Knight delivered stout, downhill run fits at the goal line, but undisciplined coverage drops and vulnerability to play-action kept his overall performance at a replacement level.
Knight earned a 62.2 overall grade largely due to a stark split between his sturdy run defense (70) and shaky coverage (55). He made impactful stops in the ground game, highlighted by an instantaneous downhill trigger to stone Lew Nichols III for no gain (Q4 04:35). However, his coverage was repeatedly exploited when he bit on play fakes, vacating his zone on a DK Metcalf touchdown (Q3 02:48) and giving up a 47-yard leak to Darnell Washington (Q4 06:16). Combined with perimeter run fits where he was pinned inside by climbing blockers (Q2 10:16), his coverage lapses kept him near the replacement baseline.
Strengths
Downhill gap penetration
Short-yardage run stopping
Perimeter tackle pursuit
Weaknesses
Biting on play-action
Hook/curl zone awareness
Shedding second-level climb blocks
Plays that moved the grade
+1.5Q4 04:35, 1st & 6Diagnosed the play immediately and charged through the A-gap to tackle Lew Nichols III for no gain.
-1Q4 06:16, 1st & 10Bit on backfield action and lost track of Darnell Washington slipping into the flat for a 47-yard reception.
-0.5Q3 02:48, 3rd & 2Bit forward on a run fake, vacating the second-level passing lane for a six-yard DK Metcalf touchdown.
Every graded snap · 26 wins or losses, 31 routine
-0.5Q1 14:55 · 1 & 10 · CoverageDrops into the middle hook zone and fails to widen with Warren's cross-formation release.
+0.5Q1 05:42 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseReads the release quickly, shows good sideline pursuit, and wraps up Metcalf to end the play after an 11-yard gain.
-0.5Q1 04:12 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseFlowed laterally with the stretch but was effectively pinned inside by guard McCormick's climb, conceding the edge.
-0.5Q1 03:36 · 2 & 10 · CoverageGets drawn slightly deep by the vertical route, opening up a throwing lane underneath to the crosser.
+0.5Q1 02:55 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseFills downhill aggressively to meet Warren for the primary stop after a 4-yard gain, but unfortunately sustains a lower-body injury in the pile.
-0.5Q2 10:16 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseFlows to the sideline but gets pinned inside by fullback Riley Nowakowski, opening the alley for Warren.
-0.5Q2 09:25 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseScrapes laterally but gets pinned slightly inside by climbing linemen, unable to beat Warren to the corner.
-0.5Q2 04:30 · 1 & 10 · CoverageBites forward aggressively on the run fake to the right, vacating his zone and leaving the flat open.
+0.5Q2 03:05 · 3 & 1 · Run defenseTriggers downhill instantly at the snap, flying over the top of the pile to make contact on Freiermuth at the marker.
-0.5Q2 02:23 · 1 & 10 · CoverageDrops into hook zone but is slow to read Freiermuth expanding to the flat, allowing a clean window and uncontested completion.
+0.5Q2 02:00 · 1 & 10 · CoverageReads Rodgers' eyes, drops to the correct depth, and breaks aggressively forward to contest Pittman's catch point.
+0.5Q2 01:46 · 2 & 10 · CoverageDropped smoothly to his hook zone, cluttering the throwing window across the middle.
+0.5Q3 08:17 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseRallied quickly across the field from his linebacker spot to push Warren out of bounds.
+0.5Q3 05:52 · 2 & 1 · CoverageBites slightly on play-action but recovers quickly to congest Warren's catch window.
-0.5Q3 04:59 · 1 & 10 · CoverageDrops into the middle hook zone but gets caught slightly shallow, leaving the window open behind him for Bernard.
+0.5Q3 04:15 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseScrapes aggressively over the top laterally to pursue the ball carrier to the perimeter.
-0.5Q3 02:48 · 3 & 2 · CoverageBites forward on the run fake to Warren, vacating the second-level window right into Metcalf's slant trajectory.
+0.5Q4 13:23 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseFlows downhill quickly into the A-gap and meets Warren to help secure the tackle after a 4-yard gain.
+1Q4 12:44 · 2 & 6 · Run defenseFlows cleanly to the off-tackle alley, attacks the lead block, and wraps up Warren for the tackle after a 5-yard gain.
+0.5Q4 12:00 · 3 & 1 · Run defenseFills downhill rapidly into the right side gap and makes first contact on Warren to stop further yardage.
+0.5Q4 10:13 · 2 & 8 · Run defenseDiagnoses the run quickly, scrapes through traffic to assist on the tackle.
-1Q4 07:39 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseLate to read and scrape to the frontside C-gap, getting trapped in interior traffic as Warren hits the second level.
-1Q4 06:16 · 1 & 10 · CoverageBites on the backfield action and loses sight of the tight end slipping across the formation, leaving the flat unprotected.
-0.5Q4 05:23 · 1 & 10 · Run defenseFlows toward the play but gets walled off by Zach Frazier climbing to the second level.
+1.5Q4 04:35 · 1 & 6 · Run defenseDiagnoses the run instantaneously, attacks downhill through the A-gap, and wraps up Lew Nichols III for no gain at the line of scrimmage.
+0.5Q4 03:52 · 2 & 6 · CoverageTakes on Fautanu's block and flows quickly to squeeze the flat route by Washington.