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Chandler Zavala gets extra year of eligibility with NC State football

MattCarterby:Matt Carter•05/05/22•

TheWolfpacker

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(Photo courtesy NC State athletics)

Chandler Zavala told The Wolfpacker in February that all he wanted was a chance to play one more year.

The NCAA has, finally, granted him that opportunity.

Zavala tweeted Thursday evening, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to [come back] and represent the [Wolfpack] for another year. Let’s run it back!!”

Zavala also thanked NC State football fans “for the endless support.”

His initial waiver for a sixth year was denied by the NCAA. Zavala appealed that decision and was aided by legal counsel courtesy NC State athletics.

Zavala had a compelling case for one more year. It goes back to Zavala’s earliest football playing days, which were actually not that long ago.

He only decided to play football as a way to honor his grandparents, who loved the sport and passed away when he was approaching his senior year at Forest Park High in Woodbridge, Va.

At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, Zavala showed enough natural potential that Division II Fairmont State, in the small town of Fairmont, W.Va., took a chance on him.

“The plan was when I got to Fairmont was to redshirt my freshman year,” Zavala recalled.

Seemingly further solidifying that plan was when he hurt his knee, but circumstances led to Zavala getting on the field for three games before he was shut down because of the injury.

Zavala would play the next two seasons at Fairmont as a blossoming standout on the offensive line and even earning chatter as a small-school pro prospect. But when Fairmont State canceled a planned five-game spring season during the COVID-19 year of 2020-21, Zavala went into the transfer portal and enrolled at NC State.

He would play five games for the Wolfpack this past fall, all at left guard and earning ACC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for his performance in a win over Furman. A back injury shut him down after that. Zavala had surgery to repair that ailment.

Zavala’s return means adds more experience to its offensive line. He is considered a possible potential NFL Draft prospect if he stays healthy and continues to make the improvement he flashed in his brief stint last season.

The Wolfpack will only add to its offseason expectations with Zavala’s return.

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