HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 233 lbs
HAND: 9¼"
ARM: 32½"
WINGSPAN: 80⅜"
40-YARD DASH: 4.63
3-CONE: 7.25
SHUTTLE: 4.40
VERTICAL: 34.5"
BROAD: 9'11"
POSITIVES
— Good instincts against the run to consistently put himself in a position to make tackles on the play side.
— Shows a solid shoulder-dip move to slip blocks.
— Takes efficient angles and has good speed against outside runs for good sideline-to-sideline range.
— Good eye discipline in zone coverage. Anticipates routes well to put himself in a position to cover threats coming into his area.
— Good at reading the quarterback's eyes and has the hand-eye coordination to get pass breakups.
NEGATIVES
— Lean frame with skinny legs. Needs to add some sand in his pants to help hold his ground when taking on blocks against offensive linemen.
— Not very physical and has bad pad level at the point of attack, leading to him getting stuck on blocks.
— Doesn't sink his hips and break down when tackling in space, making him susceptible to getting juked out by shifter ball-carriers.
— Has subpar lateral movement skills, which can be an issue in man coverage against running backs.
2023 STATISTICS
— 12 G, 140 TOT, 15.5 TFL, 4.5 SK, 7 PD, 2 FR, 1 FF
NOTES
— 3-star JUCO recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports
— Independence Community College transfer
— No major injuries
OVERALL
The first thing that stands out about Tyrice Knight is his high football IQ. Pre-snap, he takes command of the defense by making calls and getting the rest of the defense set. Post-snap, he's quick to key and diagnose run plays, trusts what he sees and is consistently around the ball.
Against zone runs, Knight knows when to trigger downhill to help get unblocked tackles near the line of scrimmage. While his open-field tackling needs some work, he's effective in the box with good pad level and wraps up to make sure tackles.
In zone coverage, the former Miner's instincts show up as well. He's good at locating threats coming into his area and anticipating throws to help get pass breakups.
Knight's biggest issue is that he struggles to take on blocks. He put up 21 reps on the bench press at the NFL combine, which was tied for the most among linebackers, but that hasn't translated to functional or play strength on the field. He needs to add some extra size and strength, especially in his lower half, to help avoid getting pushed out of the gap and stuck on blocks.
Overall, the UTEP product is an intriguing Day 3 prospect with the potential to develop into a quality starter with some time in the weight room. Right now, he'd be best as a "Will" linebacker in even fronts.
GRADE: 6.3 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)
OVERALL RANK: 136
POSITION RANK: LB7
PRO COMPARISON: Elandon Roberts
Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder
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