Why Falcons DB Jaylinn Hawkins Plays with 'Fire!'

Jaylinn Hawkins has been one of the early standouts for the Atlanta Falcons during training camp.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 28, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons fourth-year pro Jaylinn Hawkins may not be the biggest name in the new-look secondary, but he is still managing to make quite the impact.

While the attention may be focused more on A.J. Terrell or newly-signed Jessie Bates III or former top-three pick Jeff Okudah, Hawkins has been one of the standouts to kick off training camp.

In the first two days of camp, Hawkins recorded an interception, and while he didn't pick off a quarterback on Day 3, he recorded a nice pass breakup, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein.

Despite working with the second unit, Hawkins remains motivated throughout training camp.

"I always have a fire. Circumstances don't determine the fire," Hawkins said via Rothstein. "I'm a self-motivator. I'm always doing what it takes to get better."

Even with Hawkins balling out in camp, it will be really difficult for him to crack the starting lineup with Bates III and Richie Grant ahead of him on the depth chart. However, he is still expected to play a large role in the Falcons secondary.

Hawkins has a lot to prove coming into this season. Expected to hit free agency this spring, Hawkins has the chance to make a ton of money this season with his performance.

And if he plays during the season like he has in this first part of camp, Hawkins should get ready for a massive payday.

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Published Jul 28, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.