Jon Scheyer has Duke in position to chase another monster recruiting haul, and the early shape of the 2027 class already points toward a real run at the top of the rankings.
Right now, the Blue Devils have one commitment in the cycle: 5-star wing/forward Kager Knueppel, the younger brother of former Duke star Kon Knueppel. Beyond that, Scheyer’s board has started to come into focus, and the mix of recent offers and reclassification movement shows Duke is aiming big again.
That matters because Scheyer just signed four 5-star recruits in 2026 - Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr., Bryson Howard, and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje - and now has a chance to match that kind of firepower, or even surpass it, in 2027. If the dream scenario comes together, Duke would be back atop the composite recruiting rankings for the third time in four years.
The biggest name to know is Beckham Black.
Scheyer has offered two guards in this class, Black and Adan Diggs, but Black has clearly emerged as the priority. The 5-star guard out of Orlando will have plenty of competition, with Arkansas, USC, Texas, and others expected to fight hard for him. Scheyer got a close look at Black on the Nike EYBL circuit, and the Blue Devils have pushed harder in his recruitment since then.
A fall visit to Duke has not been set yet, but it feels like only a matter of time. If Black gets on campus, that could be a major step toward Durham.
AJ Williams is another huge piece.
He was one of only two players - along with Colton Hiller - to earn a Duke offer while still in the 2028 class. Since then, Williams has reclassified into 2027 and remains one of the best players available. Duke has long been viewed as the favorite, though that picture may have shifted a bit with the reclassification.
The Blue Devils have already shown they are preparing for that possibility, recently offering 5-star DeMarcus Henry, who plays the same position as Williams, as a possible fallback if Williams starts moving away from Duke. Even so, Williams is still a major priority for Scheyer and company.
Asa Montgomery is the newer name in the mix, but he fits the kind of profile Duke loves.
The Blue Devils came in late, offering the Georgia native last week, yet Montgomery looks like the sort of player who can mesh well alongside Boumtje Boumtje. He brings the energy and effort Scheyer consistently values, and his stock has climbed enough that he may be more than the 3-and-D label that followed him for much of the process. That remains his floor, but it still leaves him as one of the most sought-after prospects in the country.
Then there’s Lewis Uvwo, the center Duke appears to be sitting in the best position with.
Insiders believe the Blue Devils hold a significant lead for the 5-star big man, helped in part by his connection to former Duke center Khaman Maluach. That connection may help explain why Uvwo is the only true center Duke has offered so far.
He also looks like the ideal long-term answer if Patrick Ngongba goes to the draft after his junior season in Durham, which is the expectation. If Duke lands Uvwo, it would give Scheyer exactly the kind of anchor he wants in the middle of the class.
In Other News...
Jon Scheyer Just Raised The Stakes In Dukes UNC Recruiting Battle
Duke has stepped further into the 2027 recruiting picture by extending an offer to 5-star small forward DeMarcus Henry, a name that has already been on North Carolinas radar as one of its top targets in the class. For Jon Scheyer and his staff, it is another reminder of how aggressively Duke has positioned itself in the early stages of this cycle, with the Blue Devils already working through a class that includes commitments and offers across several priority levels.
The timing matters because Henry had already narrowed his focus before Duke jumped in, and the new offer could force a fresh look at where things stand. In a rivalry that rarely needs extra fuel, Scheyers recruiting reputation gives Duke real pull, and this is the kind of move that can shift the conversation quickly when both sides are chasing the same elite talent. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Transfers Face Early Pressure In Manny Diazs Crowded Secondary
Duke spent the offseason patching holes with transfers, and the secondary is one of the clearest places where the Blue Devils are banking on new faces to help settle things down for 2026. Che Ojarikre and Dylan Flowers are among the additions, arriving with the kind of expectations that usually come with roster churn, but neither is being handed a clean path into the rotation. Instead, they are stepping into a group that already has bodies, options and plenty of unresolved competition.
Manny Diaz has made it clear the job market back there is wide open, with no spots in the secondary guaranteed to anyone. That makes the spring and summer especially important for Ojarikre, Flowers and the rest of the group, because playing time will have to be earned in a room where depth can quickly turn into a logjam. For Duke, the upside is obvious if the transfers hit. The challenge is figuring out who separates before the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Wrestling Just Showed Where This Roster Needs To Improve
Duke wrestling is already looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, and head coach Glen Lanham made it clear the Blue Devils are trying to fortify the roster before it gets there. The program announced the signing of six incoming freshmen, a group that includes Hunter Berger, Colby Vital, Austin Laws, Charlie Lussier, Brendan Kelly and Jack Dragoumanos, with Lanham pointing to their competitive experience as a key reason they fit what Duke is trying to build.
For a program that wants more stability and scoring options throughout the lineup, the emphasis on depth in the lower weight classes stands out. That kind of recruiting haul does not solve everything overnight, but it does show where Duke believes the roster needs the most help, and it gives the Blue Devils a clearer picture of how they want to shape the next wave of talent. [Read more 🡒]