Rams Sign No. 1 Draft Choice Hawkins for $1.9 Million

The Rams announced the signing of Bill Hawkins, their No. 1 draft choice from Miami, Thursday.

Hawkins, a 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive end who signed a reported four-year, $1.9-million contract with a $750,000 signing bonus, arrived in the Rams’ training camp at Cal State Fullerton around noon.

Hawkins said earlier in the week that he expected to be signed and in camp by Thursday.

“Things were just progressing to the point where I knew I was going to be here,” Hawkins said. “I don’t know who was more anxious for me to sign, me or my parents. I was pretty much living off them--working out, eating, sleeping--they were kind of getting sick of it.”

Ram Coach John Robinson said Hawkins will play Monday night in the Rams’ exhibition at Anaheim Stadium against the Phoenix Cardinals as a pass rusher in the nickel defense.

“We’re very happy he’s here,” Robinson said. “But he’s no longer a No. 1 pick. He’s just a guy on our team. It’s interesting for first-round picks. They get drafted and have press conferences and negotiations and then they sign and that all stops. And then they have to start playing.”

Hawkins said he was eager to start working and went through afternoon practice Thursday.

Asked what he is going to do with the big money he’s earning, Hawkins, a finance major at Miami, said: “Send it home and get it out of California as soon as possible. They have so many different taxes it’s pathetic.”