South Carolina football product drawing rave reviews during first NFL offseason

South Carolina football struck transfer portal gold last offseason when linebacker Demetrius Knight elected to spend his final collegiate season with the Gamecocks. He was an All-SEC performer and was one of Carolina’s top recent combinations of on-field production, leadership, and off-field character. Following a second-round selection in this April’s NFL Draft, he’s now drawing rave reviews with the Cincinnati Bengals.

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According to The Athletic Bengals writer Paul Dehner, Jr., “If picking one winner from the rookie class, linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. would be running away with the title.” Dehner’s report tracks with everything else that has come out about the former Gamecock’s summer. In his first year with Cincinnati, veteran defensive coordinator Al Golden seems to like the idea of Knight starting on his unit, perhaps playing a multi-faceted role. Dehner says that, like he did at South Carolina, Knight has played in a traditional linebacker stack, as a blitzer off the edge, and “in any way [Golden] has wanted.”

Knight is a high-effort, team-first player, something that is going a long way with his new team. Dehner quoted Golden about what the latter has liked so far about his new ‘backer. “Just consistent energy,” Golden said. “I love his approach to the game. He makes everybody around him better. He’s a live wire. He just enjoys the game, and he’s got a grateful heart.”

Linebacker Logan Wilson should be entrenched at one linebacker spot for Cincinnati this year. However, Knight could line up next to him when the regular season begins this September. The Bengals will open the 2025 campaign with a September 7th road contest against the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns.

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