JC Smith’s Flowers and Black earn CIAA football honors

DONALD WATKINS | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Johnson C. Smith linebacker Benari Black (3) earned CIAA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in tackles with 114. Teammate Jack Smith (2) earned second-team All-CIAA after racking up 86 tackles.

Johnson C. Smith’s football relevance is reflected in the CIAA postseason awards.

Golden Bulls coach Maurice Flowers earned coach of the year, and six players were named first team all-conference after an 8-2 record that tied the school record for most wins in a season as well a program-best 8-0 start.

Flowers, who took over a two-win program in 2022, led JCSU to the Division II rankings for the first time in school history, reaching No. 16 in the national coaches’ poll. The Golden Bulls won six of seven games against teams with winning records in 2024, including Virginia Union and Virginia State, who played in the CIAA title game.

Senior linebacker Benari Black earned Defensive Player of the Year, making him the first Golden Bull to earn the award. Black, a West Charlotte High graduate, led the CIAA in tackles (14.5 for loss) as well as three sacks and three pass breakups.

Black is the second Golden Bulls to earn CIAA player of the year. Running back Jimmy Bell was named top offensive player in 2001.

Junior receiver Brevin Caldwell, quarterback Darius Ocean and left tackle Kyle Estep were named to the first-team offense. Caldwell, an Ardrey Kell graduate, led the conference in passes caught with a school record 85 and became the first JCSU player to break the 1,000-yard barrier in receiving yards with 1,090, also tops in the CIAA. He scored eight touchdowns.

Ocean, a Hough graduate, led the conference in passing yards with a school record 2,301 while completing 170-of-300 passes (program best 56.6%) for 16 touchdowns compared to five interceptions.
Estep anchored an offensive line that paved the way for an average of 24.9 points and 378.4 yards per game as well as the CIAA’s top passing attack.

Joining Black on the first-team defense were sophomore defensive end Lamone Hill Jr., who totaled 25 tackles (eight for loss) and 3.5 sacks and junior safety Shamar Baker, a Mallard Creek alumnus who tallied 36 tackles, three interceptions and a sack.

Second team picks

Four Golden Bulls – linebacker Jack Smith, kick returner/cornerback Ja’Qun Wilkins and offensive linemen Joshua Beatty and Jamari Mason were named to the second team.
Smith, a senior, tallied 86 tackles (7.5 for loss) and a pair of interceptions to give JCSU the CIAA’s best linebacker tandem.

Wilkins earned all-conference accolades on defense and special teams. He averaged 30.6 yards on 19 kick returns with an 89-yarder for a score. Wilkins also racked up 32 tackles (3.5 for loss) and 10 pass breakups.  

Beatty, a junior, and Mason, a sophomore, formed the core of JCSU’s offensive line at center and right guard, respectively.

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