2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: South Carolina LB Demetrius Knight Jr.

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr.

NO. 17 DEMETRIUS KNIGHT JR., LB, SOUTH CAROLINA (R-SENIOR) – 6015, 235 POUNDS

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Good size and bulk for his height
— Great play speed and explosiveness
— Can close on the ball carrier quickly in pursuit
— Has the juice to run sideline to sideline and cut off running lanes
— Effective blitzer up the middle
— Strong tackler who wraps up his opponent
— Can lay the boom as a hitter, running through his target with controlled aggression
— Has the strength to take on blockers and shed as a run defender
— Capable of dropping into coverage and running with backs and tight ends
— Has his head on a swivel in coverage, possessing good spatial awareness
— Excellent background when it comes to playing on special teams

THE BAD

— Has a tendency to overrun plays when he plays fast
— Lateral quickness isn’t at the same level as his straight-line pursuit
— Better in zone coverage than in man coverage
— More disruptive than productive as a blitzer
— Will be a 25-year-old rookie

BIO

— Sixth-year senior from Locust Grove, Ga.
— Born Jan. 4, 2000 (age 25)
— Three-star recruit, according to Rivals
— Committed to Georgia Tech out of high school
— Distant cousin of R&B singers Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin
— Cousin DeAngelo Hall played for 14 years in the NFL
— Played in all 12 games as a reserve in 2019 and had 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, two pass deflections and a forced fumble
— Played in eight games as a reserve in 2020 and had 18 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble
— Played in all 12 games as a reserve in 2021 and on special teams and totaled six tackles
— Played in four games and redshirted in 2022 before deciding to transfer
— Transferred to Charlotte ahead of the 2023 season
— Started 12 games in 2023 and had 96 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks, 3 interceptions with 1 returned for TD, and 4 pass deflections
— Transferred to South Carolina ahead of the 2024 season
— Played in 13 games with 10 starts in 2024 and had 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss with 2 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception
— Honorable mention All-SEC (2024); First-team All-American Athletic Conference (2023); team captain (2024)
— Married to wife, Jensy, and has two children

TAPE BREAKDOWN

South Carolina LB Demetrius Knight Jr. has had quite the road to the NFL’s doorstep. The former three-star recruit originally signed with Georgia Tech and played in a reserve role to start his college career but never cracked the Yellow Jackets’ starting lineup. He transferred to Charlotte in 2023 and had a breakout campaign. Opting to show that he can play against better competition, he transferred to South Carolina last season and showed out with the Gamecocks.

When you pop in the tape on Knight, you see a fast, explosive playmaker on the defensive side of the football. He flows to the football with urgency, showcasing his sideline-to-sideline speed like on the plays below. He covers ground quickly to get to the quarterback or the runner attempting to get to the corner.

Knight does a good job diagnosing the play from his linebacker spot and playing with sound technique, keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage as long as possible before opening up into the gap and to the ball carrier. We see exactly that on this rep against Alabama. Knight reads the run to the left and follows the blockers to the outside. He then triggers through the hole and right into the runner for the tackle for no gain on the play.

Knight’s speed also makes him an effective blitzer up the middle and around the edge. Covering ground quickly to get into the pocket like on this clip below against the Crimson Tide, Knight puts pressure on QB Jalen Milroe as he releases the football.

Knight has the speed and awareness to work around and under blocks. He also has the physicality and toughness to work through blockers as a downhill thumper. Watch the first clip against Alabama where Knight slips the block in the box to make the tackle between the tackles for a minimal gain on the play. We then see Knight run right into the blockers, shedding the first one to get in on the tackle while driving back the offensive lineman in the second clip to collapse the pocket as the quarterback begins to throw the ball.

Demetrius Knight Jr. is capable of running in man coverage with backs and tight ends but is better suited for zone coverage where he keeps his head on a swivel and can break on underneath routes to tackle the catch or impact the pass at the catch point. Watch the clip below against Clemson. Knight shows off the instincts to pick off a missed opportunity for the Clemson running back underneath, sealing the win with just seconds left on the clock.

CONCLUSION

Demetrius Knight Jr. is an athletic, dense linebacker who waited his turn to see the field but has become a playmaker in nearly every facet of the game. He will be an older rookie, but he’s seasoned as a great run-and-chase defender who can fight through or around blocks. He also brings competent play as a pass rusher and in pass coverage.

When thinking of a pro comp for Knight, Germaine Pratt comes to mind as a similar-sized linebacker with similar athleticism. He was drafted in the third round in 2019 and has become a staple in the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense. I foresee Knight having a similar impact at the next level, likely becoming a starting-caliber off-ball linebacker within his first two seasons in the league.

Projection: Day 2
Depot Draft Grade: 8.0 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: at Alabama (2024), at Clemson (2024), vs Missouri (2024)