Gators Slot WR Target Jerrae Hawkins Jr. Set to Commit on Monday
Despite teasing a delayed commitment date of July 1 on Thursday, Jerrae Hawkins Jr. will not need to take the extra time to decide on where to continue his football career.
Hawkins is set to announce his collegiate destination on Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET, where he'll choose between his top three of Florida, Miami and Penn State.
The Gators have long sought after the speedy pass-catching prospect, placing him atop their wish list for slot wideout options in their search for capable weapons at quarterback commit DJ Lagway's disposal in the future.
Wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales has run point on Hawkins' recruitment. The rapport between the two parties has increasingly strengthened since Gonzales' return to Gainesville in mid-March, opening the door for Hawkins to reciprocate the Gators' interest in recent months.
The intrigue reached its peak during his multi-day stay at Florida from June 9-11. The trip gave Hawkins a more in-depth look at the development track of Gonzales and the staff in its entirety, a factor he gleamed about post-visit when asked about his liking for UF.
"Mainly how hands-on they are with the receivers," Hawkins shared when asked about his takeaways from the trip. "There's a lot of receiver coaches or guys who played receiver on the coaching staff. Just the accolades and me playing on the biggest stage, and the best chance of me getting to the league."
He went so far as to name the Gators within his top two alongside the Nittany Lions — who he visited from June 23-25. The Hurricanes, despite earning the first crack at the Wheeling (W.V.) native as he trekked to campus for a June 2-4 OV, currently sit on the outside looking in as a member of his top three.
As Hawkins' recruitment comes to a close, Billy Napier and Co. hope to keep their hot streak on the recruiting trail alive by pinning down these second quick-twitch wideout of the cycle to add alongside Izaiah Williams in the position room.
He would be the 10th player to pledge to the Gators in June.
Florida has trended upward in recent weeks in its attempt to earn Hawkins' services.
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