The 18th in a series profiling new additions to the Arkansas football team.

Eric Hawkins brings a lot of skills with him to Arkansas, but the one that might help him out the most is his ability to see the big picture.

When Hawkins, a 5-11, 170-pound wide receiver from Longview, Texas, chose Arkansas over scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, TCU and Hawaii, his decision extended farbeyond the football field.

“It came down to not only the best place to play football, but what I want to do in college,” Hawkins said. “I just wanted to see what the school had to offer me academically.

“I got to talk to one of the professors in the astronomy department. I’ve always liked astronomy. I’ve always wonderedwhat’s going on up there.”

Hawkins has plenty to offer the Razorbacks as well, starting with his speed.

He was timed at 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash last year at a combine held at Texas A&M, and he was an elite performer for Longview’s track and field team. Hawkins finished among the top three in the 200 meters at the Class 5A state championships each of the past three years, including second in 20.80 seconds this past season.

Hawkins saw limited action for the football team as a freshman and sophomore, when Longview finished as the Class 5A runner-up in the state playoffs. He missed several games early in his junior year because of a thigh injury, but he made a big impact when he returned late in the season.

“The last reception he had in 2010 was a 90-yard touchdown catch right before the half in front of about 30,000people in the state semifinals against Denton Guyer,” Longview Coach John King said. “He just flew by them. He hadn’t really been involved that much that game, but that gave us a 14-point lead.”

The Lobos ended up losing that game, but Hawkins entered the offseason with renewed confidence. He went on to have his best season during his senior year, when he caught 41 passes for 994 yards and 10 touchdowns and led the Lobos into the third round of the playoffs.

“The first catch he had this year was in triple coverage for a touchdown,” King said. “He was determined that he was going to be a big playmaker.”

Arkansas was the first NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision school to offer Hawkins a scholarship, and that madea difference in the end. Arkansas assistant Bobby Allen called Hawkins in April 2011 to give him the news.

“We talked for like 30 minutes, and he told me how he wanted me to come up there over the summer,” Hawkins said. “I was just pumped up, hyped up, about getting my first college offer.”

Other offers rolled in over the next couple of months, but Hawkins was sold after his official visit to Fayetteville last July. He committed to the Razorbacks the day after he returned home.

“It kind of reminded meof home, the way the city is laid out,” Hawkins said. “You want to go somewhere you’re comfortable with. They seem like they’ll help you academically, and it seems like a place where I can help better myself off the field.”

Hawkins said he was relieved the Razorbacks kept their staff intact with the addition of Coach John L. Smith, who replaced Bobby Petrino shortly after Petrino was fired in April.

“He knows how things at Arkansas are run,” Hawkins said of Smith, who served as an assistant under Petrino the past three years. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he has in store for the team.”

King said the Razorbacks are getting a player with plenty of speed and playmaking ability but, most of all, a keen sense of perspective.

“He’s very humble,” King said. “Honesty and integrity have always been a strong suit with him. He’s very mature how he handles everything. It’s not a dog-and-pony show.

“A lot of kids have a sense of entitlement, but he doesn’t.”Eric Hawkins glance POSITION Wide receiver HIGH SCHOOL Longview, Texas HEIGHT 5-11 WEIGHT 170 pounds 2011 STATISTICS 11 receptions for 994 yards and 10 TD NOTEWORTHY Chose Arkansas over scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, TCU and Hawaii. ... Posted top-three finishes in the 200 meters for three consecutive years at the Texas Class 5A state track and field meet, including second last year (20.08 seconds). ... Mother, Veronica Hawkins, competed in track and field at TCU.

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/29/2012