2021 NFL Draft Prospect Summary: Anthony Knighton, DE, Southern Illinois University
Anthony Knighton
- School: Southern Illinois
- Position: DE
- HT: 6ft4
- WT: 260
- Hometown: Fort Pierce, FL
- High School: Fort Pierce Central
- Recruit Ranking
- Rivals: 2 Star class of 2016
- 247: 3 Star/ 76 overall Strongside DE in class of 2016
- ESPN: Not Found
- Knighton played basketball and was the Player of the Year at Fort Pierce Central high school for two years
2016 Season
- Redshirt season
2017 Season
- Freshman All-American by HERO Sports and Phil Steele Magazine
- Runner up for Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year
- Finished 11th in the Jerry Rice Award voting (National Freshman of the Year)
- Honorable Mention All-MVFC
- Started all 11 games
- Set SIU freshman records with 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks
- Led team in sacks with 6.5 and QB hurries with 6
2018 Season
- 2nd-Team All-MVFC
- Earned starts in all 11 games
- Led the team and finished 3rd in the MVFC with 8.5 sacks
- Led the team and finished 4th in the MVFC with 13.5 tackles for loss
- Tallied 45 tackles and added 3 pass breakups, an interception and a blocked kick
- Voted as the team’s Defensive Player of the Year
2019 Season
- Started all 12 games, extending his streak of consecutive starts to 34 games
- Registered 6.0 sacks and 10.5 TFL
- Recorded sacks in three-straight games against UMass, UT Martin and Arkansas State
- Finished the season ranked No. 3 in school history with 21.0 career sacks and No. 6 in TFL with 34.5
Summary
Knighton held offers from South Florida, Cincinnati and Kentucky as a high school standout in Fort Pierce, FL, the same hometown as another small-school pass-rush specialist Khalil Mack. Knighton has not lost any athleticism as he has added size throughout his time at SIU. Knighton is a constant source of pressure and lives in the backfield. He explodes on contact bringing QBs to the ground with a thud. Knighton is tough and durable as shown through his 3 seasons as a starter. Succesful when playing ‘up’ in competition against FBS schools as evidenced by sacks against UMass and Arkansas State. Understands how to use his hands and has developed a fairly decent arsenal of pass rush moves.
