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Travis Hawkins' choice to play football at the University of Maryland was two years in the making. His announcement Thursday in the Quince Orchard auditorium was that he would accept the first scholarship offer he ever received.

Like many highly recruited athletes, the Cougars' senior defensive back had many factors to weigh: playing time, championship potential, schemes and a possible professional future.

Also like many highly recruited athletes, his decision came down to the most basic factor of all: comfort level.

"I've been a lot of places," Hawkins told the gathered crowd, including family, teammates, media, coaches and general well-wishers. "I chose Maryland because I love the coaches there. I know some of the players, and they're cool. They've been with me since my sophomore year, when they offered me a scholarship to play running back."

Hawkins will go to College Park not as a running back, but a cornerback. According to the recruiting Web site www.rivals.com, he goes as the 19th-best corner prospect in the nation, and was ranked the sixth-best recruit in the state at any position in July.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder has 11 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception this season. On offense, he has touched the ball just 24 times, averaging 11.3 yards each time (272 total) and scoring five touchdowns.

"I think Maryland's getting a great player," Quince Orchard coach Dave Mencarini said. "A great player, and an even better kid."

Hawkins went to Mencarini at the beginning of last week and told his coach he was ready to make an announcement. Mencarini said he was initially surprised, having expected Hawkins to choose after the season. He told his two-way star to sleep on it.

Last Tuesday, Oct. 28, Hawkins woke up and told Mencarini to set up an announcement ceremony.

"It's been weighing on him," Mencarini said. "It's hard for kids, especially kids like him who are highly recruited, being pulled and tugged in every direction. At some point they have to figure out what's important to them, and I think that's what he's been doing the last couple weeks."

The decision took shape in Hawkins' heart, not his left leg. He was injured Oct. 18 during the Cougars' only loss of the season, 14-6 at Sherwood. In a pile-up at the goal line, another player rolled up Hawkins' leg, trapping it beneath him.

Eyewitnesses swore they saw bone protruding. That rumor, discounted, gave way to reports that he had suffered severe ligament damage. Either way, his future suddenly seemed less certain to outsiders.

Hawkins said Thursday the injury had nothing to do with timing his decision.

"It didn't factor at all," he said. "I was in that ambulance, and the last thing that was on my mind was college. The main thing that was on my mind was getting back on the field and helping my team win a state championship."

Hawkins was walking freely and without a cast Thursday on what turned out to be a high ankle sprain. He was cleared to play a day earlier and appeared in Quince Orchard's 28-14 win over Northwest Friday.

He will take his official recruiting visit to College Park on Nov. 22, where he will be hosted by Surrattsville (Prince George's) graduate Davin Meggett, who is playing regularly at running back as a freshman. He hopes to still be playing at that point; the state finals are the first weekend in December.

After that, Hawkins plans to complete English 12, the last course he needs to graduate a semester early. If he can do that, he will enroll early at Maryland, before he can even officially sign his National Letter of Intent, and join his new teammates for spring practice.

"I feel like a lot of people are happy with my decision, my mom especially," Hawkins said. "I'm an emotional guy. My coach had a bet that I would cry today. I didn't cry. I'm glad everybody came out here to watch me announce my decision. Hopefully, they'll watch me in college."