Biography
Echols has seen the first action of his collegiate career in the last three games including his first career start at Washington in his most recent contest after coming against USC and at Oregon. Echols has combined to rush eight times for seven yards in those three contests while adding two receptions for eight yards in his second season as a redshirt freshman at Cal in 2017 after redshirting and not playing as a true freshman in 2016. Echols arrived at Cal in 2016 as four-star recruit according to ESPN, who also ranked him as high as the nation’s No. 14 all-purpose back in the 2016 recruiting class after a four-year varsity career in which he racked up 6,511 all-purpose yards and 90 total touchdowns at Charter Oaks High School including 2,808 during his 2015 senior campaign when he was a first-team All-State Medium Schools selection of Cal-Hi Sports for a team that finished 12-2 overall and reached the finals of the Southern Section Central Division playoffs. Echols finished with 4,076 yards rushing and 64 touchdowns on the ground during his prep career including 2,147 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior. Echols’ four prep teams combined to post a 37-14 overall record and a 19-1 league mark to win four conference titles with two in both the Hacienda League and Sierra League.
Echols' Cal Career Game Highs
Rushes: 3 (twice, last vs. Washington)
Rushing Yards: 7 (at Washington, 2017)
Long Rush: 7 (vs. USC, 2017)
Receptions: 1 (twice, last at Washington, 2017)
Receiving Yards: 4 (twice, last at Washington, 2017)
Long Reception: 4 (twice, last at Washington, 2017)
Freshman (2017)
• Has seen the first action of his collegiate career in the last three games including his first career start at Washington in his most recent contest after coming off the bench against USC and at Oregon
• Has combined to rush eight times for seven yards while adding two receptions for eight yards
• Rushed a single-game career-high-tying three times for a single-game career-high seven yards at Washington
• Rushed twice for a single-game career-high-tying four yards and also recorded his first career reception for four yards at Oregon
• Rushed a single-game career-high-tying three times for a loss of four yards against USC including a career-long seven-yard run on his first collegiate touch in his first collegiate action
• Rushed four times for three yards and caught one pass for a loss of two yards at the spring game
Freshman (2016)
• Redshirted
• Did not play
Charter Oak HS (Class of 2016)
• A three-year varsity started that racked up 6,511 all-purpose yards and 90 total touchdowns for teams that combined for a 27-12 overall record and 14-1 Hacienda League mark to win two outright conference titles as well as one co-championship while reaching the championship game of the Southern Section Central Division playoffs as a 2015 senior
• Recorded 2,808 all-purpose yards and 44 total touchdowns during his senior campaign including a career-high 2,147 yards on the ground including 13 100-yard rushing games with 37 rushing touchdowns when he was a first-team All-State Medium Schools selection of Cal-Hi Sports for a squad that finished 12-2 overall, won the Hacienda League with a 5-0 conference record and reached the championship of the Southern Section Central Division playoffs in a game that he scored on a 53-yard touchdown run
• Added 306 yards receiving and four touchdown grabs on 28 catches as a senior, as well as 355 kick return yards and three touchdowns
• Earned third-team Junior All-State honors from Cal-Hi Sports and was the MVP of the Hacienda League as a 2014 junior when he had 1,941 all-purpose yards and 25 total touchdowns including 1,141 yards rushing and 18 scores on the ground as well as 44 receptions for 553 yards and six touchdowns in addition to eight kick returns for 167 yards and one touchdown, while also adding five tackles, five pass deflections and one forced fumble on defense for a team that finished 8-5 overall, won a share of the Hacienda League title and reached the semifinals of the Southern Section Central Division playoffs
• Named one of the top running backs to watch by the Los Angeles Times prior to his junior and senior campaigns
• Contributed 1,762 all-purpose yards and a total of 21 touchdowns including career highs of 73 receptions, 974 yards receiving and 12 touchdown catches while adding 788 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on the ground as a 2013 sophomore in addition to four tackles and three pass breakups on defense for a team that finished 7-5 overall and 5-0 in the Hacienda League to win a conference title
Recruiting Rankings and Notes (Class of 2016)
Stars: ESPN (4), 247Sports (3), 247Sports Composite (3), Rivals (3), Scout (3)
National Overall Player Ratings: 247Sports Composite (639), 247Sports (724)
National All-Purpose Back Ratings: 247Sports (14), 247Sports Composite (15)
National Athlete Ratings: ESPN (22), Scout (51), Rivals (52)
Regional Overall Player Ratings: ESPN (46)
West Athlete Ratings: Scout (15)
California Overall Player Ratings: ESPN (38), 247Sports (69), 247Sports Composite (69), Rivals (77)
California Athlete Ratings: Scout (11)
Ratings/Scout Grades: 247Sports Composite (0.8591), 247Sports (86), ESPN (80), Rivals (5.6)
Other
• Full name is Zion Dwain Echols
• Born January 7, 1998
• Son of DeWayne and Talver Echols
• Has an estimated 40-yard dash time of 4.53 according to Scout
• Intended major is media studies
Last Updated
October 13, 2017
