Bengals Draft South Carolina Linebacker in Second Round

New Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden got another new toy to play with in the second round of the NFL Draft Friday night.

The Bengals drafted Demetrius Knight, Jr., a linebacker from the University of South Carolina with the 49th selection overall. 

This comes a day after the Bengals drafted edge rusher Shemar Stewart with their first-round pick Thursday night.

Demetrius Knight Jr. is a traditional inside linebacker who diagnoses plays with the best of them. He played one season with the Gamecocks after two other stops. He reacts quickly to the football and is a powerful tackling machine.

Knight joined the Gamecocks after four seasons with Georgia Tech and one with Charlotte. He appeared in 13 games for South Carolina, making 10 starts, and finished second on the team in tackles with 82.

Knight has great instincts against the run. He's quick to read his keys and diagnose the play. He recognizes when he can shoot gaps and is good at mirror running backs on zone runs. 

Knight moves through piles to find the ball carrier to make tackles. He is good at going through the dumpsters surrounding the football.

Knight has good arm length and upper body strength to get extension. He wins most battles with offensive linemen. 

However, he is not very fluid and has limited lateral movement skills that impact his ability to cover tight ends and running backs in man coverage. 

He has poor eye discipline in zone coverage. Knight often gets beaten by quarterbacks and caught out of position.