Johnson C. Smith football signs 28 high school recruits

DAILY REFLECTOR

Jaidon Lovett, who caught 64 passes for 1,222 yards and 13 touchdowns in addition to seven rushing scores as a senior at J.H. Rose High in Greenville, N.C., signed with Johnson C. Smith.

Johnson C. Smith football is stocking up on high school recruits.

The Golden Bulls, who tied a school record with eight wins in 2024, signed 28 high school seniors for 2025, a little less than half of the haul of coach Maurice Flowers’ first class in 2022. Four players are from the Charlotte metro: Running backs Devin Walker of Olympic High and Isaiah Lackey of Hickory; Rocky River tackle Sedecka Griffin (6-6, 270) and Hunter Huss defensive back Stephen Neely.

JCSU, as usual, went heavy for offensive linemen with eight recruits, including a pair from Plantation High in Florida: tackle Moses Jenkins (6-6, 370) and guard Jaydein James (6-2, 300).  The Golden Bulls added Jaden Miller (6-2, 310, Powder Springs, Ga.); Jeremiah Jennings (6-3, 310, Durham); LaTravis Rickenbacker (6-3, 290, Spring Lake, N.C); Mekhi Norwood (6-2, 250, Greensboro) and Marcus Andrews (6-1, 250, Lithonia, Ga.)

JCSU took on a couple of tight ends in Joseph Albritton, a 6-0, 250-pounder from Irmo High in Columbia, S.C. and Jabreel Murray (6-2, 246) from Laney High in Wilmington. The lone receiver in the class is Jaidon Lovett, a 6-3, 215-pounder from J.H. Rose High in Greenville, N.C., who snagged 64 passes for 1,222 yards and 13 scores last season in addition to rushing for seven touchdowns.

In addition to Walker (933 yards rushing, 11 TDs at Olympic in 2024) and Lackey, who rushed for 1,242 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior with 3A power Hickory, the Golden Bulls added more depth to a loaded running back corps with Desmond Frazier, a 5-11, 218 pounder from Valdosta, Georgia and Kevin Thompson of Fuquay-Varina, who played at Willow Springs High.

On defense, JCSU added cornerbacks TyQuise Wilson (5-10, 170) from James Kenan High in Dunn, N.C., who tallied 51 tackles as a senior; Divine Ohiaeri (6-0, 185) of Southeast Raleigh, who racked up 88 tackles, forced three fumbles and recovered another three in 2024. Lance Grant (5-9, 160) of Homestead (Fla.) High, Taurus Damon (5-11, 168) of Plantation (Fla.) High also signed.

The Golden Bulls filled out the secondary with free safeties Kamar Fulton (6-0, 175) from Hoggard High in Wilmington and Matthew Greene 5-1, 170) from Cardinal Gibbons in Raleigh. Fulton was credited with 57 tackles (30 solo) and five passes defensed for the Vikings last season while Green tallied 52 tackles, 33 solo for Gibbons, which went 12 in 2024.

Defensive tackle Cedric Farrar (6-0, 275) racked up 62 tackles (37 solo) at Havelock (N.C.) while inside linebacker Jalen Gaskins (6-3, 225) from Fort White, Florida, recorded 63 tackles and an interception at Columbia High.

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