USF’s Decarius Hawthorne inks contract with Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams officially signed former Bulls defensive tackle Decarius Hawthorne to a one-year deal on Tuesday.
USF hasn’t had a player drafted since 2018 when defensive tackle Deadrin Senat and wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling were picked in the third and fifth rounds by the Falcons and Packers.
Hawthorne joins RJ Perry — who signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent — as the only two players from the 2025 class to sign with an NFL team.
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He is the first USF player to join the Rams since 2010, when defensive back Jerome Murphy and defensive end George Selvie were both drafted by the team.
His contract is estimated to start with a base salary of $840,000 in 2025, which can increase each year he remains with the team, according to Spotrac.
Related: USF’s Perry, Hawthorne land with NFL teams after draft
Last season, Hawthorne led all USF defensive linemen with 40 tackles, also adding 10.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, helping USF rank fourth in the American Athletic Conference in sacks.
In his one-year tenure with the Bulls, he earned Second-Team All AAC Honors for both the coaches and Phil Steele conference teams.
Before joining USF in 2024 as a senior, he spent four years at Florida Atlantic, where he played under current Bulls’ defensive coordinator Todd Orlando and defensive line coach Kevin Patrick.
Appearing in 47 total games throughout his career, he recorded 86 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and seven-and-a-half sacks in five seasons.
He set career highs with six tackles and 1.5 sacks in the Bulls 44-21 win over FAU this past season.
Related: USF football receives All-Conference honors
At 6 feet 2 inches, 290 pounds, he ran a 5.33 40-yard dash and posted a 29-inch vertical, which would put him right inside the top-20 for both categories in the NFL Combine for defensive tackles if he participated.
Hawthorne previously spent time with the Buffalo Bills after receiving an invite to their rookie minicamp after the NFL draft in April.
He joins a young defensive line in Los Angeles, which features Braden Fisk, Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, and fifth-round selection Ty Hamilton.
Other players from the 2025 class, like Sean Atkins, Kelly Joiner and Ta’Ron Keith, have yet to find a home in the NFL.
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