Miami Lands Physically Imposing JUCO Offensive Line Prospect

On Saturday, Miami added yet another name to its already impressive roster for the 2026 season in the form of JUCO offensive lineman Jacob Hawks.

The Topeka, Kansas, is eligible to enroll this summer, according to 247 Sports, making him eligible to compete in the upcoming season. Hawks comes to the U after playing one season at Hutchinson Community College, where he improved his frame and skill set. On the Hutchinson roster, Hawks is listed as 6-foot-9 and 320 lbs.

He fits the mold that Cristobal and company have built for their offensive line units - mass moves ***. Hawks will look to compete for a tackle spot that a number of Hurricanes already have their eyes set on in order to replace losses from last year's roster.

During his lone junior college campaign, Hawks protected an offense that went 11-1 and averaged nearly 400 yards per game in total offense. The part that Hurricane fans should be intrigued by, though, is that the Hutchinson offense averaged over 170 rushing yards per game, with Hawks' unit serving as its spearhead.

While Hawks is currently unranked on all major platforms, he's talented enough for Mirabal and Cristobal to want to bring him in at this point in the cycle, and given how the last unit performed, those two have earned some respect in their talent evaluations.

Hawks will enroll as a true sophomore, with three years of remaining eligibility and one redshirt year if he or the staff elects for him to take it, barring any pending NCAA litigation. Hawks, freshman sensation Jackson Cantwell, redshirt senior Matt McCoy, redshirt junior Jamal Meriweather, and a host of others who look to replace the immense production from last year's offensive unit.

Luckily, the group will still have bell-cow running back Mark Fletcher behind them, and the experienced Duke transfer quarterback, Darian Mensah.

It is unclear whether Hawks' recruitment came as a direct result of what the coaching staff saw throughout spring practice, but one thing is for sure: Hawks isn't coming to Miami from a junior college in Kansas for no reason. While there were several programs closer to him that assuredly thought he had both the size and skill to transalte to the next level, Hawks chose the U, and the feeling is mutual.

The first time Hurricane fans will have the chance to see Hawks on the field will be in the team's season opener against Stanford on September 4.