# Duke Blue Devils

Atlantic Coast · Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, NC
Head coach: Manny Diaz · year 3 · 18-9 at DUKE · 39-24 career over 6 seasons
Offense: Spread · Defense: Multiple 4-2-5

## 2026 outlook

- 2025 record: 9-5 (6-2 in conference)
- National title odds: +125000 (#77 on the futures board)
- Season win total: 5.5 (over priced -144)
- Returning starter games: 37%
- Schedule difficulty: 36th-hardest of 138 FBS teams

## Returning production by unit

| Unit | Returning games | Games back | Depth back |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Skill offense | 33% | 27/83 | 3/12 |
| Offensive line | 57% | 37/65 | 8/11 |
| Defensive front | 15% | 14/96 | 13/20 |
| Secondary | 56% | 34/61 | 6/12 |

## Roster movement

- Key returning: DaShawn Stone (SAF), Matt Craycraft (OL), Jordan Larsen (OL), Nate Sheppard (RB), Bradley Smith (OL)
- Key departures (with destination): Darian Mensah (QB) – MIA, Chandler Rivers (CB), Vincent Anthony Jr. (DE), Caleb Weaver (SAF), Moussa Kane (CB) – CONN
- Key arrivals (with previous school): Walker Eget (QB) – SJSU, Javen Nicholas (WR) – CHAR, Nate Kurisky (TE) – LOU, CJ Campbell Jr. (RB) – RUTG, Braden Miller (OL) – CAL

## Depth chart

### Offense

- WR-X: Jared Richardson, Kavon Simmons, Brody Keefe
- WR-Z: Jaivon Solomon, Jamien Little, Paxon Kettering
- WR-SL: Javen Nicholas, Jayden Moore, Qeanu Johnson
- LT: Nick Del Grande, Caleb Dorris, Roman Fina
- LG: Jordan Larsen, Micah Sahakian, Reagan McCranie
- C: Matt Craycraft, Ryan Daly, Sean Stover
- RG: Bradley Smith, Gemyel Allen, Jamin Brown
- RT: Braden Miller, Cole Allen
- TE: Jeremiah Hasley, Nate Kurisky, Jake Taylor
- QB: Walker Eget, Dan Mahan, Terry Walker III
- RB: Nate Sheppard, CJ Campbell Jr., Wilhelm Daal II, CJ Givers, Jayvian Tanelus

### Defense

- LDE: Kevin O'Connor, Bryce Davis, Sampson Onuoha
- LDT: Owen Wafle, Julius Columbus
- RDT: Preston Watson, David Anderson, Bariate Kara
- RDE: Tyshon Reed, Semaj Turner, Kobe Smith
- WLB: Nick Morris Jr., Kendall Johnson
- MLB: Luke Mergott, Bradley Gompers, Elliott Schaper
- LCB: Kimari Robinson, Dylan Flowers, Evan Smith
- SS: Andrew Pellicciotta, Patrick Smith-Young
- FS: DaShawn Stone, Leon Griffin III
- RCB: Landan Callahan, Kyon Loud
- NB: Will Felder Jr., Kaleb Lanier

### Special Teams

- PT: Kade Reynoldson
- PK: Cosme Salas, Ashton Zamani, Mika Levy
- KO: Cosme Salas, Ashton Zamani, Mika Levy
- LS: Jack Yates, Jack Ronilo, Jake Fitzgerald
- H: Kade Reynoldson
- PR: Jayden Moore, Javen Nicholas
- KR: Jayden Moore, Nate Sheppard

## 2026 schedule

| Week | Opponent | Site | TV | Spread |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Tulane | Home | ACC Network | DUKE -9.5 |
| 2 | Illinois | Away | Fox Sports 1 | – |
| 3 | Stanford | Home | The CW | – |
| 4 | William & Mary Tribe (FCS) | Home | ACC Network Extra | – |
| 6 | Georgia Tech | Away | – | – |
| 7 | North Carolina | Home | – | – |
| 8 | Virginia | Away | ESPN | – |
| 9 | Boston College | Home | – | – |
| 10 | NC State | Away | – | – |
| 11 | Miami (FL) | Away | – | – |
| 12 | Clemson | Home | ESPN | – |
| 13 | Wake Forest | Away | – | – |

---

Source: SharpData OS – https://www.sharpdataos.com/cfb/teams/duke
Depth chart updated 2026-08-11. Odds shown are point-in-time snapshots.