Jaylinn Hawkins is impressed by Lamar Jackson's leadership and work ethic

One thing Ravens players constantly say about Lamar Jackson is that his leadership style comes through his work ethic rather than speeches. Jaylinn Hawkins has only been around Jackson for a short time, but he is already noticing that himself. For a defensive player joining Baltimore, it also has to feel different, finally having Lamar on your side instead of preparing to stop him every week.

What stood out most to Hawkins about being around Jackson during his first few weeks with the Ravens? During his appearance on The Collective podcast, Hawkins pointed directly to Lamar's work ethic and leadership.

“Man, real cool dude, real cool individual. Um, the guy works hard, you know, a guy who leads by example, you can see it. Um, haven’t spent too much time with the offense, but whenever I see the offense lifting and working out or whatever in the locker room, man, you just see his… work ethic, you see him working hard, you see him in there jingle with the guys and stuff like that. He seems like a great person and um excited, you know, for him to be on our side of the ball for real.”

For Hawkins, it didn't take long to understand why the two-time NFL MVP commands so much respect inside Baltimore's locker room. Jackson's leadership appears rooted in consistency, preparation, and the way he works alongside teammates daily. Hearing a veteran newcomer immediately recognize those traits only further reinforces the culture the Ravens have built around their franchise quarterback heading into the 2026 season.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Jaylinn Hawkins sees why Lamar Jackson leads the Ravens