Bengals Ink 2nd-Round Pick Demetrius Knight Jr. to Historic Rookie Deal
The Cincinnati Bengals have officially locked in one of their key 2025 draft selections, signing linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. to a four-year rookie contract. Knight, a second-round pick (49th overall) out of the University of South Carolina, joins the Bengals on a deal worth $9 million, with nearly 80% of the contract fully guaranteed — a record level of security for a player drafted at that position.
According to sources, the deal also includes guaranteed money into the fourth year, making it one of the most player-friendly contracts for a mid-second rounder in recent NFL history.
Knight (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) brings a unique journey to the Bengals roster. He began his college career at Georgia Tech, where he spent four seasons from 2019 to 2022 before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2023. He then made his final stop at South Carolina in 2024, where he had a breakout season for the Gamecocks.
During his lone year in Columbia, Knight started 10 of 13 games, finishing the season with an impressive stat line: 82 total tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 forced fumbles. His versatile skill set and sideline-to-sideline speed quickly made him a standout on South Carolina’s defense and a high-priority prospect for NFL scouts.
With Bengals rookies officially reporting to training camp today, Knight is now under contract and ready to hit the field.
“I’m just grateful for the opportunity,” Knight said after the signing. “This journey has had a lot of stops, but each one prepared me for this moment. I’m ready to get to work and help this team however I can.”
Bengals coaches have praised Knight’s motor, leadership, and resilience — traits that align with Cincinnati’s ongoing focus on building a fast, physical, and intelligent defense. His versatility as both a pass-rusher and coverage linebacker makes him a strong candidate to contribute early on special teams and rotational defensive packages.
Knight now becomes a central figure in a promising rookie class that Cincinnati hopes will fuel another playoff run. As training camp gets underway, all eyes will be on how quickly he can adapt to the NFL level and carve out a role on what’s shaping up to be a competitive Bengals defense.
