NC State football lands three players on preseason All-ACC team. Here’s who made it
The ACC named its preseason all-conference teams on Tuesday and N.C. State has three players representing the Wolfpack.
The preseason team was voted on by the media at ACC Kickoff last week in Charlotte. Running back Zonovan ‘Bam’ Knight, offensive lineman Ikem ‘Ikey’ Ekwonu and linebacker Payton Wilson were named to the preseason team.
Knight, a sophomore from Bailey, led the team with 788 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns last season, all while splitting carries with Ricky Person, Jr. It was the second straight season Knight led the team in rushing yards. He’s been named to the Doak Walker Award (top running back) and Maxwell Award (top player in college football) preseason watch list.
Ekwonu (6-4, 320) has been starting since his freshman year, earned a team-high 50 pancake blocks in 2020 and 22 knockdowns. He was third-team all conference last season after playing both guard and tackle at various points of the year.
Wilson (6-4, 235) decided to return to Raleigh instead of declaring for the NFL Draft, giving Dave Doeren his leading tackler back for one more year. In 2020 Wilson led the ACC with 108 tackles a year ago, his first season as a full time starter. Wilson, from nearby Hillsborough, has been named to the Chuck Bednarik (top defensive player in college football) as well as the Butkus Award (top linebacker) preseason watch list. Was a first-team all-conference performer last season.
Wilson missed two games last year due to injuries, but said heading into fall camp he’s feeling great.
“I’m actually 100% healthy,” Wilson told the media at ACC Kickoff. “I’m healthier than I’ve ever been since the beginning of high school. Doctors and the trainers did an excellent job of getting me back.”
Full 2021 Preseason All-ACC Football Team
(147 total votes; Total votes in parentheses)
Offense
QB Sam Howell, North Carolina (118)
RB Zonovan Knight, NC State (96)
RB Mataeo Durant, Duke (49)
WR Justyn Ross, Clemson (110)
WR Zay Flowers, Boston College (101)
WR Jaquarii Roberson, Wake Forest (80)
TE James Mitchell, Virginia Tech (77)
AP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (56)
OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State (83)
OT Jordan McFadden, Clemson (53)
OG Zion Johnson, Boston College (82)
OG Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina (56)
C Alec Lindstrom, Boston College (77)
Defense
DE Myles Murphy, Clemson (108)
DE Amare Barno, Virginia Tech (63)
DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson (120)
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson (53)
LB Payton Wilson, NC State (99)
LB James Skalski, Clemson (95)
LB Nick Jackson, Virginia (37)
CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson (86)
CB Tony Grimes, North Carolina (55)
S Bubba Bolden, Miami (100)
S Nolan Turner, Clemson (85)
Special Teams
PK Nick Sciba, Wake Forest (69)
P Lou Hedley, Miami (84)
SP Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (60)
