The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1153250
48 ■ THE WOLFPACKER 1. Running Back Zonovan Knight Between when he committed to NC State in the July before his senior year at Bailey (N.C.) Southern Nash High until the start of preseason camp, Knight has given NC State fans nothing but reasons to be optimistic. During a prolific final prep campaign, Knight averaged 16.6 yards per rush and ran for a school-record 2,054 yards. He carried for 26 touchdowns in 11 games. That led to a selection to the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game in December in Spartanburg, S.C., where the four-star prospect ran for 148 yards, including a 61-yard TD, to be named North Carolina's Offensive MVP. Then in the Kay Yow Spring Game in April, the 6-0, 197-pounder ran 17 times for 139 yards, highlighted by a 73-yard touch- down scamper, and caught three passes for 26 yards despite playing behind a makeshift of- fensive line due to a rash of injuries up front. 2. Linebacker Drake Thomas One of the reasons NC State felt com- fortable moving junior Louis Acceus from a backup at middle linebacker into the com- petition to start at weakside linebacker was probably because of the first impression that Thomas made in spring practices. When pre- season camp opened, Thomas was running second string behind redshirt sophomore Isa- iah Moore in the middle. The 6-0, 236-pounder was a tackling ma- chine at Heritage High in Wake Forest, N.C., setting a school record with 393 career hits and having more than 100 tackles in each of his last three seasons. As a senior, he had a career-best 123 tackles. He's also athletic enough to have rushed for 903 yards and 11 touchdowns during those years. 3. Defensive End Savion Jackson Days after playing in the Under Armour All-American Game in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jackson arrived on NC State's campus for spring drills. He was one of the most touted signees for NCSU in the 2019 class. The for- mer Clayton (N.C.) High product was rated as a four-star prospect by most recruiting services, and was even listed as the No. 50 overall player in the land by ESPN. At 6-3 and 265 pounds, Jackson already has the size to contribute quickly in college. To that point, Jackson and fifth-year senior and starter James Smith-Williams, who is also listed at 6-3, 265 pounds, are the two biggest scholarship defensive ends on the roster. 4. Running Back Jordan Houston Knight is not the only rookie running back that is noted for being a home-run threat in the backfield. Houston was a late addition to the 2019 signing class, inking with the Pack in February after originally verbally commit- ting to Maryland. It took the 5-10, 185-pounder only two practices to catch head coach Dave Doeren's eye. "He's really good out of the backfield and is a good receiver," the coach said. "He is impressive in every rep he gets. He's quick, has good vision, he's explosive and has a chip on his shoulder." As a senior at Flint Hill High in Oakton, Va., the Waldorf, Md., native ran 128 times for 1,582 yards (12.4 yards per carry) and 20 touchdowns while leading his team to its second straight state title. Rivals.com listed Knight and Houston as the fifth-best one-two punch of running backs nationally in the class of 2019. 5. Safety Jakeen Harris The departure after the first weekend of camp of senior safety Tim Kidd-Glass to transfer opens up a potential spot on the depth chart for Harris. The official GoPack. com online primer for fall camp made it a point to note Harris, stating that the 5-11, 189-pounder "has turned some heads in sum- mer workouts." Harris was a playmaker extraordinaire for Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Ga. As a senior, he had 74 tackles and three interceptions while returning a fumble for a score. Offensively, he accounted for 13 touchdowns (11 rushing and two receiving). Afterward, he won the Michael Finocchiaro Award given to the top player in the county. Five True Freshmen Most Likely To Play Rookie running back Zonovan Knight was North Carolina's Offensive MVP in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas All-Star Game in December, then enrolled early and starred in the Kay Yow Spring Game with 165 total yards and a score on just 20 touches (8.25-yard average). PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN