Tayler Hawkins Bio
Tayler Colby Hawkins is an American professional football safety for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs and began his professional career with the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). Hawkins has competed across both the NFL and the UFL and earned a UFL championship ring with the DC Defenders in 2025.
A native of Southern California, Hawkins developed into a versatile defensive back at Palm Springs High School before spending six seasons in the San Diego State program. After a brief stint in the NFL, he transitioned to spring football, where he has continued to build his professional résumé.
Early Life and Background
Tayler Colby Hawkins was born on December 27, 1997, in Palm Springs, California. He grew up alongside his identical twin brother, Tyler, after the passing of their mother when Hawkins was around 18 months old. The twins were raised primarily by their grandmother in the Palm Springs area, where football became a central part of their daily life from a young age.
Hawkins attended Palm Springs High School, where he emerged as a multi-position standout on both sides of the ball. He was a three-time first-team all-league selection and a two-time first-team All-CIF pick, lining up at wide receiver, defensive back, and punter. Across his final two seasons, he recorded 94 receptions for 1,915 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns, while also adding 133 tackles, 14 pass deflections, and nine interceptions over three varsity years. Palm Springs won 24 of 27 games during his last two years and captured the CIF championship in 2015.
Following high school, Hawkins committed to play college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, joining his Palm Springs teammate Trenton Thompson in the program. His twin brother Tyler committed to the Sacramento State Hornets, setting the stage for the brothers to face each other in future college matchups.
Path to American Football
Hawkins arrived at San Diego State in 2016 and redshirted his true freshman year, using the season to develop physically and learn the Aztecs’ defensive schemes. He worked his way onto the field as a reserve in 2017, appearing in ten games and recording five tackles while adjusting to the speed of the college game.
By his sophomore and junior seasons, Hawkins had grown into a regular contributor in the Aztecs’ secondary. He started five of thirteen games in 2018, finishing with 35 tackles and five pass breakups, and started five of thirteen games in 2019 with 30 tackles and three tackles-for-loss. As a senior in 2020, he earned honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference recognition, establishing himself as one of the conference’s more dependable defensive backs.
Hawkins returned for a fifth season in 2021 after being granted an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year he was named second-team All-Mountain West and recorded 62 tackles, 13 pass breakups, and two interceptions. Pro Football Focus also ranked him the second-best coverage defensive back in the country and selected him to its Mountain West Team of the Year, a performance that drew NFL interest despite his going undrafted in 2022.
Tayler Hawkins Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
After going unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft, Hawkins signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent. He was released at the final roster cuts and quickly re-signed to the team’s practice squad, where he spent most of his rookie year developing within one of the league’s top defensive organizations.
Hawkins signed a reserve/future contract with the 49ers on January 31, 2023, and spent the offseason competing for a roster spot. He was placed on injured reserve on August 29, 2023, which ended his season, and was waived from injured reserve on September 6. The 49ers re-signed him to the practice squad on October 24, and he was elevated to the active roster for the season finale against the Los Angeles Rams, where he made his NFL debut and recorded his first career interception.
San Francisco 49ers Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Hawkins’ professional breakthrough came late in the 2023 NFL season when the 49ers elevated him for their finale against the Rams. In that game he recorded his first career interception, giving him a memorable debut stat line in limited regular-season action.
He signed another reserve/future contract on February 13, 2024, but was waived by the 49ers with an injury settlement on August 22, ending his NFL tenure. Across his time with San Francisco, Hawkins appeared in one regular-season game and finished with four total tackles and one interception, according to career statistics available as of the 2023 season.
DC Defenders Era (2025)
On December 4, 2024, Hawkins signed with the DC Defenders of the United Football League, joining the spring league as he looked to re-establish himself as a full-time starting safety. He stepped into a prominent role in the Defenders’ secondary and quickly became a key piece of their defense.
That work paid off in 2025, when Hawkins helped the DC Defenders capture the UFL championship. The title gave him his first professional championship and reinforced his reputation as a reliable, ball-hawking defensive back at the professional level.
St. Louis Battlehawks Era (2026–Present)
On January 29, 2026, Hawkins signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League, becoming part of the team’s active roster. Listed at safety and wearing number 21, he joined a Battlehawks defense that continued to feature him in a starting capacity.
The move to St. Louis positioned Hawkins with a new organization looking to compete for another UFL title. He brought championship experience from Washington and an NFL background that the Battlehawks were quick to leverage in their defensive game plans.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hawkins is a coverage-oriented safety whose strengths have consistently shown up in pass defense. Pro Football Focus rated him the second-best coverage defensive back in the country during his 2021 season at San Diego State, and he finished that year with 13 pass breakups and two interceptions. He pairs that coverage ability with the run-support tackling that has marked his game since high school, giving him a well-rounded skill set for multiple defensive looks.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Hawkins’ career came in his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Rams in the 2023 season finale, where he recorded his first career interception. He added a UFL championship with the DC Defenders in 2025, and his interceptions and pass breakups across both college and professional play have marked him as a natural ball hawk in the secondary.
Tayler Hawkins Career Wins
Hawkins’ most prominent team achievement to date is the 2025 UFL championship won with the DC Defenders. He has also built a strong résumé of individual statistical accomplishments, including a Mountain West Conference second-team selection in 2021, an honorable mention all-conference nod in 2020, and three first-team all-league picks in high school.
UFL Highlights
Hawkins joined the DC Defenders ahead of the 2025 UFL season and quickly developed into a starter in the secondary. His efforts helped the Defenders capture the 2025 UFL championship, his first professional title.
Following that title run, Hawkins signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks in January 2026, giving him an opportunity to compete for additional spring-league success. He has remained an active defensive contributor at the UFL level since making the leap from the NFL.
Other Wins and Performances
At the high school level, Hawkins helped Palm Springs win the CIF championship in 2015, part of a 24-3 combined record over his final two prep seasons. He was also a key piece of several standout San Diego State defenses during his six years in the program, where his play helped the Aztecs remain competitive in the Mountain West Conference.
Tayler Hawkins Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Hawkins grew up primarily with his grandmother alongside his identical twin brother, Tyler, after the passing of their mother when he was about 18 months old. The two brothers both became standout football players at Palm Springs High School and went on to play college football at different programs, with Tayler at San Diego State and Tyler at Sacramento State.
2025 Season Performance
Hawkins’ 2025 season was defined by his move to the DC Defenders and the run that followed. Signed in December 2024, he entered UFL spring play as a starting safety and quickly became a fixture in the Defenders’ defensive backfield.
The season ended at the top, as Hawkins helped the Defenders win the 2025 UFL championship. That title run validated his decision to transition to spring football and established him as one of the league’s more reliable safeties.
Coming off a championship year, Hawkins’ outlook entering 2026 pointed toward continued defensive leadership. His January 2026 signing with the St. Louis Battlehawks kept him in the UFL and set the stage for him to chase a second league title with a new franchise.