Maliek Hawkins Learns From the Best | WVU Football All 105

All 105 is a West Virginia Sports Now series profiling each member of the 2026 WVU Football Roster.

Maliek Hawkins learned from one of the best defensive minds in college football during his freshman season, playing for Brent Venables at Oklahoma. While he appeared in only one game with the Sooners, that sort of experience is almost impossible to overrate, and the six foot tall, 192 pound nickel safety could turn into a legitimate force for the Mountaineers’ defense as he continues to add experience.

Rivals listed Hawkins as a four-star prospect at cornerback. West Virginia has him penciled in as a nickel safety, seeing him as a strong fit on obvious passing downs. In this pass-heavy era of college football, the nickel has turned into the base defense for many teams. Hawkins has two seniors ahead of him at the position, but his natural talent and experience at Oklahoma should make him a force in the years to come.

Hawkins’ brother Michael, a dual-threat quarterback competing for the starting job, also transferred to WVU this offseason.

37 • Maliek Hawkins, redshirt freshman nickel safety

Last Year: Hawkins appeared in one game at Oklahoma last season, taking a redshirt year.

Stats: N/A

Post-Camp Outlook: Hawkins is one of six players listed at nickel safety on the Mountaineers’ roster. Finding a niche is often a valuable asset for a young player, giving them a path to playing time, but West Virginia has two seniors at the position in Geimere Latimer II and Andrew Powdrell. 

Projected Role: Assuming a healthy year for Latimer and Powdrell, Hawkins could start to establish himself for the 2027 season as a reserve and on special teams. 

Accolades, Highlights: Rivals rated Hawkins as a four-star recruit, while the other recruiting services rated him as a three-star. While he didn’t get much playing time at Oklahoma, a chance to learn from head coach and defensive guru Brent Venables should be enough to get Mountaineers fans excited about Hawkins’ potential.

Coverage Links:

DB Maliek Hawkins Inks Deal With WVU Football to Officially Join Brother