Duke’s offseason overhaul has put a handful of expensive newcomers under the microscope, and camp will go a long way toward showing whether those additions can carry the Blue Devils into another ACC title push.
The biggest spotlight falls on quarterback Nate Eget, who is set to replace Darian Mensah after Mensah’s last-second transfer left Duke scrambling. Eget comes in with the highest NIL valuation on the roster at $2,052,000, according to The NIL Standard, but he still has plenty to prove at the Power Conference level.
He spent his entire career at San Jose State and started for two seasons, piling up 5,555 passing yards with 30 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Duke is banking on that arm translating quickly as it opens the season Sept. 5 against Tulane.
The Blue Devils also have a major hole to fill at receiver after losing their top three wideouts from 2025: Cooper Barkate, who transferred to Miami; Que'Sean Brown, who transferred to Virginia Tech; and Sahmir Hagans, who is out of eligibility. That puts a lot on the shoulders of Ja'Kyrian Richardson, who looks like the leading candidate to become Duke’s WR1.
The 6-foot-2 receiver broke out at Penn in 2025, finishing with 80 catches for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those numbers led the Ivy League in receptions and touchdowns, while his yardage ranked second.
Richardson was also a First Team FCS Football Central All-American in 2025, and his NIL valuation sits third on the team at $877,800.
Defense has its own set of questions, especially in the secondary. Duke lost safeties Caleb Weaver and Terry Moore after the 2025 campaign.
Weaver tied for the team lead with 90 tackles last season, while Moore didn’t play in 2025 but was considered the Blue Devils’ best player in 2024 before moving on to Ohio State. Smith-Young, who arrives from North Texas, is expected to compete for a starting job right away.
In 2025, he led the Mean Green secondary with 73 tackles and added three pass deflections. His NIL valuation is $491,624.
Up front, Owen Wafle is another newcomer with a chance to make an immediate impact. The former four-star recruit spent one year at Michigan and one at Penn State, but barely saw the field at either stop.
Now he gets a fresh start at Duke, where he is likely to start on the defensive line alongside fellow former four-star Bryce Davis. Wafle’s NIL valuation is $374,818.
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Dukes quarterback picture for 2026 already feels unsettled after Darian Mensahs move to Miami, and the Blue Devils have turned to San Jose State transfer Walker Eget as the next answer. The early read on him is not exactly the kind of comfort food fans were hoping for, either, with Sports Illustrated slotting him No. 59 among Power Four starting quarterbacks and framing him as a player with some appealing traits but plenty left to prove.
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