Mel Kiper thinks one South Carolina standout could be one of NFL Draft's best values
South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight was extremely impactful this season for an elite Gamecock defense. The veteran defender was a sideline-to-sideline menace for defensive coordinator Clayton White, and he capped off a nine-win regular season with a diving interception to seal the victory over the rival Clemson Tigers.
Recently, Knight’s name has generated some traction in the NFL Draft community. In fact, on Thursday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper spoke glowingly on “NFL on ESPN” about his professional chances, including him as one of his “Day two (rounds two and three) value picks.”
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“His production at both Charlotte and South Carolina was outstanding,” said Kiper. “Big kid, I mean solid as a rock…I look at consistent productivity over the last couple of years, and that’s what we saw [from Knight.]” Backing up Kiper’s point, Knight logged at least seven tackles in six of his final seven games at USC.
The always-animated Kiper seemed even more excited than usual to break down Knight’s game. “[His] presence was felt against the run, both attacking the line of scrimmage and sideline to sideline,” he said. “His coverage responsibilities? Handled. He’s adept at separating the football from the opponent…he delivers a jolting tackle. I love the fact that when he’s in space, he wasn’t juked, he wasn’t beaten, he wasn’t left grabbing air. When he got there and got his hands on you, you were down.”
Field Yates, another ESPN NFL Draft analyst who spoke with Kiper during the segment, said that he also likes Knight a lot. According to Yates, Knight was the one guy that both he and Kiper submitted ahead of this conversation. “This was the only player that you and I submitted…it lets people know, if both of us are thinking it, it might say something about where [Knight] is going to land.”
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Knight’s draft stock is rising. He had a good final year in college and a good Senior Bowl. He is a high-character individual. After he gets to test and interview at the NFL Combine, his stock should rise even more. He possesses one of the draft’s best combinations of size, speed, and leadership, something that makes NFL decision-makers salivate. Based on Kiper’s and Yates’ assessments, Knight could come off the board in the second or third round. PFF has graded him as high as a first-round talent, and other outlets have pushed Knight up into day two territory like Kiper and Yates.
When Knight is drafted, he will become the first full-time linebacker from the University of South Carolina selected since Ernest Jones back in 2021.
The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from Thursday, April 24th through Saturday, April 26th in Green Bay, Wisconsin. ABC, NFL Network, and the ESPN family of networks will cover the three-day event.
