12/6/2019 football Edit

NC State’s Ikem Okwonu earns PFF Freshman All-America honors

Jacey Zembal • TheWolfpackCentral

Writer

NC State was forced into a youth movement due to injures and three freshmen earned accolades from Pro Football Focus on Friday.

Left tackle Ikem Okwonu was named first-team Freshman All-American by PFF, while linebacker Drake Thomas was named to the third team and running back Zonovan Knight received honorable mention.

The 6-4, 298-pound Ekwonu, who was a Rivals.com three-star prospect in the class of 2019 coming out of Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day, took advantage of injuries this past season to fifth-year senior Tyrone Riley and junior Justin Witt. Ekwonu started the last seven games and entered the UNC loss with 34 pancake blocks and just two sacks allowed.

Ekwonu was the first true freshman to start at tackle since former five-star prospect Rob Crisp in 2010.

Knight rushed 136 times for 745 yards and five touchdowns in seven starts, while battling some nagging injuries during the season. He caught seven passes for 45 yards, but also lost three fumbles. His role increased when sophomore running back Ricky Person Jr. was limited to seven games due to injury.

The former Rivals.com four-star prospect from Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash High originally committed to Duke, but later switched to NC State. He scored on his first NC State carry in the season opener against East Carolina. He rushed for more than 100 yards in three different games, including a career-high 139 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in the 55-10 loss to Clemson Nov. 9.

Thomas recorded 34 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one interception this fall. He had a season-high eight tackles and 1.5 sacks at Wake Forest Nov. 2, and he got his interception at West Virginia Sept. 14.

The 6-0, 236-pound Thomas of Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage, who is the younger brother of redshirt sophomore wide receiver Thayer Thomas, was a Rivals.com three-star prospect. He ended up starting three games after injuries struck linebackers Isaiah Moore, a redshirt sophomore, and Louis Acceus, a junior.