Fall camp is almost here, and Duke enters it with plenty of buzz after defending its ACC crown. Manny Diaz’s team has a roster that mixes proven pieces with a few groups that still need answers, and that makes the position-by-position picture worth sorting out before the 2026 season gets rolling.
At the top of the list sits linebacker, and it’s easy to see why. Luke Mergott gives Duke a standout presence at WILL, while Nick Morris returns for his sixth season at MIKE with health a major part of the story.
Kendall Johnson is lined up for a bigger role and has the look of a player who could turn into a standout by the end of the year. Behind them, sophomore Bradley Gompers is waiting for his chance.
Offensive tackle comes next, boosted by a pair of quality additions and three returning players, including two starters. Nick Del Grande was clean in pass protection at Coastal Carolina last season, allowing zero sacks at left tackle, and Matt Craycraft is set to hold things together at center. Jordan Larsen is back at left guard, while Cal transfer Braden Miller and Bradley Smith round out the right side.
Tight end is another spot that looks loaded. Jeremiah Hasley enters the fall as one of the ACC’s best at the position, and he has a real chance to push into the national conversation by season’s end because of what he can do as both a receiver and blocker. Louisville transfer Nate Kurisky gives Duke a strong second option, and that duo should give offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer more reason to lean on 12 personnel.
The receiver room has a different kind of appeal. Losing Cooper Barkate might have looked like a major setback, but Duke responded by bringing in 1,000-yard Penn wideout Jared Richardson and Charlotte’s top offensive threat, Javen Nicholas. Jaivon Solomon and Jayden Moore are also expected to draw targets, and Nicholas stands out as the player with the most upside in the group.
Running back and receiver were close in the middle of the rankings, and the backfield has its own clear selling point. Nate Sheppard is viewed as one of the best running backs in college football that no one is talking about outside of the ACC, and transfer CJ Campbell should help take some of the load off him. Sheppard is expected to be the centerpiece of the offense in 2026.
Special teams gets a boost from Kade Reynoldson, who is the star of that unit and could be an All-American candidate by the end of the season. He is already one of the best punters in the country and arguably the best in the ACC. The kicking job, though, is wide open, with Cosme Salas, Ashton Zamani and Howard transfer Mika Levy all in the mix.
The defensive front is still something of a mystery. Preston Watson is the most productive player there and will be asked to handle the role Aaron Hall occupied for the past couple of seasons. There’s also room for the edge group to take a step if Bryce Davis builds on what he’s shown and Tyshon Reed follows suit.
Quarterback is the biggest unknown on the roster. Duke’s late scramble in the transfer portal ended with Walker Eget as the answer under center. He showed production and a live arm at San Jose State, but he’s still an unknown as he steps into a major Power Conference job, especially for a team coming off a conference title.
The secondary also comes with real questions. Chandler Rivers is gone, and Terry Moore’s impact will be missed even with the injury time he dealt with.
Sophomore Andrew Pellicciotta is the key name to watch after flashing in a handful of games last season and is slated to start at free safety. Kimari Robinson and Landon Callahan don’t offer much reassurance, which leaves this group firmly in wait-and-see territory.
In Other News...
ACC Coach Just Made A Serious Claim About Duke's QB Exit
Pat Narduzzis latest comments added another layer to a quarterback saga that already had plenty of intrigue for Duke. The Pitt coach said Miami first tried to lure his own quarterback, Mason Heintschel, before the portal closed, and then warned Manny Diaz that the Hurricanes were coming after Darian Mensah next. For Duke, the timing made the whole sequence hard to ignore, especially with Miami circling a player who had become central to the Blue Devils plans.
Mensah eventually moved on anyway, leaving Duke to sort through the fallout of a transfer that raised questions the program could not fully answer. Diaz has said proving tampering is difficult, so the focus shifted to the contract issue instead, with Mensah departing while under a two-year, $8 million deal. Duke also saw wide receiver Cooper Barkate head to Miami with him after helping fuel the Blue Devils ACC title run, another reminder that this was more than a one-player exit. [Read more 🡒]
Manny Diaz Just Gave Duke Fans A Huge Walker Eget Update
Walker Egets path back into Dukes quarterback mix is starting to come into focus after Manny Diaz offered a positive update at ACC Media Days. The San Jose State transfer is expected to be cleared for practice when fall camp opens in August, a welcome development for a Blue Devils offense that has been waiting to see what he can bring after his spring was wiped out.
The timing matters because Duke did not get a full look at Eget while rising quarterback Dan Mahan handled the reps in the spring. Now the competition for the starting job can finally take shape on the field, and for a team trying to sort out its quarterback picture, getting Eget back in the building is a significant first step. [Read more 🡒]
Duke May Finally Have A Young Answer To Its Pass Rush Problem
Manny Diaz is leaning hard into development on defense this season, and that gives Duke a different kind of hope up front. With only two transfers expected to start on that side of the ball, the Blue Devils are banking on recruiting and internal growth to help shape the roster, even as the offense has had to absorb losses to the portal.
A big part of that plan points to Obinna Umeh, a four-star freshman edge rusher whose arrival gives Duke a young piece with real upside. If he settles in quickly, he could work into the rotation and become part of the answer to a pass rush that needs more juice, especially as the season wears on. [Read more 🡒]