Demetrius

Knight Jr.

An elder statesman of the class, Knight Jr. (6’2/235) arrived on the college scene in 2019 enrolling at Georgia Tech where he only played 67 defensive snaps in 2021 and 2022 before transferring to Charlotte in 2023 following the dismissal of former GT HC Geoff Collins. The decision worked out perfectly for Knight Jr as he posted 96 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and three interceptions to go with four PBUs and a First Team All-AAC nod. He parlayed that into a return to the Power Four where he started 10 games with 82 tackles, eight TFLs and 29 stops with an 83rd% defensive grade in the vaunted SEC. Knight Jr. has a filled out frame but he can still fly, recording a 91st percentile 4.58s 40-yard dash and a 4.25s shuttle (85th%) with 32 5/8th” arms for an 8.17 RAS. An aggressive downhill linebacker who has pop in his hands and a measured approach to his game, Knight Jr. has an early down thumper profile and a determined play style that will appeal to NFL defensive coordinators.

Curry spoke to his new teammate’s athletic upside and drive at the ACC Football Kickoff last week, telling reporters that the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Knight is “insanely fast” and noting that the freshman’s work ethic is “unbelievable.” To the latter point, Curry explained, “Me and him are constantly leading the linebacker group in runs and stuff like that.” Knight was actually recruited by former HC Paul Johnson as a quarterback, but he came out of high school with experience at multiple positions, which helped to grease the wheels for Georgia Tech to start him out at linebacker. Barring injury ahead of him on the depth chart, the speedy true frosh is most likely to see work as a special teams cog this coming season.