Name: Rhema McKnight
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 212
40 Time:
Position: WR
College: Notre Dame
Birthdate: 3/6/1984
Hometown: Inglewood, CA
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NFL Draft Scouting Report
Played at the Senior Bowl and received mixed reviews … One report said he was not very fast but had good hands, whereas another said he was explosive but with inconsistent hands … Average size … Has the ability to make spectacular catches downfield but arguably lacks toughness to make grabs over the middle … Runs good routes … Missed the last ten games of 2005 with a knee injury … Good deep threat, although his career average yards per catch was not high … Catches a lot of short passes in Notre Dame’s offense … Good leaper, with the ability to go up and get it … 15yd TD catch against Purdue, as he was wide open over the middle … Short TD catch on quick slant against Stanford … 25yd TD against Air Force, as he caught a pass on an out pattern at the ten and then broke a tackle to tightrope his way into the endzone … 24yd TD against Army on an identical play, as he span away from the DB at the 11 … 2 TD catches against Navy, one on a 33yd throw to the endzone where he outjumped the DB and the other as Brady Quinn rolled out and found him open in the back corner for a 6yd TD … Had four other catches, including one for 30yds on a quick slant from the slot with a broken tackle downfield and one where he picked up the first down with strength as he stiff armed the DB .. Six catches for 109yds against USC, including a 3yd TD on fourth down as he made the falling grab on a gunned quick slant to the endzone … Also had a leaping 41yd grab and showed the ability to take a hit … Got most of his catches against a prevent defense … Almost made a diving grab in the endzone … Had a bad drop on 4th and 4 … ESPN rated him as a mid-day two pick after Senior Bowl week … Scouts have expressed concern about his wrist and knee
College career
Fifth Year
Fifth-year player who ranks among the most prolific pass-catchers in Notre Dame history … approved for extra season of eligibility by Faculty Board on Athletics since his 2005 injury came within first 20 percent of season … has fully recovered from a knee injury that prematurely ended his 2005 campaign … enters his final season with the Irish among the all-time school leaders in career receptions (ninth with 103), career receiving yards (11th with 1,370) and career TD receptions (11th with seven) … led the Irish in receptions in 2003 and 2004 … has exceeded 100 yards receiving three times in his career (121 at Boston College, 2003; 113 vs. Purdue, 2004; 104 vs. Michigan State, 2003).
Senior Year
Played in the first two games (at Pittsburgh and at Michigan) at receiver before missing the remainder of the season due to an injury suffered versus Michigan … made five catches for 69 yards (13.8-yard average) and one TD … caught three passes for 51 yards versus Pittsburgh, including a season-best 27-yard catch … snared two passes for 18 yards against Michigan, including a five-yard scoring reception on Notre Dame’s first drive … logged 28:12 of playing time with one special teams appearance.
Junior Year
Quickly asserted himself as a go-to receiver in his first year as a starter … played in all 12 games, earning eight starting assignments … led the Irish with 47 catches for 600 yards (12.8 avg.) and three TDs … also was a part-time punt returner, taking back five for 71 yards (14.2 avg.) … made five catches for 33 yards and his first career TD versus Washington State, an 11-yard score … made his first start versus Michigan and had one reception for 11 yards … hauled in a career-best eight receptions for 104 yards versus Michigan State, including a 29-yard TD from Brady Quinn … made four receptions for 32 yards against Purdue … returned two punts against Pittsburgh, including a career-long return of 22 yards … made three receptions for 46 yards versus USC … set a career high for receiving yards with 121 against Boston College on four receptions (30.3 avg.), including a 38-yard catch versus the Eagles … caught three passes for 23 yards versus Florida State … led team in catches versus Navy with four for 50 yards, including a two-yard TD … was Notre Dame’s leading receiver versus Brigham Young, matching a career high with eight receptions for 98 yards … tied for the team lead in receiving against Stanford with two catches for 35 yards, also returning three punts for 42 yards … led the Irish with four receptions for 41 yards against Syracuse … played 205:05 and made 20 special teams appearances.
Sophmore Year
Made an immediate impact as a reserve wide receiver … played in 12 games and finished the season with nine receptions for 91 yards … made two catches for nine yards against Maryland in his first game action … pulled in two receptions for 37 yards versus Boston College, including a 21-yarder to convert on third down and keep the team’s only scoring drive alive … tied his season-long mark with a 21-yard reception against Rutgers … made his first punt return versus Rutgers, a nine-yard runback … had two catches for 20 yards versus Southern California … logged 75:49 and made four special teams appearances.
Freshman Year
Graduated from Kennedy High School in La Palma, Calif. … rated the top player on the Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West team … also rated the 28th player nationally by CNNSI.com and Student Sports magazine … listed 41st on The Sporting News Hot 101 list … named to the Las Vegas Sun Super 11 squad … caught 20 passes for 395 yards and four TDs as a senior in 2001 … rushed for 1,483 yards and 21 TDs as a senior and completed 50 percent of his passes for 451 yards and two TDs at quarterback in 2001 … caught 62 passes for 1,142 yards and 15 TDs as a junior in 2000 while leading Kennedy to the California Interscholastic Federation South Section Division VI semifinals … started at wide receiver and free safety as a junior and returned four punts for TDs in the first five games … did not play organized football until becoming a starter as a high school sophomore … full name is Rhema Lee McKnight … born on March 6, 1984 … a graduate of Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters with degrees in psychology and computer applications … currently enrolled in graduate studies … earned 3.417 grade-point average in `05 fall semester.
High school career
Graduated from Kennedy High School in La Palma, Calif. ... rated the top player on the Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West team ... also rated the 28th player nationally by CNNSI.com and Student Sports magazine ... listed 41st on The Sporting News Hot 101 list ... named to the Las Vegas Sun Super 11 squad ... caught 20 passes for 395 yards and four TDs as a senior in 2001 ... rushed for 1,483 yards and 21 TDs as a senior and completed 50 percent of his passes for 451 yards and two TDs at quarterback in 2001 ... caught 62 passes for 1,142 yards and 15 TDs as a junior in 2000 while leading Kennedy to the California Interscholastic Federation South Section Division VI semifinals ... started at wide receiver and free safety as a junior and returned four punts for TDs in the first five games ... did not play organized football until becoming a starter as a high school sophomore ... full name is Rhema Lee McKnight ... born on March 6, 1984 ... a graduate of Notre Dame's College of Arts and Letters with degrees in psychology and computer applications ... currently enrolled in graduate studies ... earned 3.417 grade-point average in `05 fall semester.
Background
He went surprisingly undrafted, but has now met with the Saints and they are working on a contract.
Pro Career
McKnight went undrafted in the 2007 NFL draft, then signed a few days later as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints.