Signings don’t usually come this late in the summer, but as they say ‘better late than never.’

Taylor Hawkins has accepted a full athletic scholarship to attend Reinhardt University where he will play football for the Eagles.

“I feel wonderful,” Geri Hawkins, Taylor Hawkins’ mom, said. “This is the second son that I’m able to send off to college. What we’ve endured just to get to this day, I’m just really grateful that he’s getting this opportunity and we don’t take it for granted.”

As a senior, Taylor Hawkins came down with 35 receptions, accumulating 462 yards and 11 touchdowns.

“He’s a workhorse. He’s going to work for the scholarship and I think that he realizes now, the importance of doing all within his power to being able to get it and maintain the scholarship. He’s going places,” Geri Hawkins said.

Taylor Hawkins said that he chose Reinhardt because they stayed in constant contact with him, and the recruiting coach was great when he went down to visit.

“As far as I know, I want to play both sides of the ball. I want to play defense and offense, cornerback and receiver. Whichever spot coach puts me at, that’s where I’m going to show out and make my coaches and my family proud,” Taylor Hawkins said.

He said that he thanks Reinhardt for letting him come in and accepting him into their family.

“Taylor is one of those kids that does what the program needs. He’s a selfless player, which I think is key on any team,” Rams’ head coach Terrance Banks said. “Every team needs somebody that cares more about the team than themselves. So he’ll do all the things that don’t show up in the stat sheet, and then the things that do show up in the stat sheet you’ll be amazed by. That’s the kind of stuff that wins football games.”

“It’ll be at some point, Reinhardt is going to win a football game where a running back breaks for a 90-yard touchdown, and the running back will get all the credit, but it’ll be a block that Taylor made that sprung him for 90 yards. The coaches will see it, the fans won’t.”

Banks said that Taylor Hawkins could’ve gone anywhere and he went to a school that fits him. Taylor Hawkins won’t be the only Ram at Reinhardt, he’ll be joined by baseball player MJ Boykin.