It's Thursday afternoon at Camden High School's football field and, like most teams in America, the Panthers are working through final preparations for another pivotal Friday night matchup. For junior standouts Brad Hawkins and Ron Johnson, a Saturday afternoon game also looms large.
The 4-star tandem is heading to Ohio State for the first time this weekend. The Buckeyes host Big Ten newcomer Rutgers, a program that hosted both players on campus earlier this month and made offers to four members of Camden's 2016 class.
"College teams want these guys to commit so early now," said Camden head coach Dwayne Savage, who will travel to Columbus with his players. "It makes it very important to get them on campuses as soon as possible so they can really look at the school and get to know coaches."
Hawkins and Johnson each hold Ohio State offers, and the Buckeyes coaching staff hasn't been coy about pursuing the pair. Co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner traveled to Camden, a community located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, last month to spend time with them in person.
"It means a lot when a coach comes by from pretty far away like that," Hawkins said.
Now they'll return the favor.
Hawkins, a versatile wide receiver and defensive back, anticipates an exciting time in a new environment.
"I'll be looking at everything while we're there," he said. "The facilities, the campus, the game atmosphere, all that stuff. It should be great."
Hawkins, rated 33rd nationally among 2016 receivers in 247Sports' composite rankings, is among the north east's hottest recruits. He added offers from Maryland and Virginia Tech earlier this week, pushing his total collection of collegiate options above a dozen.
"I'm enjoying the process," Hawkins said. "I'm definitely glad teams are noticing me and want me to be part of their program."
It would be hard to ignore him this season. The 6'2", 190-pound playmaker leads Camden with 32 receptions for 405 yards and seven touchdowns through five games, per MaxPreps.
Hawkins is on pace to surpass the career-best statistics he recorded as a sophomore, when he caught 45 passes for 805 yards and 14 scores during a run to the sectional state semifinals.
"He can make a big play no matter what the situation is," Johnson said. "I've seen him turn bad plays into touchdowns. That's what he does. He's dangerous and can score from anywhere on the field every time he touches the ball."
That's precisely why his coach believes Hawkins is best-suited on offense.
"He's a special receiver and the focus right now is really on teams that are recruiting him at that position," he said. "Some of the SEC schools that have shown interest in him have said they'd like to bring him in as an 'athlete', which means he'd probably be moved to free safety. South Carolina is still in the picture because they offered him as a receiver."
The Gamecocks are one of several squads competing with Ohio State for a commitment from Hawkins. He mentioned Virginia Tech, Rutgers and Pitt as other possibilities, though he remains open to plenty of other options.
Hawkins has kept a close eye on the Buckeyes this season. He's impressed by the way redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett is orchestrating the offensive attack in place of Braxton Miller, who was viewed as a Heisman Trophy contender.
"He's been really good so far," Hawkins said. "It shows that Urban Meyer has a good plan in place for his offense and I like the way they've handled the quarterback situation. Braxton Miller comes back next year, and then I would have a chance to spend my first two seasons with Barrett at quarterback. That [would] be exciting."
Hawkins, who views himself as an immediate-impact slot receiver, also stressed the skills of his traveling companion. Johnson, a 6'4", 240-pound defensive end, has drawn rave reviews.
"Ron is a great competitor and teammate," Hawkins said. "He's a huge part of our defense because he control things up front and plays very aggressive. Plus, he's a great athlete."
That athleticism has some college teams sizing up Johnson as a possible stand-up rusher off the edge. He's been a beast this season, blowing up offensive backfields on a regular basis.
Johnson tallied 40 tackles—including 20 for loss—and four sacks during the first five games. He takes pride in his development as a well-rounded defender.
"People look at me as a pass-rusher, but I'm a big run-stopper too," Johnson said. "I can sit on the outside and help shut things down."
His father played football at Wisconsin, and Johnson plans to attend the Badgers' Nov. 1 matchup at Rutgers. Though he hasn't been to Madison yet, the possibility of creating a legacy could eventually lure him to campus.
"That would be interesting," Johnson. "But to be honest, I'm completely wide open with my recruitment right now."
The Buckeyes are a team that specifically stands out from the pack.
"I'm definitely interested in Ohio State and ready to check it out more," he said. "That was a big offer for me."
His options also include Penn State, Miami, Pitt and South Carolina.
Johnson and Hawkins have several offers in common. They've traveled to several schools together and are set to add Ohio State to that list.
So could this become a package deal?
"You know what, I really do want to play with Ron at the next level," Hawkins said. "We'll see what happens, but I hope it works out."
The Buckeyes have an opportunity to sell that possibility this weekend.
All quotes obtained firsthand.
Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.
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