the whole team. We feel like we're the stars of the team. We kind of go with that mindset every day.

"Once we make a play, the person next to us makes a play, running back makes a play. So we kind of take that on as a group, and we challenge ourselves every day with that. Coach Smith challenges us with that. We're really starting to get there."

With no clear WR1 established yet in Fayetteville, receiver by committee may be how Arkansas starts the season. If the receiver room is as good as Smith says it is, that may not be a bad thing at all.

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