Opposing defenses are realizing that Zyon McKenzie is a threat.
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound junior slot receiver leads Blessed Trinity in catches, receiving yards, and yards per game despite playing four games due to injury.
“You have to be real patient,” McKenzie said of being patient while healing. “The issue for me was that over the summer I tried to rush through it, and it was never getting right. I kept tweaking it. With hamstrings, you have to be real patient,” said McKenzie.
“Coaches and doctors were telling me to stop. I was being hardheaded because I wanted to play. I was upset because I didn’t play the whole summer, and I missed out on summer workouts. I tried to play the first game of the season, but I wasn’t feeling right. I sat out two more weeks but still I wasn’t feeling right. I sat out two more weeks and that is when the hamstring really started to get back to where I felt 95 to 100%. That was when I came back. Now, I just have to stretch a lot especially before games.
In his first game back, McKenzie made nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown and with his latest production, his recruiting is just beginning to heat up. He received his first offer from Stetson University on May 12th.
“It was a confidence booster because you don’t know how the hamstring is going to feel. Just me being able to go there and just play with my boys and feel healthy at 100%, it felt good,” said McKenzie.
“I picked up my first offer this past spring which was Stetson. It was really nice. It came to me by surprise. The coach came to my school and went over my film. I got called to Coach Dudley’s office and they told me I had got my first offer. Man, I was so excited and so happy. I didn’t know what to do. It is an experience I am definitely going to remember.”
McKenzie also has interest from Virginia Tech, Georgia Southern, and Liberty and recently took a game day visit to Blacksburg, Virginia to watch the Hokies play on September 2nd.
“I recently went to Virginia Tech. It was super cool and fun. The intercom man before the game was a cool experience,” said McKenzie. “The stadium is loud. The fans are crazy but they are some good fans. I like school. They have some nice buildings. It is an all-around nice campus.”
McKenzie also has a game day visit coming up with Liberty scheduled for November.
“I should be going to Liberty in November. The coach just texted me about coming up there. Me and Coach Washington (Wide Receiver coach) have been talking back and forth,” said McKenzie. “I have been keeping him updated on my injury and stats. I’ve been showing him game films and different things like that. He wants me to come up there and talk to him.”
McKenzie is just getting started and looks to finish his junior season strong with only three games left in the regular season. This is a name that can blow up in recruiting in late December and early spring next year. If you look at his Hudl tape, the explosiveness and speed jump off the page. This is a kid you want to know early before he has a plethora of options to choose from.
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