Demetrius Knight Jr.

* 2023 First-Team All-AAC (Coaches)

Linebacker who transferred to South Carolina after one season at Charlotte… earned first-team all-conference honors in his lone season with the 49ers… previously spent four years at Georgia Tech… has appeared in 48 games over the past five seasons with 147 career tackles.

2023 (Redshirt Senior)
Had a break out season in his first and only year at Charlotte, earning first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors from the league’s 14 head coaches… was just the sixth 49er to earn first-team all-conference honors in program history… appeared in 12 games… led the 49ers with 96 tackles, second in the AAC in total tackles and third in tackles per game… posted 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks… intercepted a team-high three passes, including a 16-yard “Pick-Six” at Maryland… also broke up four additional passes… recorded double-digits in tackles three times with a season-high 13 at South Florida, 11 versus Memphis and 10 at Tulsa… had a pair of tackles for loss at Florida and at East Carolina… also registered a sack against the Gators.

2022 (Senior)
Played in each of the season’s first four contests for Georgia Tech… recorded nine tackles… did not play in the remainder of the season following the dismissal of head coach Geoff Collins… redshirted.

2021 (Junior)
Saw action in all 12 games as a reserve linebacker and special teams stalwart for the Yellow Jackets… recorded six tackles, including two against top-ranked Georgia… scooped up a fumble and returned it 37 yards to set up a touchdown in win over North Carolina… completed the first pass attempt of his career when he threw a 4-yard toss for a first down on a fourth-and-two fake punt attempt against Boston College.

2020 (Sophomore)
Collected 18 tackles, including one for loss, and forced a fumble in eight games… matched a season-high with four tackles three times – in the season opener at Florida State, the home opener vs. UCF and vs. Notre Dame… posted a TFL and forced fumble against UCF… also had three stops in primetime win over Louisville.

2019 (Freshman)
Appeared in all 12 games as a reserve linebacker… despite limited opportunities, still amassed 18 tackles including 10 solo stops on the season… recorded 2.0 tackles-for-loss for 14 yards, including 1.0 sacks for 11 yards and a forced fumble… also turned in a pair of pass breakups and passes defended… made his first collegiate tackle in the primetime season-opener at then-No. 1 Clemson… turned in his best performance at Duke where he recorded six tackles and a pass breakup… recorded a monumental strip sack in the endzone during the first quarter against Miami (Fla.) that was recovered for a touchdown… totaled three tackles in back-to-back games at Virginia and vs. Virginia Tech.

HIGH SCHOOL
Four-year starter at quarterback and two-time team captain at Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove, Ga… two-time first-team all-region and all-area honoree… threw for 1,025 yards and ran for 682 yards as a junior in 2017 and eclipsed the 1,000-yard marks in both passing and rushing as a senior in 2018… holds the school record with a 99-yard touchdown run… also played wide receiver and running back during his prep career for the Patriots… was named MVP of the USA Football Invitational when playing for the U.S. national team versus Canada at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas… tabbed as the No. 30-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation by 247Sports… became the first NCAA Division I football student-athlete to ever come from Strong Rock Christian… coached by Tommy Webb… versatile athlete was a four-year letterwinner in basketball and baseball as well as football… once broke a rim during a slam dunk in a basketball game.

PERSONAL
Demetrius Knight Jr. majored in literature, media and communication while attending Georgia Tech… cousin, DeAngelo Hall, who was an all-America defensive back at Virginia Tech who went on to be selected with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and become a three-time Pro Bowler during a 14-year pro football career with the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins… Is also a distant cousin of R&B legends Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin… was a three-time member of ACC Academic Honor Roll.