Bengals draft LB Demetrius Knight Jr.: How he fits, draft grade and scouting intel

New York Times

26-04-2025

The player South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. was most often compared to in the pre-NFL Draft process was Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt. Coincidentally, Knight's arrival might officially mark Pratt's departure.
Cincinnati prioritized Knight, taking him with pick No. 49 in the second round, knowing the importance of adding a player capable of starting immediately.
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Knight arrived at South Carolina after four years at other programs and immediately became a captain and leader of a quality Gamecocks defense. He's older, at 25, but his maturity and leadership were part of the allure, as Cincinnati needs help immediately with a great communicator in the middle of new coordinator Al Golden's defense.
Knight ranked No. 120 in Dane Brugler's Top 300 big board for The Athletic. Here's what Brugler had to say about him in his annual draft guide:
'An active, green-dot defender, Knight has a quick downhill trigger against the run, with the straight-line pursuit speed to drive and finish at the ball carrier. Though he has some limitations in coverage, he is a capable underneath zone defender who can reach his landmark and get eyes on the passer. Overall, Knight won't be a true three-down player for some schemes, but he fits the bill for a defense seeking a fast, thumping run stuffer and blitzer with an old-school mentality. He has early-down starting potential and should see immediate reps on special teams.'
Demetrius Knight Jr on the phone with us now.
"I'm ecstatic. Excited. Ready to get to work." #Bengals @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/Ir9Gp2XyQs
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) April 26, 2025
Grade: B
The Bengals needed another defensive piece, and Knight has a fascinating path to the NFL. After limited action through three-plus seasons at Georgia Tech, Knight transferred to Charlotte in 2023 and reinvigorated his career. Last year, Knight (6 feet 1 1/2, 235 pounds) moved to South Carolina, where he had 82 tackles, including eight for loss, and three forced fumbles. Knight brings toughness to a defense that needs it. — Scott Dochterman
Knight will arrive in a competition to start at linebacker next to Logan Wilson on opening day. He's already the leader in the clubhouse for that competition. Golden said he saw Knight as the focus of his attention when he woke up Friday, and coach Zac Taylor recalled a long sweat when waiting for Wilson to fall to them in the third round in 2020, a moment that helped change the face of the Super Bowl defense. Knight's maturity, leadership and reputation as an elite communicator at South Carolina are part of what makes him the expected answer at linebacker this year.
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This will officially push Pratt out the door. The veteran requested a trade in January, and it has been apparent throughout that the captain was not in Golden's plans on defense. The Bengals didn't want to move on until they had a replacement in-house, and Knight is a one-to-one swap. Letting go of Pratt — whether through trade or release — will save the club $5.6 million on the 2025 cap. Expect that move to come sooner rather than later.
It was a gamble to pass on Georgia guard Tate Ratledge, who went seven picks later to the Detroit Lions. He seemed an ideal fit at a part of the draft where he was expected to be selected, having played next to tackle Amarius Mims for the Bulldogs. Cincinnati has a significant need at guard but opted to fill its other need at linebacker. It also could use competition for safety, and Golden's captain at Notre Dame, Xavier Watts, was on the board. There's a thought the Bengals could have waited for Knight — he might have been around in the third round — but it was abundantly clear Cincinnati valued him extremely high and felt fortunate to grab him at No. 49.
Demetrius Knight Jr. felt like a nice Bengals fit — in the third round, considering he wasn't even in Dane Brugler's top 100. It would be shocking if he's not starting the opener. This shows the Bengals believed the need at linebacker was larger than the need at guard, but they might have sacrificed filling one for the other by passing on Ratledge.