Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
HOME OF THE FITCHBURG STATE FALCONS
Elijah Zaire McKnight
3 Elijah Zaire McKnight
  • Height:
    5-8
  • Weight:
    160
  • Hometown:
    Tracy, CA
  • Position:
    DB
  • Year:
    Gr.
  • High School:
    Merrill F. West
  • Major:
    Education
  • gp
    10
  • tk
    48.0
  • sac
    0.0
  • int
    6
  • ffum
    1

Bio

Accolades: MASCAC All-Academic Fall/Winter 2022/23, 2023-24, 
MASCAC Special Teams Player of the Week: 11/11/24
MASCAC All-Conference Second Team: 2024, 
MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week: 9/8/25
MASCAC All-Conference First Team: 2025, 
D3Football.Com All-Region Third Team: 2025

High School: 2020 graduate of Merrill F. West High School. Three-sport athlete, lettering in football, track and rugby. Member of the All-Conference First Team.

 

Player Profile

Recent Games
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7
  Overall Conf
Solo tackles 31 28
Assists 17 14
Tackles 48.0 42.0
Tackles per game 4.8 4.7
Sacks 0.0 0.0
Sack yards 0 0
Interceptions 6 4
Returned for touchdown 0 0
Fumble recoveries 1 1
Fumble return TDs - -
Tackle for loss 1.0 0.0
Tackle for loss yards 2 0

Game Log - Passing

Date Opponent Score comp att pct yds y/a td int sac yds
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 - - - - - - - - -
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 - - - - - - - - -
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 - - - - - - - - -
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 - - - - - - - - -
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 - - - - - - - - -
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 - - - - - - - - -
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 - - - - - - - - -
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 - - - - - - - - -
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 - - - - - - - - -
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 - - - - - - - - -

Game Log - Rushing

Date Opponent Score rush yds y/a lng td fum lost
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 - - - - - - -
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 - - - - - - -
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 - - - - - - -
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 - - - - - - -
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 - - - - - - -
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 - - - - - - -
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 - - - - - 1 0
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 - - - - - - -
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 - - - - - - -
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 - - - - - - -

Game Log - Receiving

Date Opponent Score rec yds y/r lng td fum lost
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 - - - - - - -
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 - - - - - - -
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 - - - - - - -
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 - - - - - - -
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 - - - - - - -
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 - - - - - - -
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 - - - - - 1 0
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 - - - - - - -
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 - - - - - - -
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 - - - - - - -

Game Log - Kicking

Date Opponent Score fgm fga lng xpm xpa pts
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 - - - - - 0
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 - - - - - 0
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 - - - - - 0
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 - - - - - 0
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 - - - - - 0
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 - - - - - 0
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 - - - - - 0
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 - - - - - 0
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 - - - - - 0
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 - - - - - 0

Game Log - Punting

Date Opponent Score punt yds avg long in20 fc tb blk
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 - - - - - - - -
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 - - - - - - - -
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 - - - - - - - -
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 - - - - - - - -
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 - - - - - - - -
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 - - - - - - - -
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 - - - - - - - -
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 - - - - - - - -
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 - - - - - - - -
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 - - - - - - - -

Game Log - Returns

Date Opponent Score kr yds avg lng td pr yds avg lng td
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 - - - - - - - - - -
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 3 65 21.7 23 0 2 23 11.5 21 0
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 - - - - - 2 45 22.5 32 0
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 2 28 14.0 18 0 2 0 0.0 0 0
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 2 49 24.5 28 0 1 9 9.0 9 0
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 - - - - - 1 5 5.0 5 0
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 - - - - - 2 0 0.0 12 0
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 5 127 25.4 42 0 1 40 40.0 40 0
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 1 5 5.0 5 0 - - - - -
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 1 50 50.0 50 0 1 23 23.0 23 0

Game Log - All-Purpose

Date Opponent Score gp rush rcv pr kr yds
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 1 - - - - 0
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 1 - - 23 65 88
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 1 - - 45 - 45
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 1 - - 0 28 28
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 1 - - 9 49 58
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 1 - - 5 - 5
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 1 - - 0 - 0
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 1 - - 40 127 167
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 1 - - - 5 5
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 1 - - 23 50 73

Game Log - Scoring

Date Opponent Score pts rush rec kr pr int fum xpm fgm saf misc 2pt
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 0 - - - - 0 - - - - 0 -
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 0 - - 0 0 - - - - 0 0 -
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 0 - - - 0 0 - - - - 0 -
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 0 - - 0 0 - - - - - 0 -
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0 -
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 0 - - - 0 - - - - - 0 -
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 0 - - - 0 - - - - - 0 -
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 0 - - 0 0 - - - - - 0 -
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 0 - - 0 - - - - - 0 0 -
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0 -

Game Log - Defense

Date Opponent Score tack ast tot sack lost tfl yds ff fr td int yds td brup blk saf
Sep 5 Dean W, 49-14 3 0 3.0 - - 0.0 - - - - 2 32 0 1 - -
Sep 13 at Mass.-Dartmouth L, 25-24 0 2 2.0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 - 0 0 - 1 1 0
Sep 20 New England College W, 48-0 3 3 6.0 - - 1.0 2 - - - 2 0 0 1 - -
Oct 4 Framingham St. L, 22-12 4 0 4.0 - - 0.0 - - - - - - - - - -
Oct 11 at Worcester St. W, 21-6 2 3 5.0 - - 0.0 - - - - 1 85 0 1 1 -
Oct 18 at Mass. Maritime L, 10-0 3 2 5.0 - - 0.0 - 1 - - - - - 1 - -
Oct 25 at Anna Maria L, 30-22 4 2 6.0 - - 0.0 - - - - - - - - 1 -
Nov 1 Bridgewater St. L, 38-18 5 3 8.0 - - 0.0 - - 1 - - - - 1 - -
Nov 8 at Plymouth St. L, 27-0 4 1 5.0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 0
Nov 15 Westfield St. L, 10-7 3 1 4.0 - - 0.0 - - - - 1 -43 0 - - -

Career Stats - Passing

  gp comp att pct yds y/g y/a td int lg effic
2021-22 4 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
2022-23 10 2 5 40.0% 27 2.7 5.4 0 1 24 45.4
2023-24 7 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
2024-25 10 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
2025-26 10 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Total 41 2 5 40.0% 27 0.7 5.4 0 1 24 45.4

Career Stats - Rushing

  gp rush yds y/g avg td lg fum lost
2021-22 4 11 84 21.0 7.6 1 65 - -
2022-23 10 95 400 40.0 4.2 3 30 1 1
2023-24 7 7 32 4.6 4.6 0 14 1 1
2024-25 10 - - - - - - - -
2025-26 10 - - - - - - 1 0
Total 41 113 516 12.6 4.6 4 65 3 2

Career Stats - Receiving

  gp rec rec/g yds y/g avg td lg
2021-22 4 1 0.3 4 1.0 4.0 0 4
2022-23 10 17 1.7 189 18.9 11.1 1 73
2023-24 7 11 1.6 129 18.4 11.7 2 64
2024-25 10 - - - - - - -
2025-26 10 - - - - - - -
Total 41 29 0.7 322 7.9 11.1 3 73

Career Stats - Kicking

  gp fgm fga pct lg xpm xpa pct pts
2021-22 4 - - - - - - - 0
2022-23 10 - - - - 0 0 - 0
2023-24 7 - - - - - - - 0
2024-25 10 - - - - 0 0 - 0
2025-26 10 - - - - - - - 0
Total 41 - - - - 0 0 - 0

Career Stats - Punting

  gp punt yds avg lg in20 fc tb blk
2021-22 4 - - - - - - - -
2022-23 10 - - - - - - - -
2023-24 7 - - - - - - - -
2024-25 10 - - - - - - - -
2025-26 10 - - - - - - - -
Total 41 - - - - - - - -

Career Stats - Returns

  kr yds avg td lg pr yds avg td lg
2021-22 2 32 16.0 0 28 5 44 8.8 0 16
2022-23 23 544 23.7 1 85 - - - - -
2023-24 3 44 14.7 0 16 - - - - -
2024-25 9 253 28.1 0 57 14 129 9.2 1 78
2025-26 14 324 23.1 0 50 12 145 12.1 0 40
Total 51 1197 23.5 1 85 31 318 10.3 1 78

Career Stats - All-Purpose

  gp rush rcv pr kr yds ypg
2021-22 4 84 4 44 32 164 41.0
2022-23 10 400 189 - 544 1133 113.3
2023-24 7 32 129 - 44 205 29.3
2024-25 10 - - 129 253 382 38.2
2025-26 10 - - 145 324 469 46.9
Total 41 516 322 318 1197 2353 57.4

Career Stats - Scoring

  pts pts/g rush rec kr pr int fum xpm fgm 2pt misc
2021-22 6 1.5 1 0 0 0 - - - - - 0
2022-23 30 3.0 3 1 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 0
2023-24 12 1.7 0 2 0 - - - - - - 0
2024-25 12 1.2 - - 0 1 1 - 0 - 0 0
2025-26 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
Total 60 1.5 4 3 1 1 1 - 0 - 0 0

Career Stats - Defense

  gp tkl ast tot tkl/g sck yds tfl yds ff fr yds int yds brup blk
2021-22 4 0 1 1.0 .3 - - 0.0 - - - - - - - -
2022-23 10 5 4 9.0 .9 - - 0.0 - - - - 1 0 1 -
2023-24 7 0 0 0.0 .0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024-25 10 35 16 51.0 5.1 0.0 0 2.5 6 0 0 0 3 90 9 1
2025-26 10 31 17 48.0 4.8 0.0 0 1.0 2 1 1 0 6 74 6 3
Total 41 71 38 109.0 2.7 0.0 0 3.5 8 1 1 0 10 164 16 4

Splits Stats - Passing

    gp comp att pct yds y/g y/a td int lg effic
Event Total 10 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Conference 9 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Exhibition - - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Location Home 5 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Away 5 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Neutral - - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Result Wins 3 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Losses 7 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
Month September 3 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
October 4 - - - - - - - - - 0.0
November 3 - - - - - - - - - 0.0

Splits Stats - Rushing

    gp rush yds y/g avg td lg fum lost
Event Total 10 - - - - - - 1 0
Conference 9 - - - - - - 1 0
Exhibition - - - - - - - - -
Location Home 5 - - - - - - - -
Away 5 - - - - - - 1 0
Neutral - - - - - - - - -
Result Wins 3 - - - - - - - -
Losses 7 - - - - - - 1 0
Month September 3 - - - - - - - -
October 4 - - - - - - 1 0
November 3 - - - - - - - -

Splits Stats - Receiving

    gp rec rec/g yds y/g avg td lg
Event Total 10 - - - - - - -
Conference 9 - - - - - - -
Exhibition - - - - - - - -
Location Home 5 - - - - - - -
Away 5 - - - - - - -
Neutral - - - - - - - -
Result Wins 3 - - - - - - -
Losses 7 - - - - - - -
Month September 3 - - - - - - -
October 4 - - - - - - -
November 3 - - - - - - -

Splits Stats - Kicking

    gp fgm fga pct lg xpm xpa pct pts
Event Total 10 - - - - - - - 0
Conference 9 - - - - - - - 0
Exhibition - - - - - - - - 0
Location Home 5 - - - - - - - 0
Away 5 - - - - - - - 0
Neutral - - - - - - - - 0
Result Wins 3 - - - - - - - 0
Losses 7 - - - - - - - 0
Month September 3 - - - - - - - 0
October 4 - - - - - - - 0
November 3 - - - - - - - 0

Splits Stats - Punting

    gp punt yds avg lg in20 fc tb blk
Event Total 10 - - - - - - - -
Conference 9 - - - - - - - -
Exhibition - - - - - - - - -
Location Home 5 - - - - - - - -
Away 5 - - - - - - - -
Neutral - - - - - - - - -
Result Wins 3 - - - - - - - -
Losses 7 - - - - - - - -
Month September 3 - - - - - - - -
October 4 - - - - - - - -
November 3 - - - - - - - -

Splits Stats - Returns

    kr yds avg td lg pr yds avg td lg
Event Total 14 324 23.1 0 50 12 145 12.1 0 40
Conference 14 324 23.1 0 50 10 100 10.0 0 40
Exhibition - - - - - - - - - -
Location Home 8 205 25.6 0 50 6 108 18.0 0 40
Away 6 119 19.8 0 28 6 37 6.2 0 21
Neutral - - - - - - - - - -
Result Wins 2 49 24.5 0 28 3 54 18.0 0 32
Losses 12 275 22.9 0 50 9 91 10.1 0 40
Month September 3 65 21.7 0 23 4 68 17.0 0 32
October 4 77 19.3 0 28 6 14 2.3 0 12
November 7 182 26.0 0 50 2 63 31.5 0 40

Splits Stats - All-Purpose

    gp rush rcv pr kr yds ypg
Event Total 10 - - 145 324 469 46.9
Conference 9 - - 100 324 424 47.1
Exhibition - - - - - 0 -
Location Home 5 - - 108 205 313 62.6
Away 5 - - 37 119 156 31.2
Neutral - - - - - 0 -
Result Wins 3 - - 54 49 103 34.3
Losses 7 - - 91 275 366 52.3
Month September 3 - - 68 65 133 44.3
October 4 - - 14 77 91 22.8
November 3 - - 63 182 245 81.7

Splits Stats - Scoring

    pts pts/g rush rec kr pr int fum xpm fgm 2pt misc
Event Total 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
Conference 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
Exhibition 0 - - - - - - - - - - 0
Location Home 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
Away 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
Neutral 0 - - - - - - - - - - 0
Result Wins 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
Losses 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
Month September 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
October 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0
November 0 0.0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0

Splits Stats - Defense

    gp tkl ast tot tkl/g sck yds tfl yds ff fr yds int yds brup blk
Event Total 10 31 17 48.0 4.8 0.0 0 1.0 2 1 1 0 6 74 6 3
Conference 9 28 14 42.0 4.7 0.0 0 0.0 0 1 1 0 4 74 5 3
Exhibition - - - 0.0 - - - 0.0 - - - - - - - -
Location Home 5 18 7 25.0 5.0 - - 1.0 2 - 1 0 5 -11 3 -
Away 5 13 10 23.0 4.6 0.0 0 0.0 0 1 0 0 1 85 3 3
Neutral - - - 0.0 - - - 0.0 - - - - - - - -
Result Wins 3 8 6 14.0 4.7 - - 1.0 2 - - - 5 117 3 1
Losses 7 23 11 34.0 4.9 0.0 0 0.0 0 1 1 0 1 -43 3 2
Month September 3 6 5 11.0 3.7 0.0 0 1.0 2 0 0 0 4 32 3 1
October 4 13 7 20.0 5.0 - - 0.0 - 1 - - 1 85 2 2
November 3 12 5 17.0 5.7 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 1 0 1 -43 1 0

News Mentions

$item.thumbnailAlt
Zaire McKnight Named To D3 Football All-Region I Team

Fitchburg, MA – Fitchburg State football senior defensive back Elijah Zaire McKnight (Tracy, CA) was recently selected to the D3 Football...

December 17, 2025

$item.thumbnailAlt
Three Falcons Named To MASCAC All-Conference Teams

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Fitchburg State football team had three members named to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic...

November 20, 2025

$item.thumbnailAlt
Football Soars Past Worcester

WORCESTER, MA: The Fitchburg State football team defeated the Lancers of Worcester State this afternoon in MASCAC action, 21-6.  

October 11, 2025

$item.thumbnailAlt
Pilgrims Shutout by Football in Non-Conference Action

FITCHBURG, MA: The Fitchburg State football team took down the New England College (NEC) Pilgrims in non-conference action this afternoon on...

September 20, 2025

$item.thumbnailAlt
Zaire McKnight Tabbed MASCAC Defensive Player Of The Week

Fitchburg, Mass. – Fitchburg State senior defensive back Elijah Zaire McKnight (Tracy, CA) was recently named Massachusetts State...

September 8, 2025

$item.thumbnailAlt
Football Flies Past Bulldogs in Season Opener

FITCHBURG, MA: The Fitchburg State football team started its season with a 49-14 victory over MASCAC newcomer Dean College this evening.

September 5, 2025

Photos