Hillsborough’s Erriyon Knighton, who solidified himself as one of the nation’s top sprinters after an impressive performance this summer, has decided to forgo his high school and collegiate eligibility by signing with Adidas according to a report by Track and Field News.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Knighton becomes the second area track athlete to turn pro before exhausting his amateur status. In 2015, former Gibbs and Baylor sprinting sensation Trayvon Bromell signed with New Balance. A year later, Bromell was in the Olympics.
Knighton is on the same path.
At the Junior Olympics this past summer, Knighton won the 200 meters in a wind-legal time of 20.33 seconds, the fastest-ever recorded in the 16 year old’s age group (15-16) at the Junior Olympics and the nation’s top time by a high school athlete at that point last year.
Knighton shaved 56 seconds off his personal best set in June of 2020. And his blistering 20.33 time was just 0.20 seconds off the under-18 world record set by Usain Bolt.
That was not all.
In the 100 meters, Knighton again sprinted to the head of the class at the Junior Olympics, this time winning in 10.29 seconds, a time that was tied for the nation’s top mark by a high school athlete this past year.
Those eye-opening times got the attention of the track-and-field aficionados — and the sporting world.
It also put him on the fast track to potential Olympic stardom. That was in part why he made the decision, according to Track and Field News.
By doing so, Knighton is all but giving up a promising career in football.
Knighton’s big-play ability, combined with his speed, made him a bona fide football prospect. He is already ranked as a four-star recruit and considered the state’s 15-best player for the Class of 2022 on 247 Sports’ composite list.
As a junior this past season, Knighton had 201 rushing yards, 484 receiving and accounted for eight touchdowns.
Colleges took notice. Knighton has offers from several Division I-A programs, including Florida, FSU, Michigan and Tennessee.
Knighton’s future is coming into his focus.
So is his vision.
This summer, Knighton failed a physical because of poor eyesight. He had 20/100 vision in one eye and 20/80 in the other. He now has glasses and plans on getting contacts.
“It didn’t really bother me in track,” Knighton told Prime Time Preps at the time. “I could still see. The only thing that was blurry was when I tried to read plays from the sideline in football.”
The picture is clear. No more football and track at Hillsborough, followed by four more years of both sports in college.
The focus is now on the Olympics, something that Knighton said was a possibility this summer.
“I might lean towards track, slightly,” Knighton told Prime Time Preps this summer.. “I’m thinking about the Olympics more and more.”
