NFL Draft: Seattle Seahawks Select UTEP LB Tyrice Knight In Round 4

G5 Football Daily Staff | Apr 27, 2024

Jan 31, 2024; Mobile, AL, USA; American linebacker Tyrice Knight of UTEP (40) runs through a passing / Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

UTEP linebacker Tyrice Knight was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round (No. 118 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot, 233-pound Knight becomes the first Miner drafted since 2018, when the New York Giants took guard Will Hernandez in the second round (No. 34 overall).

RELATED: NFL Draft: Seattle Seahawks Select UConn OL Christian Haynes in Round 3

Knight arrived in El Paso after spending two seasons at Independence CC (Independence, Kan.), before landing with UTEP in 2020.

He quickly earned a starting role and has been a fixture in the Miners defense, recording 54 tackles during the team’s COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, followed by seasons of 102, 95 and 140 tackles.

Knight also was a major presence behind the line of scrimmage where he had 32 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks during his Miner career.

Over his four seasons in Conference USA, he led the league in total tackles.

Knight was chosen as a Conference USA Honorable Mention selection in 2021, before earning all-conference second-team in 2022 and first-team honors this past season.

Knight earned an invitation to the scouting combine in Indianapolis and had a solid outing, running a 4.63 40-yard-dash while performing 21 reps on the bench press and a 34.5-inch vertical jump.