12/19/2018 football Edit

Letter of intent No. 8: Three-star RB Zonovan Knight

Matt Carter • TheWolfpackCentral

Editor

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Measurables:

• Listed at 6-0 and 188 pounds.

Stats:

• Senior: Ran 124 times for 2,054 yards (16.6 yards per carry) and 26 touchdowns in 11 games, going over 100 yards in 10 contests … Caught three passes for 28 yards and a score, returned six kickoffs for an average of 50.8 yards and one TD and two punts for a 51.0-yard average, reaching the end zone both times.

• Junior: Piled up 142 rushes for 1,877 yards (13.2-yard average) and 27 scores in 14 games … Returned seven kickoffs for an average of 34.3 yards and a touchdown.

• Sophomore: Had 139 carries for 1,142 yards (8.2 yards a rush) and 18 touchdowns … Caught six passes for 109 yards and three scores … Returned five kickoffs for an average of 26.0 yards.

Ratings:

• Rivals.com: Three stars, No. 45 running back in the country and No. 28 player in the state.

• 247Sports: Three stars, No. 33 running back in the country and No. 26 player in the state.

• ESPN: Three stars, No. 47 running back in the country and No. 32 player in the state.

• Fayetteville Observer: No. 23 player in the state.

• Charlotte Observer: No. 25 player in the state.

Honors/accomplishments:

• Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game and was named North Carolina’s Offensive MVP after rushing 24 times for 151 yards, including a 61-yard scoring run for the team’s only TD.

• Is school’s all-time leader in rushing yards with 5,073 and broke team record for yards in a season during his senior campaign.

• Finalist for WRAL’s HighSchoolOT.com’s regional 2018 Football Offensive Player of the Year.

• Was named his conference’s offensive player of the year as a junior.

• Also runs track.

Recruitment:

• Originally verbally committed to Duke in March.

• Opened up his recruitment in May and took an official visit to Purdue and unofficial trips to NC State, UNC and Virginia Tech.

• Picked NC State on July 9 and is expected to enroll early.

Recruiter of record:

Cornerbacks coach George Barlow

Quotable:

“There are a lot of kids that are fast, but then on the field, not look quite as fast, but I think he’s faster on the field than he is normally. He has true football speed. That’s a gift. I don’t know his speed on the field, but he doesn’t get caught a lot.” — Southern Nash head coach Brian Foster

Scouting report:

• Explosive big-play threat with good speed.

• Has ability to turn the corner quickly and is also a candidate to be a good kick returner.

• Will need to work on the passing game.

2019 projection:

Knight is not as big as most college running backs yet, but if he proves he can handle the physicality, he has a chance to play quickly. His running style is well suited for NC State’s zone blocking schemes given Knight’s ability to burst through small running lanes when they open up.