Amariyun Knighten

Career Notes & Records Appeared in 27 career games with 13 starts ... Played in 25 games with 13 starts over three seasons at Northern Illinois (2022-24) and redshirted initial collegiate season ... Made collegiate debut at Kentucky (9/24) in 2022 ... First collegiate start came against Ball State (10/1) in 2022 ... Logged first collegiate interception at Notre Dame (9/7) in 2024 to set up the game-winning field goal for NIU. 2025 (Redshirt-Junior Season) Season: Appeared in two games. Kennesaw State (9/6): Made Indiana debut. Indiana State (9/12): Made one tackle. 2024 (Sophomore Season - Northern Illinois) Awards: Named Lott Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week after Week 2 interception versus Notre Dame (9/7) setup the game-winning field goal. Season: Started eight games before missing the final five game due to injury ... Posted first collegiate interception at Notre Dame (9/7). at Notre Dame (9/7): Logged three solo stops ... Posted first collegiate interception ... Fourth-quarter interception was returned for 33 yards to midfield and set up a game-winning field goal with just 24 seconds remaining in the game. Buffalo (9/21): Totaled one tackle ... Added one pass breakup. UMass (10/5): Posted four stops - three solo ... Had one pass breakup. at Bowling Green (10/12): Chipped in one tackle. Toledo (10/19): Logged two tackles with one pass breakup. at Ball State (10/26): Added two tackles. 2023 (Redshirt Freshman Season - Northern Illinois) Season: Appeared in all 13 games with five starts. at Boston College (9/2): Posted two tackles. at Nebraska (9/16): Had two stops. at Akron (10/7): Chipped in one tackle. Ohio (10/14): Made two tackles. Eastern Michigan (10/21): Had one stop. at Central Michigan (10/31): Posted two tackles. Ball State (11/7): Boasted five solo stops. Western Michigan (11/14): Chipped in two tackles. Arkansas State (12/23): Logged one pass breakup. 2022 (Freshman Season - Northern Illinois) Season: Appeared in four games with one start ... Redshirted initial collegiate season ... Made collegiate debut at Kentucky (9/24) ... First collegiate start came against Ball State (10/1). at Kentucky (9/24): Totaled two solo tackles in collegiate debut. Ball State (10/1): Made first collegiate start and logged 10 tackles - six solo ... Added one pass breakup. at Eastern Michigan (10/15): Logged one pass breakup. Akron (1/26): Chipped in three stops. Prep/Personal Defensive back for head coach Jevon Glenn at Deerfield Beach High School for his final prep season ... Played wide receiver and defensive back for two seasons for head coach Travis Harden at Stranahan High School ... Tabbed three-star prospect by ESPN ... Named team captain at SHS as a junior and DBHS as a senior ... Named all-state and All-Broward County as a senior ... Tabbed all-conference as a senior ... Career totals include 45 tackles, four interceptions and 19 pass breakups ... Participated in the Broward County Athletic Association North vs. South All-Star Game and Dade County vs. Broward County Postseason Game as a senior ... Son of T’ontea Lopez ... Born August 30.