With the 49th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals have selected South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Knight is one of the oldest prospects in this year’s draft at 25 years old. He was originally a class of 2019 recruit as a quarterback before moving to linebacker at Georgia Tech. He played there from 2019-22, then transferred to Charlotte, and finally to South Carolina ahead of the 2024 season.
Last year, Knight racked up 82 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and three interceptions while earning a standout 82.8 grade from Pro Football Focus.
Coming into the day, the Bengals had a need at linebacker, so it’s not a huge surprise to see them address this position, but Knight wasn’t viewed this high. He was ranked 83rd overall by the consensus big board.
Ironically, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compares Knight to Germaine Pratt, who’s likely to be traded or cut following his trade request.
Bengals Draft Picks 2025
- Round 1: No. 17 overall: Shemar Stewart
- Round 2: No. 49 overall: Demetrius Knight
- Round 3: No. 81 overall
- Round 4: No. 119 overall
- Round 5: No. 153 overall
- Round 6: No. 193 overall
The Bengals’ remaining top draft needs are:
OG, DT, CB, S
Day 2 NFL Draft schedule: 7 PM ET, Thursday, April 25th on ESPN2 and NFL Network.
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