The Duke Blue Devils may have taken a hit this offseason, but they just made a move that could pay off in a big way down the road.
Following the unexpected departure of quarterback Darian Mensah - a late exit that left more than a few jaws on the floor - Duke’s outlook for the 2026 season has understandably shifted. After all, Mensah was a key piece of a team that went 9-5 and captured the ACC championship in 2025.
Losing your starting quarterback just before the next chapter begins? That’s no small blow.
But head coach Manny Diaz and his staff aren’t sitting around licking their wounds. In fact, they just landed a commitment that could be a foundational piece for the future - and a statement that Duke football isn’t going anywhere.
Enter King Kalama.
The 6-foot-2, 265-pound defensive end from Reagan High School in North Carolina announced his commitment to Duke via social media, giving the Blue Devils their first pledge in the 2027 recruiting class. And while he’s currently rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 35 edge rusher in his class (per 247 Sports’ composite rankings), the tape - and the numbers - tell a much bigger story.
Kalama was a force during his junior season, piling up 88 total tackles, a staggering 29.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and even a fumble recovery that he took to the house. That kind of production doesn’t just show up in the box score - it jumps off the film. He’s got the motor, the instincts, and the physicality to be a real problem off the edge.
And it’s not like Duke was the only one knocking on his door. Kalama had offers from 11 programs, including Kentucky, Louisville, Vanderbilt, and in-state rival North Carolina. But in the end, it was the Blue Devils’ coaching staff that made the strongest impression.
“The coaching staff believed in me early and recruited me hard,” Kalama said. “I didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere else like I did at Duke.”
That kind of connection matters - especially for a program still building its identity under Diaz. Kalama becomes the first name in Duke’s 2027 class, and while there’s a long way to go before that group takes shape, the Blue Devils are clearly looking to raise the bar after a relatively modest 2026 haul.
So far, Duke has secured 14 commitments for the 2026 class, including a pair of four-star talents in edge rusher Obinna Umeh and offensive lineman Sean Stover. But the class currently ranks just 69th nationally, according to 247 Sports, underscoring just how competitive the recruiting landscape has become.
Still, Duke continues to show signs of life - and growth - as a football program. The ACC title in 2025 was a breakthrough.
Now, the next step is sustainability. That means stacking classes, developing talent, and finding guys like Kalama who not only produce but buy into the vision.
He may not be suiting up in Durham for another year or two, but Kalama’s commitment is a reminder: Duke football is building something - and they’re not slowing down.