Skip to main content

NC State football duo of Zonovan Knight, Trenton Gill turn pro

MattCarterby:Matt Carter12/30/21

TheWolfpacker

22_KM_L'ville_KnightZ_01_sm
NC State football running back/kick returner Zonovan Knight is turning pro. (Photo by Ken Martin/The Wolfpacker)

The 2022 NC State football roster continues to take shape with two players announcing they were forgoing remaining eligibility and turning pro.

Sophomore running back Zonovan Knight and redshirt junior punter Trenton Gill have both chosen to move on and enter the NFL Draft.

Knight was a first-team All-ACC selection as a specialist. He returned kickoffs for touchdowns for NC State against both Wake Forest and Syracuse and finished the year with an average of 34.4 yards on his 16 returns. That is the best mark of any Power Five returner.

Knight’s career kickoff return average of 35.2 yards is also a new school record.

Knight was also honorable mention All-ACC as a running back after carrying 140 times for 753 yards and three scores and making 21 receptions for 156 yards.

He finished his career with 419 rushes for 2,286, averaging a NC State football record of 5.45 yards per rush, edging out the mark held by Roland Hooks since 1974.

Top 10

  1. 1

    Jim Larranaga

    Miami HC set to step down

    Breaking
  2. 2

    CFP selection process

    Urban Meyer predicts changes

    New
  3. 3

    National Championship odds

    Updated odds are in

  4. 4

    LaNorris Sellers

    South Carolina QB signs NIL deal to return

  5. 5

    CFP home games

    Steve Spurrier calls for change

    Hot
View All

Knight’s 3,546 career all-purpose yards is 10th most at NC State.

He joins junior running back Ricky Person Jr. in the Wolfpack backfield in turning pro early.

Gill, who will receive his master’s in the spring, was also first-team All-ACC after pinning 30 punts inside the 20, nine more than any other kicker in the ACC. The former walk-on averaged 44.4 yards on his 65 punts during the season.

Gill’s career average of 45.8 yards per punt is a NC State football record, breaking Johnny Evans’ mark of 44.0 yards that has stood since 1977.

Earlier Wednesday, redshirt freshmen reserves defensive end Terrell Dawkins and safety Khalid Martin announced their intentions to transfer.

——

• Talk about NC State football recruiting inside The Wolves’ Den

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker

• Like us on Facebook

You may also like