Bengals confirm their intentions with Germaine Pratt by drafting Demetrius Knight Jr. in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft

Demetrius Knight Jr. signals the end of Germaine Pratt's time in Cincinnati

Hidden in the background of the Bengals' offseason has been their situation in the middle of their defense. Germaine Pratt, the team's third-round pick back in 2019, requested a trade back in February, a sign that he wasn't in the team's plans going forward. 

Pratt's request never led to a trade during the heart of free agency. The club did sign Oren Burks to a two-year deal, but the door remained open for another to come into the picture as a true Pratt replacement. 

Knight now walks through that door, ready to take Pratt's roster spot.

The Bengals can still trade Pratt during the remaining rounds of the draft for a late-round pick, which may be their best course of action now that Knight is coming to take his job. 

If Pratt doesn't get dealt, you can almost guarantee he'll be released in due time.

Defensive coordinator Al Golden targeted Knight from the jump

Much like last year when former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo waited on pins and needles to snag Kris Jenkins Jr., Knight was the player Al Golden, the man who replaced Anarumo, was eyeing since the start of the second round. 

"I was waiting for this pick for 17 picks right now," Golden said after the pick. "I was waiting for Demetrius. We are very fortunate to have him." 

Interestingly enough, Knight was widely considered a third-round prospect by the consensus. His expected draft position was 83rd overall according to the A to Z Sports Mock Draft Database, but the Bengals didn't wait around to see if he fell to their next pick at 81st overall.  

Golden, Cincinnati's linebackers coach from 2020-21, has all the Bengals' trust specifically for this position. If Knight was the guy Golden wanted, they were going to let him secure his target. 

Demetrius Knight Jr. Scouting Report

Age: 25 (1/4/2000)

A to Z Sports Draft Projection: No. 83 overall, Round 3

Scouting Report: Demetrius Knight traveled around, going from Georgia Tech to Charlotte, before spending his final season at South Carolina. He's a good athlete who is quick to sort through run concepts and fly up towards the line of scrimmage to make a play on the ball carrier. He doesn't have a particularly high ceiling in coverage, but he could be utilized on third downs as a QB spy and blitz specialist if need be. Knight is already 25 years old, which limits his upside to some degree, but he should be a solid contributor right away. - AJ Schulte, A to Z Sports

Career Projection: Eventual Average Starter

Final Word

Knight is one of the oldest players in this entire draft as he turned 25 back in January, but with that comes ample playing experience and the ability to play right away as a rookie. That will come in handy when he'll be tasked to play alongside Logan Wilson and Burks from Day 1. 

This pick will be viewed as a reach, and time will tell if that remains the case, but the Bengals desperately needed a linebacker if they were to move on from Pratt and they got one who can fill run fits and drop back in zone coverage. 

They got Golden his guy, and that's what they'll hang their hats on.