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Dallas Cowboys 2025 draft scouting report: LB Demetrius Knight

April 09, 2025
South Carolina v Vanderbilt
Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images

Here is our scouting report on Demetrius Knight from South Carolina

We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at linebacker Demetrius Knight from South Carolina.

Demetrius Knight II

LB
South Carolina Gamecocks
Senior
3-star recruit
6’2”
235 lbs

South Carolina v Oklahoma Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images

History

Demetrius Knight II was raised in Locust Grove, Georgia, and attended Strong Rock Christian School. His high school career was distinguished by his dual-threat quarterback play, amassing over 1,000 passing and rushing yards in his senior year. He also set a school record with a 99-yard touchdown run. He began his collegiate career at Georgia Tech, later transferring to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and concluded his playing career at the University of South Carolina.

In 2019, Knight appeared in all 12 games as a reserve linebacker for Georgia Tech. He recorded 18 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and added one sack. Notably, he forced a fumble recovered for a touchdown against Miami. His versatility was evident as he also had pass breakups and defended passes.

The next year he played in eight games for the Yellow Jackets. Knight amassed 18 tackles, with one for loss, and forced a fumble. He matched his season-high of four tackles three times, including games against Florida State, UCF, and Notre Dame. His consistent performance highlighted his growing impact on the team’s defense.

In 2021, Knight played in all 12 games, primarily as a reserve linebacker and special teams contributor. He recorded six tackles, with a standout play being a 37-yard fumble return to set up a touchdown against North Carolina. Additionally, he completed his first career pass attempt on a fake punt against Boston College.

In 2022, Knight participated in the first four games for Georgia Tech, registering nine tackles. Following the dismissal of head coach Geoff Collins, Knight remained on the bench for the remainder of the season.

In 2023, Knight transferred to Charlotte, where he had a standout season. He led the team with 96 tackles, ranking second in the AAC. His performance included six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown against Maryland. His contributions earned him Second-Team All-AAC honors.

In his final collegiate year, Knight transferred again, this time to South Carolina. He served as a team leader, earning the Rex Enright Team Captain title and the Most Outstanding Senior award. He played in all 13 games, starting ten, and was second on the team with 82 tackles. His season totals featured eight tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception that secured a win against Clemson. His leadership and performance were recognized with an Honorable Mention All-SEC selection.

Knight is related to former NFL Pro Bowler DeAngelo Hall and is also a distant cousin of music legends Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin.

2024 Statistics

572 Defensive Snaps
82 Total Tackles
8 Tackles For Loss
11 Missed Tackles
29 Defensive Stops
12 Total Pressures
2 Sacks
1 Pass Breakup
3 Forced Fumbles
1 Penalty

NFL Combine/Pro Day

10-Yard Split- 1.58s (75%)
40-Yard Dash- 4.58 (83%)
Vert- 31.5” (22%)
Broad- 118” (56%)
Shuttle- 4.25s (64%)
3C- 7.12s (50%)
Bench- 22 Reps (51%)

Awards

Second-team All-AAC (2023)

Scorecard

Overall- 83.2
Speed- 81
Acceleration- 82
Agility- 69
Strength- 79
Tackling- 79
Pass Rush- 68
Run Defense- 82
Coverage- 80
Discipline- 97

THE GOOD

  • His background as a quarterback gives him exceptional vision and anticipation, which helps him identify gaps and react to both run and pass plays.
  • Shows good agility and speed which allows him to cover a lot of ground.
  • Has an innate ability to read the quarterback’s eyes, which translates to strong pass coverage skills and an aptitude for forcing turnovers.
  • Has a relentless motor and pursuit to the ball.
  • He can adapt to different schemes and assignments very easily. Whether it’s dropping into coverage, coming up in run support, or even occasionally blitzing, during his time at three different colleges he’s shown great versatility.
  • A born leader in the locker room and on the field.

THE BAD

  • Can sometimes be overaggressive in his pursuit, which leads to missed tackles.
  • Pursuit angles remain an area for growth.
  • Can struggle to consistently shed blockers when engaging in run defense.
  • There are moments when his anticipation leads to overcommitting, which can leave gaps in his zone assignments.
  • Has had issues with miscommunication which resulted in missed assignments, leaving gaps in the defense.
  • When facing receivers or running backs who change direction rapidly, his speed to cover ground can lag.

THE FIT

Demetrius Knight Jr. projects as a dynamic, multi-dimensional linebacker who could excel in NFL defenses that value versatility and high football IQ. His ability to impact the game in both run support and pass coverage makes him an intriguing prospect. With continued refinement he has the potential to evolve into a cornerstone of a modern NFL defense, especially in schemes that reward athleticism and proactive play recognition.

In terms of areas of development, Knight needs to work on refining his tackling technique to avoid over-aggressiveness that sometimes leads to missed tackles, while also improving his ability to shed blockers effectively through better hand usage. Additionally, enhancing his lateral quickness in open-field pursuits will help him maintain tight coverage against speedy opponents, and bolstering his communication on the field will ensure better alignment and assignment execution with teammates. Addressing these areas will allow him to fully leverage his athleticism and high football IQ as he transitions to the next level.

For the Dallas Cowboys, Knight would be a natural fit due to his versatile skill set and high football IQ. His ability to diagnose plays quickly and contribute both in run support and pass coverage aligns well with the Cowboys’ defensive schemes, which emphasize flexibility and athleticism at the linebacker position. Additionally, his leadership qualities and experience in various roles would provide valuable depth, helping to bolster the unit’s overall execution on the field.

COMPARISON:

Devin White, Las Vegas Raiders

BTB GRADE:

74th

CONSENSUS RANKING:

70th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services, including BTB)


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