As NC senior running back David Eziomume (2) places the finishing touches on an unforgettable senior campaign with the Warriors (7-3), football fans around the state prepare to see what the Rivals top 250 superstar can accomplish next. The four-star Clemson commit spent 2023 rapidly cementing his name in NC history.
Over his junior year, Eziomume raked up 34 NCAA division-1 offers. His first offer arose from the University of Pittsburgh after the end of his sophomore season. In January 2022, Eziomume received an offer from the Georgia Bulldogs. The following October 22, Clemson Tigers’ running back coach C.J. Spiller brought an offer to the table. He committed to play for the Tigers on his birthday, March 1, 2023, via an Instagram post after attending Clemson’s Junior day in January. A week later, the hype train sped up as Eziomume found himself ranked 108 in the country. Eziomume now turns his focus back to Warrior football as NC shoots for a playoff run after three straight second-round eliminations.
Eziomume and the Warriors took over opponents after a struggling start. Over a three-game road stretch, starting with a 205-yard and three-touchdown game at Marietta (3-7), Eziomume tore through defenses totaling over 700 yards and 10 touchdowns in a three-week period. That stat line pushed NC out of its first 0-2 start since 2015 and carried the Warriors to an undefeated road stint. Facing the Northside Eagles (4-6), Eziomume flew through an entire roster of defenders for a 67-yard touchdown run that spread all over social media.
His top performance of the year came at the tail end of the Warriors’ road trip where he obliterated a second-ranked Milton (8-2). With 27 carries, Ezomume rushed for 326 yards and four touchdowns. Georgia High School Football Daily favored Milton by 20 points. NC won as the underdogs with a 42-27 final score.
Through the first five games of 2023, Eziomume led the state of Georgia in rushing yards, racking up an unparalleled 933 yards on the season. As he reached the pinnacle of his high school career, Eziomume’s popularity gained traction. So far this season, he has made moves to capitalize on name, image and likeness deals with several clothing brands: Any Given Sunday, Kane footwear and the multi-million dollar company, PSD underwear all hold contracts with Eziomume.
Unfortunately, late in a home game against the Walton Raiders (10-0), Eziomume experienced an injury that sidelined him for three weeks. Even with his hot streak cut short, Eziomume returned on senior night against the Cherokee Warriors (2-8) to score his first touchdown since the injury.
“I’m more than a football player, I am a regular student, and we’re all equal. I feel like taking time out opened my mind and showed me I’m way bigger than football but at the same time it allowed me to regain my skills,” Eziomume said.
Alongside the media attention came several questions looming around his status with Clemson. After visiting Auburn football games two weeks in a row, reporters believed Eziomume may have broken the long-standing Swinney rule that recruits cannot visit other schools after their commitment. Auburn media blew up after seeing Eziomume, claiming the recent visits hint that Eziomume could flip his commitment from the Clemson Tigers to the Auburn Tigers. Eziomume still holds interest in Auburn according to 247sports, who listed the attendances as “Unofficial visits.”
Eziomume immediately shut down rumors, posting a series of GIFs on X including a meme that simply read “All-in.” Eziomume has shown unwavering support for Clemson football, sporting the Tiger paw logo on his gloves and tagging the school in his Instagram bio. He explained he attended the games against Texas A&M and the University of Georgia on behalf of a friend who invited him to the game, not as an official or unofficial visitor. As the only 2024 committed running back for Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney and the Tigers, Eziomume feels comfortable in his future as a Clemson Tiger.
Swinney appears all in on Eziomume as well. Swinney stands adamant that he will not utilize the transfer portal for football talent and uses the Georgia football pipeline quite extensively. With Clemson expected to make a heavy push for offensive linemen to boost the run game, Tiger fans could see Eziomume’s 6’1” 205-pound frame exploding out of the backfield as early as his freshman year.
“Meeting Dabo Swinney and the community showed me [Clemson] is really like a family and it’s more than football… Throughout my recruiting process, he [Swinney] really made an impact and called out my name. He would talk to me about being the change of the program,” Eziomume said.
Nicknamed “EZ” by coaches and teammates, Eziomume has positioned himself alongside hall-of-fame Warriors. With high school experience as a receiver including a 500-receiving-yard junior season, Eziomume’s versatility and athleticism create a worrisome threat for future opponents of Clemson. As he recovers from injury and prepares for the 2023 state playoffs, Eziomume hopes to bring Warrior Nation its first state title in history and cement his legacy as the next NC football legend.
