Northern Illinois University Athletics

Joseph Hawkins joined the NIU staff in April 2022 and served as the wide receivers coach until 2025. The Chicago native is transitioning to tight ends coach in 2026. Hawkins has coached tight ends at three previous coaching stops and was an all-conference tight end at Norfolk State.

DeAree Rogers posted 506 receiving yards in his first season at the FBS level under Hawkins and ranked seventh in the MAC in receptions in 2025. In 2024, Trayvon Rudolph and Cam Thompson combined for 783 receiving yards on 65 receptions for an average of 12.04 yards per catch.

In his first season in DeKalb, Cole Tucker led the Huskies with 45 receptions for 632 yards and scored four touchdowns. He earned Third Team All-MAC honors from Pro Football Focus and was the fourth overall selection in the 2023 CFL Draft. Kacper Rutkiewicz led NIU with 16.6 yards per reception and six touchdown receptions. In 2023 Trayvon Rudolph earned All-MAC Third Team honors after leading NIU with 51 receptions and 536 receiving yards. 
 
A three-time all-conference tight end at Norfolk State University who earned third team All-America honors in 2013, Hawkins has spent eight seasons coaching wide receivers and tight ends at four different universities before arriving to DeKalb.
 
Hawkins coached wide receivers and tight ends for two seasons at Bryant, helping the Bulldogs improve from the lowest ranked passing offense in the conference to the highest in his first season. In 2021, Hawkins coached all-conference wide receiver David Zorrilla, who became the second Bulldog to lead the Northeast Conference (NEC) in receiving yards per game.
 
A product of Chicago’s Eisenhower High School where he played for Huskie alum Travis Moore, Hawkins said he was happy for the opportunity at NIU and the chance to return to Illinois.
  
Prior to his time at Bryant, Hawkins spent one season (2019) as a graduate assistant coaching wide receivers and tight ends at Florida International University in Miami and was the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Warner University (NAIA) in Lake Wales, Florida, for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He also served as the passing game coordinator, coaching three all-conference players in his time there.
 
Hawkins began his coaching career at NCAA Division II Pace University in Pleasantville, New York in 2014, where he spent three seasons (2014-16) working with the wide receivers, running backs and tight ends, while also serving as special teams coordinator.
 
A four-year letterwinner at tight end at Norfolk State, Hawkins was a BSN third-team All-American and HBCU honorable mention All-American tight end in 2013. He earned second team All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) recognition in 2011 and was a first team selection in 2012 and 2013, when he was also recognized as the Spartans’ Offensive Player of the Year.
 
He earned his B.S. from NSU in December 2013 and a master’s degree in public administration from Pace in 2017.