Andrew Hawkins: Perhaps less talented, but the biggest winner in his family

… the role model that young people everywhere should emulate

Life was not easy for Andrew Hawkins growing up in Johnstown, Pa. His family struggled financially, and he has not forgotten those years. "We didn’t have much growing up; times got tough, man," Hawkins told Jenesis Magazine in 2012. "But my mom kept us in line and always told us, 'God would give you double for your trouble,' and she wasn’t lying."

However, though he was supported by only a small group, he did have some who helped sustain him. "I didn’t have a ton of supporters, but the ones that were there were rock solid. Wouldn’t be where I am without them. Brothers, sisters, mom and my step dad stuck with me when no one else saw the vision," he said in the interview.

In fact, Andrew, who will line up as a slot receiver on Sunday when the Cleveland Browns host the Pittsburgh Steelers, realized that of those in his family, he may be the least talented athletically. They included his brother, his father, and two cousins.

That is why on NFL Draft Day in 2008, the 5-foot, 7-inch, 165-pound Hawkins waited for a call that never came.

He went undrafted out of Toledo even though his older brother, Artrell, Jr. had played in the NFL for nine years. Cousin Carlton Haselrig was a Pro Bowl lineman for the Steelers before alcohol stole away his career. Cousin Geroy Simon became one of the greatest receivers in Canadian Football League history.

The Despair of 2008 

Andrew did not play any football in the 2008 season, holding a job in a windmill factory in Ohio where he drove a forklift and swept floors, among other duties, earning about $9.50 an hour, according to a story in Cincy Jungle.

His future life did not appear to be bright, but he never lost hope. Part of that occurred because of a strong Christian faith that he traces back to his hometown.

Life in Johnstown

The two Hawkins boys grew up knowing that their father was one of the best running backs to ever come out of the city of Johnstown. He set the career rushing mark at Greater Johnstown High School back in the 1970s, and he was generally considered to be a hero.

Artrell Sr. went to Pitt on a football scholarship and earned three varsity letters, but never went beyond college. He too was undrafted, though he had an opportunity to make the Steelers squad as a free agent.

He never made an NFL roster.

Worse, he never became an influence on the life of Andrew, as noted above. He mentions his step-dad as one of his supporters, but not his biological dad.

The value of a wonderful mother

His mother, Aletha (Haselrig) Hawkins, became his rock, the rock of the family. While they did not have many tangible monetary goods, they had emotional and spiritual support. That Christian faith that he learned from his mother has carried him through the tough times when he did not know that he would eventually be playing his sixth NFL season, his eighth professional year in football.

"I admit there were a lot of times when I didn't think where I am now would be possible," he told CBS Sports in 2012 when he was starting to excel with the Bengals. "But I'm a spiritual guy, and I just believed that, if I put the work in, God would work out a plan for me. I didn't know how it was going to happen. I didn't know what was going to happen. For whatever reason, something just kept me believing it, and I'm glad I did."

University of Toledo

Neither Hawkins boy earned a top Div. I scholarship like their father did to Pitt. Andrew was a good player at Bishop McCort, and he earned AP second team all-state recognition as a DB in his senior season.

However, recruiters were not exactly chasing him all over town, and he settled on a MAC school in Toledo. There, he played both as a wideout and a DB. His teammates and coaches loved him, but after four years, he had few stats to impress NFL scouts. He did catch their attention on a Pro Day when he ran a 4.3-second 40-yard-dash, but it was not enough to have anyone draft him or sign him to a contract after that.

Those were bleak times.

The Browns did sign him to a free-agent contract that year, but showed little interest before cutting him. That led him to the CFL, where his cousin, Geroy Simon, would eventually become the greatest receiver in league history.

He spent two years playing for Montreal, but his heart was still in the USA.

The NFL

Hawkins wanted to earn a spot in the NFL, and the Rams signed him first in 2011. They cut him because of a lockout, but the Bengals immediately picked him up. He spent three years with them, and then tested free agency. Then the Browns made him an offer, but the Bengals refused to match it, and he is now in Cleveland.

Hawkins entered this season with 200 career catches for 2,332 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 11.7 yards per catch. In 2016, he has added 24 receptions for 237 yards and three TDs, averaging almost ten yards per catch.

His best year in Cincinnati was 2012 when he caught 51 passes for 533 yards and four TDs (10.5 / catch). His best thus far in Cleveland was 2014 when he led the Browns with 63 catches for 824 yards and two TDs (13.1 / catch). Not shabby for a guy no one would pick out of college.

Family

Today, Andrew is married to Kisha, and they are the parents of a son, Austin, and twin daughters, Aubree Rae and Autumn. He is also working on a master's degree in sports management at Columbia University graduate school, an Ivy League institution in New York City.

Hawkins is also generous with his time and money. He bought presents for children in the Cleveland area and donated $10,000 for a computer lab, according to his bio on the Browns' website. He has also donated turkeys to families in need.

His life in Johnstown is a distant memory, but he has not forgotten those days when he wondered if he would amount to much in life. While he may not be the biggest winner in his family in terms of athletic talent, he is the best in terms of the man he has become. He is a tribute to his family and to himself, and while much of the attention on the Cleveland Browns will focus on another receiver who was one of the most talented players in Pa. high school history -- Terrelle Pryor -- Andrew Hawkins may be the role model that young people everywhere should emulate.