TORONTO - Former Illinois State All-American Brent Hawkins was named the Canadian Football League's (CFL) Gibson's Finest Defensive Player of the Week Tuesday, following a standout performance in Saskatchewan's win over the B.C. Lions last weekend.
After registering five tackles against the Montreal Alouettes in his regular-season debut July 1, Hawkins was a dominant force on the defensive line for the Riders in their 37-18 victory over the Lions at B.C.'s Empire Field on Saturday. In just his second CFL regular-season game, Hawkins recorded two quarterback sacks and one forced fumble, which he returned 47 yards for a touchdown.
Hawkins, a fifth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2006 NFL draft, played 20 games with the Jags over the 2006 and 2007 seasons after a stellar career at Illinois State.
He was named the Gateway Football Conference (now Missouri Valley Football Conference) Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, after setting school and conference single-season records in sacks (17) and tackles-for-loss (26.5). Following that season, Hawkins was named runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive player in FCS football, and was also named the defensive MVP at the 2006 Hula Bowl.
Hawkins and the rest of his Saskatchewan teammates return to action Saturday, July 17, when they host the Edmonton Eskimos at Mosaic Stadium.
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