Hawkins played as a quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes and professionally in Sweden for the Stockholm Mean Machines in the Superserien league for two seasons.

In Boise, Idaho, Hawkins led Bishop Kelly High School to back-to-back undefeated state championships.

[3][4] Hawkins was on a reality show called ESPNU Summer House, located in the Lincoln Park district in Chicago in 2006.

Because of the conflict of interest, his father had publicly stated he would leave the starting quarterback decision to the offensive coordinator, Mark Helfrich.

In 2009, after poor performances in the first four games of the season, Hawkins was replaced as the starter by Tyler Hansen on October 10 against Texas.

In 2017, he joined the UC Davis Aggies, again serving under his father, and was subsequently promoted to assistant director of football operations and recruiting.

[14] His father Dan played collegiately at UC Davis as a fullback, and was named head coach at Colorado in December 2005.