Camden’s Brad Hawkins Jr (left), a safety/running back and DE/TE Ron Johnson Jr. are headed to Michigan. Both have a mission in mind for the Panthers before they leave. A Group II Title. Photo by Al Thompson

Ron Johnson Jr. and Brad Hawkins Jr. know the history. The two stellar Camden football players are fully aware Camden’s last—and only—state football championship came in 1976, when the Panthers captured the Group 4 South Jersey championship.

Johnson, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound senior defensive end Michigan commit, and Hawkins, a 6-1, 202-pound senior wide receiver and safety who Friday announced he was also headed to Michigan, want to change that 39-year drought before they leave Camden. The pair certainly have the ability to do it.

“These two kids are very special and have great work ethics,” said strength and conditioning coach Chad Hallett, owner of Adrenaline Sports, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. “They both have size and both have power. Ron came to me last season and his attitude has always been to improve. He has a college body. He has great feet. Ron took to the work we gave him immediately. All the kids we get put that work in. Brad is projected to be an athlete, and the college coaches I spoke to about Brad say he’s a true athletic freak that can be used in multiple areas on the field. I’ve been watching Brad since he was in seventh grade. He’s the same as Ron, he works and wants to get better.”

Johnson feels very relieved. He’s locked into Michigan, so he can sit back and enjoy his senior year without any concern over his college destination. Johnson chose Michigan over Temple, Rutgers, Penn State, South Carolina and North Carolina.

“Michigan was just a good fit, I thought so, my parents thought so and talking to the players and the coaching staff at Michigan, they told me I have a chance to play and a better chance to eventually play in the NFL,” said Johnson, who is projected to be a stand-up outside linebacker at Michigan. “I’d like to play around 245 this coming season for Camden. I play tight end at Camden, but I’ll play any position Michigan wants me to play.”

Camden was upset by Collingswood in the Group 2 South Jersey NJSIAA playoffs last year. It’s a loss that still stays with Johnson.

“We’re going to do whatever we can to win the state title, because I’ve never won a championship in my life at any level,” Johnson said. “I know Camden hasn’t won a state title since 1976. I want to go out with a bang.”

Panthers’ coach Dwayne Savage may have as many as six Division I players on his team.

“Brad started as a freshman for me,” said Savage, who will be entering his fourth year as coach of the Panthers. “Brad has a real high football IQ. His dad is a football coach. The kid is an all-around great athlete. He’s scored over 1,200 points in basketball, and has over 100 receptions in three years of football. He’s received close to 30 D-I offers. We’re going to use Brad in a lot of different ways this year. We’ll run him in some wildcat. We’re going to try to get him the ball as much as we can. Brad makes things happen. He has a knack of making great plays. This year, we’ll run jet sweeps with him, he’ll be all around the field.

“Ron started three years for us. His dad was a running back for Wisconsin, so Ron already had the work ethic for him to succeed. We started him early because of his size and speed, and his ability to get to the football is something he’s always had. We head into every year with the goal to win the state championship, and we feel we have the talent to do it.”