Ragin’ Cajun QB Brayden Hawkins Granted Eligibility To Play In 2019 By NCAA

Louisiana Ragin' Cajun transfer quarterback Brayden Hawkins has been granted eligibility by the NCAA to play in 2019, Josh Lemoine (recruiting analyst and founder of Inside The Eye) confirmed to me.

Hawkins, who finished a standout high school career in 2017, enrolled at UTEP that summer, but transferred to Maryland shortly thereafter and blueshirted for the Terps last season. (A blueshirt is an athlete who isn't officially recruited by a school, but is put on scholarship at the beginning of freshmen camp. A blueshirt can practice, but cannot play in their first season.)

Maryland's football program underwent a tragedy last year following the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair due to heat exhaustion. The university fired head coach DJ Durkin in October, while the rest of the staff was accused of abusive behavior.

A source confirmed to Dayton Brown of Redzone Report that Hawkins chose to leave Maryland due to the state of the program.

After leaving Maryland, Hawkins enrolled briefly at Northwest Mississippi Community College, before committing to Louisiana in early May.

The expectation was Hawkins would not be eligible in 2019 and would have 3 years of eligibility beginning in 2020.

Now eligible to play this season, Hawkins is expected to have 4 years of eligibility.

The UL athletic department has not yet responded for confirmation.

Hawkins is one of six of Louisiana QBs on the roster that includes junior Levi Lewis, who entered fall camp atop the depth chart, as well as sophomore juco-transfer quarterback Jai’ave Magalei, freshman Chandler Fields, freshman Clifton McDowell, and junior Beau Kalbacher.