2018 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in 13 games.
Appalachian State (9/1): Registered two tackles, including one solo. at Pittsburgh (9/8): Set a career best with four tackles, three solo...Added his first career tackle for loss. Kent State (9/15): Made a solo tackle and broke up a pass. at Illinois (9/21): Broke up a pass. Maryland (11/24): Registered a solo tackle.
2017 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Selected Academic All-Big Ten.
Season: Appeared in 11 games...Made collegiate debut vs. Akron (9/2)...One of 24 student-athletes to make their collegiate debut in 2017...One of 17 freshmen (14 redshirt, 3 true) to appear in 2017...Recovered his first career fumble on a third-quarter fumble caused by his older brother, Josh, at Maryland (11/25).
Akron (9/2): Made collegiate debut...Logged his first career tackle in the fourth quarter...One of 10 Penn Staters to register their first career tackles in the game. Georgia State (9/16): Totaled two stops – both solo...Saw time on defense and special teams. at Northwestern (10/7): Had one tackle...Broke up his first career pass in the fourth quarter. at Ohio State (10/28): Saw time on defense and special teams. Nebraska (11/18): Made a career-high-tying two stops on defense. at Maryland (11/25): Recovered his first career fumble on a third-quarter forced fumble by his older brother, Josh...Added a career-high-tying two tackles.
2016 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Redshirt Season.
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-year letterman for head coach Caesar Nettles at Riverdale Baptist School...Played with Nittany Lion teammate Tariq Castro-Fields at Riverdale Baptist...Was named team captain as a senior...Earned team MVP honors as a senior...Selected to the 2016 Semper Fidelis Bowl...Helped the Crusaders to the 2013 Independent Athletics Conference Championship and an 11-0 record...Named first team All-State at cornerback by Maryland Pigskin as a senior...Named the Capitol Area District MVP as a senior...Notched first-team All-Capitol Area Conference as a junior and senior...Ended his prep career with 14 interceptions and 37 pass breakups...Gained more than 1,000 all-purpose yards during his junior and senior Seasons, scoring 17 touchdowns...Had at least four interceptions in each of his varsity prep Seasons...Rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports, while earning a three-star rating from Rivals and Scout...Was an ESPN 300 recruit, ranking No. 129 nationally...Rated the No. 6 recruit in Maryland and the No. 12 cornerback prospect nationally by ESPN...Ranked No. 11 in Maryland and No. 32 nationally at cornerback by 247Sports...Slotted as the No. 1 cornerback prospect in the state of Maryland and No. 33 cornerback nationally by Scout...Ranked as the No. 19 prospect in Maryland and No. 39 cornerback in the nation by Rivals...Also lettered four times in baseball...Guided the Crusader baseball team to back-to-back National Association of Christian Athletes National Championships in 2014 and 2015...Six-time Honor Roll student.
PERSONAL
Full name is Zechariah McPhearson...Son of Kim and Gerrick McPhearson...Has six brothers, Gerrick Jr., Derrick, Emmanuel, Jeremiah, Matthew and Josh, and a sister, Kimberly...Father, Gerrick Sr., played defensive back at Boston College and went on to play for the New England Patriots...Brother, Josh, was a running back at Penn State (2015-17)...Brother, Gerrick Jr., played football at Maryland and was selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...Brother, Derrick, played football at Illinois and played minor league baseball in the Brewers organization...Brother, Emmanuel, played football at New Mexico...Brother, Jeremiah, played football at Indiana (Pa.)...Brother, Matthew, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft...Enjoys photography and baseball...Majoring in labor and employment relations...Would like to develop viable strip malls in urban areas across the United States...Born March 21, 1998 in Baltimore, Maryland.