Family, legacy and destiny collide as Maliek Hawkins picks Oklahoma

Maliek Hawkins blazed his own trail.

But in the end, that trail still led to Norman, Oklahoma, the town that has become the epicenter of his family’s love affair with the game of football.

The four-star cornerback from Frisco (Texas) Emerson High publicly committed to the Sooners on Wednesday afternoon, following the crimson-tinged footsteps of his father and brother in doing so. He’s the twelfth pledge of the 2025 recruiting cycle for Oklahoma, and his announcement comes almost exactly one year — 368 days, to be precise — after his older brother Michael committed to OU.

Despite holding scholarship offers from Texas, Mississippi State, Arkansas and numerous other FBS institutions, Maliek couldn’t turn down the school that now serves as a common denominator between the three men of the Hawkins clan. Maliek, Michael and Mike Sr. are bound by two things — their last name and the University of Oklahoma.

From the perspective of an outside observer, it might be hard to imagine that things could have turned out any differently for Maliek given the circumstances. But in reality, both Maliek and those closest to him will attest to the fact that a pledge to Oklahoma wasn’t always the plan — or the path — for the blue-chip defensive back. He did the recruiting process his way, and his decision wasn’t made for his father or his older brother. He’s a Sooner because Oklahoma makes sense for him — and that actually didn’t become apparent to Maliek until quite recently.

Maliek is less than eighteen months younger than Michael. The two brothers grew up together, and only one grade separated them in school. Where you found one of them, you could usually find them both.

“It’s been Mike and Maliek the whole time,” laughed their father, Mike Sr., who played cornerback for Oklahoma in 2002 before embarking on an eight-year professional career.

But though they’re in very close proximity from an age standpoint, it wasn’t until Maliek’s freshman year of high school that the two Hawkins boys got the chance to share the same uniform. As a freshman, Maliek made the varsity football team at Allen High and made key contributions in the secondary for the Eagles. Meanwhile, Michael dominated the local headlines as his recruitment began to heat up. His breakout sophomore campaign as Allen’s starting quarterback launched him into the national spotlight as a prospect, and he soon picked up a bevy of Power 5 scholarship offers.

Michael had long dreamed of playing quarterback at Oklahoma, so when he picked up the offer from the Sooners shortly before the beginning of his junior season, it didn’t take a Rhodes scholar to figure that he’d wind up in Norman. His relationship with Horned Frogs offensive coordinator Kendal Briles helped Arkansas emerge as a challenger in the recruitment, and when Briles left Arkansas for TCU, the Horned Frogs made a strong run at Michael. But when he committed on April 8, 2023, there was only one hat on the table. It bore an interlocking O and U.

Michael remained loyal to Oklahoma throughout the remainder of the recruiting cycle, and signed with the Sooners even after the departure of his primary recruiter in Jeff Lebby. But Maliek, who originally picked up his offer from Oklahoma a month before his brother’s commitment, didn’t always share Michael’s proclivity for the Sooners.

In fact, for more than a moment in time, Maliek believed that he was destined to wear burnt orange.

Throughout the fall of his junior year in 2023, he emerged as a major priority for Steve Sarkisian and the Texas staff — to the point that Sarkisian was personally making regular recruiting calls to him.

“Texas was my school for the longest [time],” Maliek recalled. “It was 100 percent just Texas. That’s what it was for a while.”

Maliek’s offer sheet wasn’t rife with major offers, due in large part to the fact that many programs didn’t want to risk wasting their time. As they saw it, sure — he was an excellent defensive back. But what were the odds that a kid whose father went to Oklahoma — and whose brother was committed to Oklahoma — would go anywhere but Oklahoma? That was an all-too-common perspective on Maliek’s recruitment, and it led many potential suitors to back off upon doing their initial homework.

But Texas took nothing for granted. The Longhorns pushed hard for Maliek, and against all odds, he found himself leaning towards staying on the south side of the Red River. Amidst it all, Maliek began to come face-to-face with the reality that if he wanted to be a Longhorn, he’d have to be his brother’s opponent for the first time in his young life.

“I grew up always wanting to play with my brother,” he remarked. “In middle school, in elementary ball, we were different grades. So we couldn’t play [together]. But I used to always want to play with him. And then in high school, that last game, I was like, ‘Man, this could really be my last game [with him].’ But I’m blessed with enough opportunities to where I can choose. I have the decision in my hands to make it my last, or I can keep going and keep playing with him.”

And as Maliek continued to ruminate on the decision, Jay Valai and Oklahoma remained consistent. A shake-up on staff at Texas led to an interruption in communication; meanwhile, Arkansas turned the heat back up on Maliek after a long hiatus in their pursuit of him. Texas continued to recruit him, but the vibes were simply never the same as they once were. And in the end, the Razorbacks came back into the picture a little too late.

As winter turned to spring, Maliek found himself gravitating toward Oklahoma. It helped that the Sooners had begun to pitch a unique vision for him in their defense — one that would utilize his physical style and versatile skill set in a multiplicity of ways. And when Maliek returned to campus last month to watch practice, he finally felt confident enough to pull the trigger.

“[I knew] at the first spring practice I went to, meeting with Valai and talking the position I would play,” he acknowledged. “Because most of my film is at corner. Not too many people have seen me work out or play other positions like cheetah or safety. They were saying they know for a fact that when I get there, they’re gonna use me like I’m a weapon — at DB, not just at corner.”

Mike Sr. will openly admit to two things: he wanted both of his boys at Oklahoma, and he was never going to force their respective hands. Michael made the decision that he felt was best for him as an individual, and Maliek had leeway to do the same. So naturally, when his younger son ultimately arrived at the conclusion that Oklahoma was his home, Mike Sr. was most proud of the fact that Maliek came to that decision for his own reasons.

“It was something that he wanted from within himself,” Mike Sr. observed. “I think Maliek wanted to be like me or be like his brother for a period of time, but I think once he had his own success, he felt like he wanted to walk a road of his own. And me and my wife, we always joke about it — we could leave Maliek anywhere and he was gonna take care of himself. And that’s been his mentality with everything; that’s just how he is. He’s a very, very independent kid that doesn’t need a lot of attention. And he doesn’t want it.”

In some parallel universe, Maliek is living out his life as a maverick, standing across the sideline from his brother at the Cotton Bowl with index finger and pinky held aloft. He’s racing out of the tunnel to “Texas Fight” and pumping up the orange-clad crowd at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium.

But in his mind, he’s still a maverick. He’s still his own man. He’s still writing his own chapter of the Hawkins family story. He’s just doing it in the familiar crimson and cream.

“It means a lot, with my dad being there and Mike being there now,” he said. “I have — well, I wouldn’t say shoes to fill. Because I’m going to the same college, but I’m still taking my own route and doing my own thing.”

At local media day in March, Michael remarked that he had a “good feeling” about his younger brother’s upcoming commitment. Naturally, he wanted Maliek in Norman as much as anyone. But in much the same way as his father, Michael never impelled Maliek in any particular direction.

Nevertheless, in the end, it would seem that blood is indeed thicker than the water of the Red River.

“I think it’s a phenomenal thing because I think it’s something that Mike [Jr.] wanted,” said Mike Sr., “but he gave his brother the opportunity to feel it. ‘You gotta do what you gotta do, but I want you here.’ And for Maliek to reciprocate that, it’s like — yeah, I get it. This is something that you earn, that they both earned. And I think they understand that.”

Maliek’s relationship with Jay Valai wasn’t always a seamless one. In fact, the Sooners’ cornerbacks coach actually intimidated young Hawkins in the early stages of the recruiting process.

“I used to get nervous because of the caliber of coach that he is, [having] coached in the NFL and things like that,” admitted Maliek. “But it’s definitely developed a lot. Our relationship has definitely gotten way better and we’ve gotten closer.”

One thing that’ll never intimidate Maliek, however, is any situation he faces on the gridiron. His junior highlights can barely be categorized as highlights, because opponents hardly threw his way in 2023. Rarely was he challenged, and it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for Maliek to play an entire game without being targeted by the opposing quarterback. When he’s on the field, it’s a power outage on his side of the hashmarks.

“I think the biggest thing that people will find out about Maliek is just that he’s fearless,” said Mike Sr. “He’s always been that way. He’s very outspoken, meaning that he can articulate himself very well. But he’s a student of the game and he loves the whole process. He has that true grit and that sternness about himself. And the knowledge that he’s been able to gain with me being his father, and having a brother like Mike to kind of push him and hold him accountable every day, I just think that’s gonna make the biggest difference with him.”

And, to be certain, genetics are in his favor. Not only does Maliek come from cornerback stock, but he’s been trained by his father in the technique of the position for years. That unique, built-in advantage has kept him ahead of the curve, and he’s also supplemented his development by cross-training at wide receiver.

“I just understand the game as a corner, as a DB,” Maliek explained. “I get what a receiver’s trying to do most of the time, because I’ve played it a lot. I can’t remember the last time where I’ve worked out with other DB’s, because I’m always around offensive players and I’m starting to understand and get it from my dad too.”

Maliek looks like an SEC cornerback. He runs like an SEC cornerback. He has all the technical polish of an SEC cornerback. With regard to bodily development, he’s not a finished product, but he’s a lot closer than many of his peers. That’s not a secret to him, but part of the reason he’s all-in with Oklahoma is that he knows the cognitive side of the game is every bit as important.

“Physically, people can only go so far,” he noted. “But mentally, with Valai being there and Coach [Zac] Alley, I know for a fact that they can unlock something in my mind. Especially with Coach Valai and all the things he knows, and my dad as well.”

For Mike Sr., who’s worked tirelessly for the better part of his post-retirement lifetime to sharpen his boys’ football skills, there’s a significant level of comfort in entrusting Maliek’s development to Valai and Brent Venables.

“I mean, Coach Valai’s gonna be a DC or a head coach at some point,” Mike Sr. predicted. “Because if you sit in a room with him, it only takes about two to three minutes before you know his football IQ. And his ability to demonstrate and articulate in the manner that he does, not only does it show you kind of like the mind that he has for the game, but the way that his players operate with him and how he operates. Being a guy from Texas and being able to coach at a high level at many different places, and the respect factor that Coach Valai demands, you want to play for him.

“And I think that’s the big thing. You gotta want to be coached. And when it’s done the way he’s doing it, the high intensity — you go out to a practice, he’s working just as hard as the players, sweating, demonstrating — that makes you want to go and be successful for him. He’s a reflection of what BV is.”

And for the entire Hawkins family, there’s a faith and a belief in what Venables has done — and is doing — at Oklahoma. It obviously starts with the man at the top, but what most impresses Maliek is the corps of assistants that Venables has hand-picked to help execute his vision for Sooner football.

“He has the right tools, the right people,” Maliek explained. “Everyone knows it can’t just be one person. The coaches he has, like Schmidty and the strength staff — that’s probably the best strength coaches I’ve seen. [But] how Coach BV coaches in general, if he has to take over the defense, he will. He’s not afraid to step in.”

It’s been over twenty years since Mike Sr. committed to Venables and Cale Gundy. And in that time, he’s watched his former defensive coordinator morph into one of the most respected defensive minds in the nation. Venables’ decade-long sabbatical from Oklahoma football, during which he won two national titles as Clemson’s defensive coordinator, helped prepare him for the challenge of leading the Sooners into the SEC. And Mike Sr. is simply excited that he’ll have not one, but both of his sons on board for that ride.

“You’re talking about one of the most decorated college coaches on the defensive side of the ball,” said Mike Sr. “And I think he’s done a hell of a job in how he’s handled the pressure of being in Norman. He understands that, and that’s the key. He’s been there through the years — multiple national championships [at OU and Clemson], countless Big 12 championships, first-rounders, coached some of the best players that I admire so much. I think it’s the best thing smoking. And I think the way he sees and views Maliek just heightens that excitement. It’s just amazing.

“And if I sit down and eat dinner [at OU], I hear some of the older guys talk about how it was two years ago, and how much they know now — and when he got there, how much they didn’t know about the position. That’s a testament to how those guys feel about the coach when nobody’s around, after a hard day of practice. That’s what it’s all about. You go to Oklahoma to win championships and to go to the next level. It’s just that simple. You gotta win. And I think that’s the culture that he has built and carried on.”

In 2002, as the Sooners led UTEP 55-0 in the fourth quarter, Mike Hawkins Sr. stepped in front of a pass from Miners quarterback Orlando Cruz. 45 yards later, he crossed the goal line, thus turning his first collegiate interception into his first collegiate touchdown.

He had no family members in attendance that day.

He was nineteen years old, a true freshman. And when he sauntered into the end zone, he had no one in the stands upon which to cast a glance, a wave, a celebratory fist pump.

As far as his sons are concerned, Mike Sr. — now 40 — has made it his life’s mission to ensure that they have the encouragement, guidance and support that he never had throughout his football journey.

Mike Sr. left Oklahoma midway through his freshman year. He later signed with the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League to stay sharp until he was eligible for the NFL draft. He ended up a fifth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2005.

But his footprint at OU was fleeting, a story that in retrospect is broadly defined not by what was, but what could have been. Could his talent have helped lift Oklahoma to a national title in 2003? Could he have been a first-round pick after three or four years in crimson?

Those questions will forever ricochet from sphere to sphere within the historical ether of Oklahoma football. Mike Sr. won’t lose sleep over it, though. After all, he made the NFL, and he’s currently enjoying a successful life after football in the DFW metroplex. And through his two sons, he has assurance that the Hawkins legacy is yet unfinished in the annals of Sooner lore.

“It’ll be the greatest thing ever,” Mike said of the opportunity to witness his sons’ respective careers at Oklahoma. “And I think the staff understands that. They understand what it means for guys like myself, and what it truly means to have that when I didn’t have that. I didn’t have nobody there when I got that first pick at OU and returned it for a touchdown. I had no parent there. They know what this means to me.”

Without traffic, Norman is about two and a half hours from the Hawkins’ home in suburban Dallas. It’s been less than three months since Mike Sr. and his wife Annabelle moved Michael into his dorm room at Oklahoma. Nine months from now, they’ll do the same with Maliek. And though the family dynamic is evolving in real time, there’s solace to be found in the fact that Michael and Maliek are in good hands.

“They’re really family-oriented,” Maliek said of Oklahoma. “How do I say it? Everyone gets five-stars and four-stars and walk-ons. But from what I’ve seen, they don’t treat anyone differently. And they give everyone the same opportunity and chance. It’s just up to the player, and I like that.”

And as the Sooners trend towards another national top-10 class in the 2025 cycle, Maliek is yet another example of a culture win on the recruiting trail. Brent Venables and his staff have placed an emphasis on pursuing players that not only fit the scheme, but fit the program’s identity — and they found not one, but two such players in the Hawkins household.

Venables’ approach at Oklahoma is working, in every sense and in every fashion.

“Being able to see how he coached when I was an 18-year-old kid coming into OU, and the intensity that he had back then, to still have that intensity now [is] just a testament to who he is,” Mike Sr. said of Venables. “But then the man that he is, the family man that he is, how much he loves the players and how he finds his way to parents and recruits and the players that’s there on the daily — I’ve noticed with Coach BV that he’s the same way that he is on the recruiting trail. He treats you the same way when you’re there. And you can see it; I’ve seen how he operated with Mike. And I just think it’s remarkable.”

How’s Dad going to feel when his two sons step onto the field together — as Sooners — for the first time?

“It’ll be the greatest moment ever, besides the birth of my kids and finding Christ,” Mike Sr. declared. “I mean, it’s gonna be the greatest thing ever. I think as parents, sometimes we get wrapped up in looking for the next thing and what’s next. Man, I just want to live right in the moment. I just want to sit there and soak it up, no cell phone, no nothing. Just remember the moment in my mind.

“I really can’t put it into words. It’s just all God. It’s just all a testament of what God really is and what He can do for you, especially when you listen and take the guidance and wisdom. It’s all God. I don’t even know what to say; I’m just so grateful.”

This story is free, but in order to access much more exclusive Oklahoma content, grab a subscription today. In addition to in-depth feature stories like this one, you'll also get exclusive behind-the-scenes team information, full message-board access and a wealth of recruiting intel. Don't miss out on the market's premier Oklahoma coverage!