The Dallas Cowboys drafted Baylor basketball player Rico Gathers last year and moved him to tight end. Now, the Cowboys might attempt to dip into that basketball-to-football well again. The Cowboys reported sent representatives to check out former Kentucky Wildcats guard Dominique Hawkins during a recent workout.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reports the Cowboys scouted Hawkins while he worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers this week. Multiple teams have expressed interest in Hawkins if he elects to give up on playing basketball. Hawkins averaged just 4.7 points per game in less than 20 minutes per game for the Wildcats. However, he was a strong defender at UK, which would be his role in the NFL.
If Hawkins elects to give up on basketball (he has said he would like to play overseas if he can't make a NBA roster), he would be a defensive back. While most basketball-to-football players have moved to tight end (Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham, Gathers, etc), Quinten Rollins is one player who made the move to cornerback.
Hawkins showed off impressive athleticism at UK, with a 37-inch vertical jump in the preseason. That would have ranked in the top 10 at the NFL Combine among DBs. Checking in at 6-foot, 190-pounds, he has the size teams want in a DB. He was a good football player for Madison Central High School in Richmond, Kentucky (he ran for over 1,100 yards his final year), but elected to pursue basketball.
Despite the NFL interest, Hawkins reportedly wants to remain focused on basketball. He's a longshot to be drafted, but could play overseas.
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