Auburn QB commit Deuce Knight becomes 5-star in On3 Industry Ranking

After the latest rankings updates from the other main recruiting services (247, ESPN, and Rivals), Auburn quarterback commit Deuce Knight has earned a fifth star according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Knight is now the No. 32 overall prospect in the class of 2025, the No. 6 quarterback and No. 2 player in the state of Mississippi.

The 6-foot-4.5, 208-pound Knight flipped his commitment to the Tigers from Notre Dame after being committed to the Irish for over a year. He joined Auburn after a long-winding recruiting process that involved several game visits to Auburn and a secret Big Cat Weekend visit at the end of July.

BEHIND THE SCENES: DEUCE KNIGHT’S COMMITMENT TO AUBURN

Auburn’s class ranks No. 5 in the nation and No. 4 in the SEC, per the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, as of Wednesday, Oct. 23. 

Knight has been actively recruiting for Auburn to continue to add to its top five class. He is locked in with Auburn after the dramatic flip.

DEUCE DOMINOS: Knight’s top targets to join him at Auburn..

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Trait Breakdown

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-foot-4.5, 208 pounds

KEY TRAIT: Arm strength. Knight throws with raw mechanics and lets his arm do most of the work. Without weight behind some of his throws, they still reach the destination with zip and velocity. He can throw a deep ball off of his backfoot, which is pretty rare. He has a lot of arm to be worked with and very few limitations in that regard. It stands out on film. 

RAW ATHLETICISM: This was in consideration for Knight’s key trait. This is where everything that Knight brings to the table as a quarterback takes a big leap in terms of ceiling. He is a 4.5 40 runner, has excellent long speed, and escapes from pressure in the pocket often. 

ARM TALENT: Arm talent goes with power and ability to make throws at different angles. Knight, at this point, has one of the more intriguing arm talents in the class of 2025. He is a lefty who can beam a ball over the middle, or add touch to a deep ball. He can pretty much hit any throw on the field. We have not seen too many limitations in this regard.

THROW UNDER PRESSURE: Knight often stands in rather than trying to pull a houdini. He will back up or just stand in and make his throw. He trusts his arm talent more than his legs, which is somewhat unusual for a high school quarterback. It’s usually the other way around. Knight seems to remain calm in these situations for the most part. 

ACCURACY: When Knight is given some space, he doesn’t miss much. When he is under durress, he still hits a high percentage of his throws. As far as how it translates, I think this is one trait that is somewhat unknown. He looks good, but does it sustain. There is a question about touch and trajectory on the intermediate throws. 

RPO/READS: Knight is good at these plays, but they can look a bit messy at this point. Of course, his school does not dive into the RPO world too much, but we have seen him in multi-read situations. He seems to be fine, but not elite. 

OPERATION: Knight runs a clean operation. He protects the ball pretty well and keeps things moving on time and ahead of the chains. From what we can tell, Knight is not apt to cut-off a play early. He likes to hold out and let things develop. He took a few sacks for it, but seems to sacrifice this in order to keep thigns clean. 

PLAY-MAKING ABILITY: Knight makes most plays with his arm right now. He has not yet realized how his athleticism can make defenses pay. He prefers staying in the pocket and making the play from there. Still, he makes play after play in that style. As long as a play is made, it does not matter how it was done. Knight has so much to build on from a playmaking standpoint. 

OBSCURE TRAIT: Extending plays. Knight has the speed and athleticism, but he knows his arm is always more dangerous. When he gets out of the pocket, he is good at finding a way to extend a play and allow players to get open. He does not love leaving the pocket, but is fully capable.