Fresh Faces: Oklahoma DB Maliek Hawkins Continuing Family’s Sooner Legacy

Maliek Hawkins will follow in the footsteps of his father and older brother as he joins the Sooners' secondary in 2025.

Oklahoma Football: DB Maliek Hawkins Spring Media Day Interview | John Hoover Media

NORMAN — Maliek Hawkins had several Power Five offers out of high school, but for him, choosing Oklahoma was the only option.

A freshman defensive back, Hawkins is the son of Michael (Mike) Hawkins Sr., who played cornerback for OU in 2002 before playing multiple seasons in the NFL. Hawkins’ brother is Michael Hawkins Jr., who started three games at quarterback for the Sooners in 2024.

Even with family familiarity attached to the school, Hawkins admitted that living north of the Red River is a strange feeling.

“Definitely more different than Texas because we have Buc-ee’s and stuff like that at home,” Hawkins said. “I’m liking it a lot, but it’s different.”

That’s where his brother comes into play: Michael was in the same boat a year ago, enrolling last spring and becoming a prominent player for OU as a true freshman.

The quarterback played in seven games a year ago, throwing for 783 yards and three touchdowns and logging a 123.1 passer rating. He also rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown.

The brothers aren’t roommates, as Michael Jr. is now a sophomore. Still, the two are connected very tightly, and Michael has shown his younger brother the ropes.

“I’m getting more mental and off-the-field advice from my brother,” Hawkins said. “That’s my brother, that’s family. There’s no bond stronger than that.”

Though Maliek and his older brother are only one year apart, the freshman defensive back has learned more about football from his father.

In addition to playing cornerback, Mike played nickelback during his NFL career

Thanks largely to his versatility, Mike played for the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings and also spent multiple years participating on various teams’ practice squads.

Maliek wants to mimic his father’s versatility.

---

READ MORE OKLAHOMA FOOTBALL

Oklahoma Lands Transfer Portal Wide Receiver
How Will Oklahoma’s Robert Spears-Jennings Build on Stellar 2024 Season?

Oklahoma DL Gracen Halton Looking to Continue Progression in 2025

---

“On the field, it’s definitely my dad (giving advice),” Hawkins said. “A lot of the things I’m working on at nickel I’m getting from him.”

Hawkins, who attended Frisco Emerson High School, came to OU as a 4-star prospect, per Rivals, while 247Sports, ESPN and On3 graded him as a 3-star. Rivals ranked him as the No. 30 cornerback in the Class of 2025 and the No. 42 player from Texas.

The defensive back chose Oklahoma over offers from Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Oklahoma’s secondary is loaded with experience, featuring veterans Eli Bowen, Peyton Bowen, Kendel Dolby, Robert Spears-Jennings, Gentry Williams and Kendal Daniels. The Sooners also signed two other cornerbacks — Courtland Guillory and Trystan Haynes — in their 2025 class.

Even in such a competitive unit, Hawkins believes that he can make an immediate impact.

“OU, they look at everybody the same, no matter what you did last season,” Hawkins said. “It’s a new season. Just seeing my brother Mike (Hawkins Jr.) and Eli (Bowen) dominate, being disruptive on the field… it means I can, too.”

And according to Dolby, a redshirt senior defensive back, Hawkins and the Sooners’ other new defensive backs did what they needed to do during spring ball.

“Maliek Hawkins has been good,” Dolby said. “Courtland Guillory, he's been really good. Reggie (Powers III), he's a sophomore, so he's still a young guy. He's been really good. Those are the guys I can think off the top of my head, but yeah, those guys right there, man, they've been thriving. They've been really good.”