If you’ve been keeping an eye on the Cincinnati Bengals' defense lately, you’ve probably seen #44 flying around the field. It’s hard to miss him. But if you’re just now looking up demetrius knight jr stats to see if the hype is real, the short answer is: yeah, it pretty much is. We’re talking about a guy who went from being a dual-threat quarterback in high school to a tackling machine in the NFL.
Honestly, the path he took is kind of wild. It wasn't one of those "five-star recruit to first-round lock" stories. It was more of a "six-year, three-school grind" that ended with him becoming a cornerstone for the Bengals.
The College Grind: Three Schools and a Huge Breakout
Before he was popping up on NFL Sunday ticket, Knight was a bit of a nomad in the college football world. He started at Georgia Tech back in 2019. Back then, he was a reserve linebacker, mostly getting his feet wet. He had 18 tackles as a freshman, including a pretty memorable strip-sack against Miami. But he never really "exploded" there. He spent four years with the Yellow Jackets, including a redshirt year in 2022 after only playing four games.
Then, the transfer portal happened.
Knight moved to Charlotte in 2023, and that’s where things got serious. Basically, he went from a rotational piece to a first-team All-AAC monster. He led the 49ers with 96 tackles. That's not just a lot of tackles; it was the second-most in the entire conference that year. He also snagged three interceptions, including a pick-six against Maryland. If you want to know when the NFL scouts actually started taking notes, it was right then.
The SEC Prove-It Year at South Carolina
Most players would’ve stayed at Charlotte after a year like that, but Knight wanted to prove he could do it against the big boys. He spent his "super senior" 2024 season at South Carolina.
Playing in the SEC is a different beast, but Knight didn't blink. He finished second on the Gamecocks with 82 total tackles. He wasn't just piling up numbers, either. He was a playmaker. He forced three fumbles (tied for fourth in the SEC) and had 8.0 tackles for loss.
The highlight? Sealing a win against Clemson with an interception with 12 seconds left. You can't write it much better than that.
2025 NFL Rookie Season: Breaking Down the Numbers
The Bengals grabbed Knight in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft (49th overall), and they didn't wait long to put him to work. In 2025, he played in all 17 regular-season games.
Demetrius Knight jr stats for his rookie year are actually kind of staggering for a first-year linebacker:
- Total Tackles: 106 (58 solo, 48 assisted)
- Sacks: 3.0
- Interceptions: 2
- Passes Defensed: 7
- Forced Fumbles: 1
Crossing that 100-tackle mark as a rookie isn't easy. It takes more than just speed; it takes an insane amount of football IQ. Remember, this is a guy who used to play quarterback. He sees the field differently. He’s not just chasing the ball; he’s anticipating where the play is going before the snap even happens.
Situational Performance: Where He Wins
If you look at his situational splits, some interesting patterns emerge. Knight seems to play his best when the pressure is on. During the 2025 season, he recorded 54 of his tackles in the first half, keeping the defense steady while the offense found its rhythm.
He also showed a weirdly high level of comfort on the road. While some rookies struggle with crowd noise, Knight actually recorded both of his rookie-year interceptions in away games. He finished the season with 47 tackles on the road compared to 56 at home, showing he’s pretty much the same player regardless of the zip code.
Why the "Age" Conversation Was Wrong
During the draft process, everyone was talking about how Knight was "old" for a prospect. He was 25 when his rookie season started. People were worried about his ceiling.
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But look at the results. That maturity is exactly why he was able to walk into a professional locker room and earn "green dot" responsibilities (calling the defensive plays) so quickly. His experience at three different college programs made him adaptable. While younger prospects were still trying to figure out how to watch film, Knight was already diagnosing complex NFL blocking schemes.
He’s 6'2" and about 240 pounds, which is a sturdy frame for a modern MIKE linebacker. He doesn't have the elite lateral agility of a smaller safety-hybrid, but he’s a "downhill thumper" who doesn't miss. His missed tackle rate at the college level was around 10%, and that reliability has carried over to Cincinnati.
Career Milestones and Achievements
It's been a long road, but the trophy case is starting to get crowded.
- 2023: First-Team All-AAC (Charlotte)
- 2024: Rex Enright Team Captain & Joe Morrison MVP (South Carolina)
- 2024: All-SEC Honorable Mention
- 2025: 100+ Tackle Rookie Season (Cincinnati Bengals)
His story is sort of an inspiration for guys in the transfer portal. It shows that if you have the talent and the work ethic, it doesn't matter how many stops you make on the way to the league.
The Verdict on the Tape
When you watch him play, it’s the "trigger" that stands out. When Knight sees a gap, he fills it immediately. He doesn't dance around. Sometimes that aggressiveness gets him into trouble with play-action—shifty quarterbacks can occasionally suck him in—but for the most part, his instincts are elite.
His background as a quarterback at Strong Rock Christian High School gives him a "cheat code" feel. He knows what the opposing QB is looking at. He understands the spacing of a passing concept. That’s why his pass-defensed numbers (7 in 2025) are so high for a linebacker who mostly lives in the box.
Next Steps for the Bengals and Knight
If you’re a fantasy football owner or a Bengals fan, the outlook is bright. Knight is no longer just a "rookie to watch." He’s a foundational piece. Moving into the 2026 season, expect the Bengals to use him even more in blitz packages. While he only had 3 sacks in 2025, his pressure rate suggests he can do more if given the green light to rush the passer.
For those looking to track his progress, keep a close eye on his tackle-to-miss ratio. If he can maintain that 100+ tackle pace while cleaning up his lateral coverage on shifty running backs, he’s going to be a Pro Bowl contender sooner rather than later.
Watch for his snap counts in "dime" packages this coming season. If the coaching staff keeps him on the field for third-and-long, it means they’ve fully bought into his coverage skills, which was the only real question mark left on his scouting report.