Bengals snag South Carolina's Knight in 2nd round

The Cincinnati Bengals selected South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 49th overall.

Cincinnati continues to bolster its defense by selecting Knight after taking Shemar Stewart in the first round. Knight recorded 64 tackles for the Gamecocks last season.

Pre-draft profile

Knight brings the energy and physicality you want from your leader in the middle of the defense. The South Carolina standout is a good athlete with sideline-to-sideline range and impressive burst in pursuit. He reads his keys well in the run game and is eager to throw his weight around. He's one of the few college linebackers who can stack and shed against linemen, and he's a consistent finisher when he has the opportunity to make a play on the ball-carrier. Knight is smooth in coverage drops, but the lateral quickness and an apparent lack of feel for routes developing behind him could limit his playmaking ability on passing downs. It's also worth noting that he's older than the average prospect, as he'll turn 26 near the end of his rookie season. The traits should translate, though, making Knight a potential starter who does his best work in the run game.