Running back, NC State, 2019–⁠21

Zonovan Knight

Number
No. 7
Height
5′11″
Weight
210 lb
Class (2021)
Sophomore
Hometown
Bailey, NC
Born
Apr 11, 2001

Zonovan Knight played running back at NC State (2019–⁠21).

At a glance

Best season
788
Rushing yards, 2020 (NC State, 8–⁠4)
National rank
No. 1
In the nation in kickoff return average, 2021

Career highs

163rushing yards, career highvs. South Florida, 20212rushing touchdowns, career highthree times; last vs. Liberty, 2020

Honors

All-America: CBS Sports 2021

Rushing

Rushing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2019NC State1367455.5553
2020NC State1437885.51036
2021NC State1407535.4346
Career4192,2865.51853

Returns

SeasonTeamKRYdsTD
2020NC State133291
2021NC State165502
Career298793

Receiving

SeasonTeamRecYdsAvgTDLong
2019NC State7456.4016
2020NC State201366.8027
2021NC State211567.4038
Career483377.0038

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2019NC State7RBYr 1
2020NC State7RBYr 2
2021NC State7RBSo. (Yr 3)5′11″210

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. rush
2019NC State1490.0732nd (n=287)0.1310.417%-0.04
2020NC State1670.1964th (n=212)0.1432.420%0.22
2021NC State1510.2165th (n=277)0.1632.521%0.22

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2021 NC State 12 games, 753 rushing yards, 3 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYds
Sep 2vs.South FloridaW 45–⁠0161631125
Sep 11atMississippi StateL 10–⁠248310––
Sep 18vs.FurmanW 45–⁠7111041120
Sep 25vs.ClemsonW 27–⁠2123790––
Oct 2vs.Louisiana TechW 34–⁠2713851241
Oct 16atBoston CollegeW 33–⁠711410––
Oct 23atMiamiL 30–⁠318160243
Oct 30vs.LouisvilleW 28–⁠1311230125
Nov 6atFlorida StateW 28–⁠1418750121
Nov 13atWake ForestL 42–⁠4543003194
Nov 20vs.SyracuseW 41–⁠1783702113
Nov 26vs.North CarolinaW 34–⁠309690368
2020 NC State 12 games, 788 rushing yards, 10 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYds
Sep 19vs.Wake ForestW 45–⁠4211971––
Sep 26atVirginia TechL 24–⁠4514940––
Oct 3atPittsburghW 30–⁠297290235
Oct 10atVirginiaW 38–⁠21181012––
Oct 17vs.DukeW 31–⁠2010440––
Oct 24atNorth CarolinaL 21–⁠489410––
Nov 6vs.MiamiL 41–⁠44134511100
Nov 14vs.Florida StateW 38–⁠2217941234
Nov 21vs.LibertyW 15–⁠1414962236
Nov 28atSyracuseW 36–⁠2911571112
Dec 5vs.Georgia TechW 23–⁠137381482
Jan 2 ✦vs.KentuckyL 21–⁠2312521130
2019 NC State 12 games, 745 rushing yards, 5 TD
DateOpponentResultCarRush ydsRush TDKRYds
Aug 31vs.East CarolinaW 34–⁠69421––
Sep 7vs.Western CarolinaW 41–⁠0181192––
Sep 14atWest VirginiaL 27–⁠4412720––
Sep 21vs.Ball StateW 34–⁠238360––
Sep 28atFlorida StateL 13–⁠317240––
Oct 10vs.SyracuseW 16–⁠1015610––
Oct 19atBoston CollegeL 24–⁠4510270––
Nov 2atWake ForestL 10–⁠44380––
Nov 9vs.ClemsonL 10–⁠55121391––
Nov 16vs.LouisvilleL 20–⁠3412610––
Nov 21atGeorgia TechL 26–⁠28181001––
Nov 30vs.North CarolinaL 10–⁠4112560––

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

Before the draft

DrillCombine or pro day 2022
Height5′10⅞″
Weight209 lb
Arm length30½″
Hand size9¼″
Wingspan73½″W
40-yard dash4.58 s
10-yard split1.68 sW
Vertical jump31″
Broad jump9′6″
3-cone drill6.95 sW
20-yard shuttle4.07 sW

Combine or pro day: the source doesn’t say which. Unmarked: Combine and pro day results compiled by array-carpenter (nfl-draft-data); W: Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

In the NFL

4 seasons, 23 games with a stat; latest team: Arizona Cardinals.

SeasonTeamGCarYdsTDRecRec yds
2022New York Jets785300113100
2023Detroit Lions2313018
2025Arizona Cardinals1282269422160
2026 (so far)Arizona Cardinals2332000
NFL career23173614536268

Regular seasons, from nflverse (CC BY 4.0). G counts games in which the player recorded a stat.

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