Ohio Bred:Hawk grew up in Ohio and attended Ohio State, where he played in 51 games over the course of four seasons, registering 394 tackles, 15.5 sacks, seven interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries. He was a unanimous All-American in during his final two years with the Buckeyes; as a senior, he received the Lombardi Award, which is presented annually to college football's best linebacker.
A Lauded Draft Pick: Hawk's success at OSU made him one of the top prospects in the 2006 NFL Draft class. Considered a reliable athlete and speedy for a front-seven defender, experts regarded him as a top- 10 pick. The Green Bay Packers took him at No. 5 overall.
A Legendary Packer: Green Bay's decision to select Hawk proved to be a wise investment. The inside linebacker spent nine seasons with the Packers, recording 628 tackles, 19 sacks, nine interceptions, five fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles in 142 games. During the 2010 campaign, he helped Green Bay win Super Bowl XLV and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He ranks No. 1 in franchise history in tackles.
Return to the Buckeye State: Hawk returned to his home state last season when he signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals. He appeared in all 16 regular season games in 2015, posting 24 tackles and a sack. Depth at LB: The Falcons signed Hawk on Tuesday to bolster an injured linebacking corps. The 32-year-old is considered to be extremely durable: Despite manning such a physical position, he's missed just two regular season contests over the course of his long NFL career. Hawk brings loads of experience to the table, and as a Super Bowl champion who's made the playoffs during eight of his 10 years in the league, he adds a winning pedigree, too.
