Unique Senior Bowl Interview: LB Demetrius Knight, former QB with protection expertise to play shortly

The Cleveland Browns have the most effective defensive minds within the league teaching the protection, Jim Schwartz. He loves run-stoppers. His philosophy is for the defensive entrance 4 to be the cross rusher and the linebackers are actually free to cowl operating backs and tight ends in cross protection.

This implies the protection has to have succesful backers who can accomplish all of this.

Demetrius Knight of South Carolina is a menace at linebacker. He’s ranked #30 so he ought to be out there when the Browns use the primary decide in Spherical 2.

The linebacker collected a number of accolades in 2024, together with the “Rex Enright Team Captain Award”, “Most Outstanding Senior” recognition, and “Joe Morrison MVP Defense” honors. His tutorial achievements embrace three appearances on the ACC Educational Honor Roll (2019-2021) so the intelligence is there.

He’s additionally a distant relative of Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin.

Knight is a kind of pandemic athletes and was capable of play school soccer a bit longer. He isn’t an enormous sack man which is okay with Schwartz’s system as a result of the backers don’t blitz a lot. However he’s a beast towards the run.

On the Reese’s Senior Bowl, DBN’s Barry Shuck sought out linebacker prospects and Knight was on the prime of the linebacker record to interview.

LB Demetrius Knight – South Carolina
6’-2”, 245 kilos
4.77 40 time
Projected spherical: 2

Q: You performed quarterback in highschool at Sturdy Rock Christian Faculty. Popping out of highschool you didn’t have lots of curiosity from schools. What message would you like them to know now that you’re ranked the #30 draft prospect, taking part in on the Senior Bowl, and about to be drafted into the NFL?

A: I admire the journey. It took me from being persistent to being constant and being true to your self.

Q: How tough was it to modify sides of the ball?

A: It was not the simplest transition in any respect. It was one of many hardest issues I needed to do in life. Throwing the ball and making performs, to now calling performs on the defensive facet and making tackles. Taking over offensive linemen as an alternative of being protected by offensive linemen. I wouldn’t commerce it for the world.

Q: You might be recognized to your energy and conditioning. What’s your routine within the low season?

A: My low season routine is to proceed to observe what I eat and have a daily exercise schedule. With the ability to calm down for a change and be with my spouse and my two kids who’re seven months and the opposite one is about to be two. That offers me a transparent mindset after which once I get again to it I’m able to work just a little tougher every time.

Q: What’s your weight loss plan like in the course of the season?

A: You would possibly suppose that as quickly because the season is over you’ll go fairly wild, however it’s not like that. Each in-season and low season weight loss plan is about the identical. I depend on my spouse for my diet – she has a knack for that. She does a very good job in order that I can keep my weight. It’s not simply boring stuff. She cooks hen, broccoli, Caesar salad, corn, and I’m actually hooked on the salmon she fixes. It’s great things.

Q: Clemson has dominated South Carolina in recent times. But with 12 seconds left Clemson had a second-and-10 on the 18-yard line down by three. You had an interception on this rivalry sport to seal the win. Take me again to that play.

A: Principally, it was Cowl 3. I went into the backfield fairly shortly which put us in 4 sturdy. So, we’re going to the energy of the formation now in order that if the receiver does catch it I can sort out him for a brief acquire. It was tipped, I dove and bought it proper earlier than it touched the bottom and made the play.

Q: Did that make you “Big Man on Campus” that week?

A: That it did. Any retailer in Columbia once I confirmed my face.

Q: You have been named ACC Educational Honor Roll three years in a row. With soccer and a spouse and youngsters, when did you discover time to review?

A: As quickly as I bought residence. That was at all times one thing my mother instilled in me. Do your homework first. It’s a part of the sport to be a pupil/athlete and know if I need to hold taking part in, that’s one thing that needs to be taken care of. Each my dad and mom are actually sensible.

Q: How would you describe your protection expertise?

A: I’ve good zone protection consciousness and am prepared to assist out in all phases of protection if that can hold me on the sector.

Q: You might be athletic sufficient to cowl the tight finish in house. What’s the key to overlaying a man who has the peak and measurement benefit over you?

A: Keep of their again pocket – keep close to their hip. Maintain observe of the ball because it approaches their fingers, hold my eyes on my man and let my velocity do the remainder.

Q: The Browns have the most effective defensive coaches within the league. What benefit does that give for a brand new participant making an attempt to be taught the methods of the league?

A: That will make my dream come via to come back to a staff that has an elite defensive coach. He can use me like a Swiss military knife. That will be superior.

Picture by Brian Bahr/Getty Photographs

Q: The Browns use their linebackers extra for protection and to cease the run. Are you an enormous blitzing linebacker?

A: Not normally. This yr I used to be requested to blitz extra, however usually my job is to cease the run and canopy both the operating again or the tight finish on passing downs. However this yr we have been a bit blitz-heavy and I can do each.

Editor’s word: Knight had two sacks in 2024 and 4.5 in his school profession

Q: Who have been a few of your favourite NFL gamers rising up?

A: Lavonte David of Tampa Bay who remains to be taking part in at a excessive stage. Once I was a quarterback it was Michael Vick. However since I converted, I appreciated extra linebackers.

Q: What are you hoping to indicate the NFL coaches and scouts this week?

A: A man who loves soccer. A participant with explosiveness and power to come back in and make performs. A man who’s quick and can get to the ball. A pacesetter on and off the sector, and I’m a great tackler and may hit exhausting.