At UTEP, Tyrice Knight was a consistent performer on a team that struggled to find consistent performances. For that reason, the linebacker may not be at the front of everyone's minds heading into April's NFL Draft.
Nevertheless, there's never a shortage of NFL teams who could use a linebacker with good size and strong tackling form. Here's what else to know about the former JUCO standout as he formally completes his college football career.
Background
Measurements: 6’2”– 235 pounds
Although not a well-known name, UTEP linebacker Tyrice Knight has been among the most productive linebackers in college football over the last three seasons. The Lakeland, Florida native has been tackling machine going back to his prep days, where he recorded over 100 tackles in his junior and senior seasons. After being lightly-recruited, holding offers from Samford, South Florida and Bowling Green State, Knight chose to attend Independence CC, best known from being showcased on the Netflix show “Last Chance U” before landing with UTEP in 2020.
He quickly earned a starting role and has been a fixture in the Miners' defense, recording 54 tackles during the team’s COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, followed by seasons of 102, 95 and 140 tackles.
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The Strengths
What stands out about Knight is a linebacker with a pro-ready frame at 235 pounds and standing 6-feet-2-inches. Additionally, Knight isn’t a prospect who grew into the body at the collegiate level, having played at north of 210 pounds since his high school days. When assessing linebackers at the Group of Five level and below, it’s notable that Knight’s tackling output isn’t a byproduct of plays coming at him in the second level of the defense, as he’s recorded 33 tackles for loss and eight sacks during his four seasons at the FBS level.
What will be worth watching are Knight’s testing numbers. He showed more than adequate speed and athleticism against Conference USA offenses and it should be noted that Knight played in various incarnations of the league, which has featured both top teams in CUSA and the current incarnation of the Sun Belt.
What's Next
Knight earned an invitation to the scouting combine in Indianapolis and this week’s drills will serve as an opportunity for him to solidify his standing. Should he have an impressive outing, there’s solid reasoning to believe that Knight will secure himself as a Day 3 selection.
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