| No. 96 Jacksonville Jaguars | |
| Defensive tackle | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: July 4, 1986 | |
| Place of birth: Hartford, Connecticut | |
| Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Weight: 336 lb (152 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: Temple | |
| NFL Draft: 2009 / Round: 3 / Pick: 72 | |
| Debuted in 2009 for the Jacksonville Jaguars | |
| Career history | |
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| Roster status: Active | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 16, 2011 | |
| Tackles | 106 |
| Sacks | 5.5 |
| Forced fumbles | 1 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Terrance Knighton (born July 4, 1986) is an American football defensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jaguars in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Temple. Knighton is nicknamed "Pot Roast" by his teammates and the media.[1]
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Knighton attended Windsor High School in Connecticut, where he played both tight end and defensive line. He earned All-State honors from the coaches association and Hartford Courant All-Area accolades in 2003. He was also a basketball varsity member, earning All-CCC West League honors.
In 2004 he attended Milford Academy in New Berlin, New York, where he again played on both sides of the ball. He made 70 tackles and six sacks in 2004.
Considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Knighton was not ranked among the best defensive line prospects in the nation.[2] He chose Temple University after being denied admission to UCF, the only two scholarship offers he received.[3]
As a true freshman at Temple, Knighton played in 10 games as a reserve before earning a start in the season finale at Navy. For the year, he registered 17 tackles (10 solo), 3.5 TFLs and one forced fumble.
Knighton became a regular starter as a sophomore, and made 57 tackles (32 solo), 6.5 TFLs, three sacks, two FFs, two QBHs and four PBUs over the season. As a junior, he finished the season with 8.5 TFL and a team-best three fumble recoveries.
A team captain as a senior in 2008, Knighton finished the season with 54 tackles, including 35 solos, five break-ups, a team-best three fumble recoveries, a hurry, and blocked kick, and a sack. He became Temple's first First Team All-MAC honoree.
Despite an up-and-down career, Knighton's draft stock had risen quickly after strong workouts. He was selected in the third round (72nd overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars, which was considered a "gamble" or a "reach" by most commentators.[4][5] Sports Illustrated's Tony Pauline described Knighton as "an athletic defensive tackle who struggles with weight issue", and who "has too much downside for a mid-third-round choice".[6]
| Ht | Wt | 40-yd dash | 10-yd split | 20-yd split | 20-ss | 3-cone | Vert | Broad | BP | Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3⅛ in | 321 lb | 5.22 s | 1.76 s | 2.93 s | 4.78 s | 7.91 s | 28 in | 8 ft 7 in | X | X | |||||||||
| All values from NFL Combine[4] | |||||||||||||||||||
Knighton was signed by the Jaguars to a four-year contract on July 31, 2009. His contract, which includes veteran minimum salaries, plus a fourth-year escalator to $1.3 million, could reach nearly $3.32 million. He also received a signing bonus of $843,500.[7] Knighton was arguably the best rookie defensive tackle in the 2009 draft class. At the end of the 2009 season, Coach Jack Del Rio said, "Terrance Knighton is going to be a real good player. It wasn't an accident before the game that he was made a team captain for the game. I'm counting on him to lead the way." [8]
Knighton earned the nickname Pot Roast when Jaguars linebacker Clint Ingram overheard Knighton’s meal order on a road trip.[1]
Knighton also has a passion for community service. In 2009 he visited the NFL-YET center in Jacksonville with teammates Cecil Newton and Julius Williams to sign autographs and provide Thanksgiving dinner for 30 families.[12]
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