2020 Outlook – Incoming Recruits

(This article was written before Ryan Smith committed. We will add a piece about him later.)

Currently, Duke has a pretty small recruiting class that totals all of 12 people. In advance of National Signing Day, let’s get to know the class a little better.

The gem of Duke Gang 2020 is, without question, Luca Diamont. We’ve discussed him before. Diamont is a three-star quarterback who can run, throw and do seemingly everything. He’s a dual-threat quarterback and at 6-2/180 has good size, though will need to pickup some weight.

Having watched his senior season highlights on Hudl, what I found particularly interesting is his ability to throw on the run. Given Duke’s difficulties on the OL this season and the coming changeover, making plays outside the pocket will be a necessity for him. Take a look at Diamont here.

The kid is impressive. He has a strong arm and the ability to throw deep. If Duke can remember how to do that next season, the Blue Devils offense may be fun again.

The next highest rated player is Graham Barton, a 6-5/300 pound offensive lineman from Tennessee. Barton joins Calib Perez, an offensive tackle from Texas as Duke’s only incoming linemen.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Blue Devils recently picked up Gary Smith. Like Barton, Smith is a Tennessean. He chose Duke over Virginia Tech and looks poised to make a big impact in the coming years. Smith also plays on the OL at times – 247 has him listed at both positions in different spots. I’m not sure where he will play at Duke. Learn more about him at Hudl.

Other top prospects include Malik Bowen (WR), Michael Reese (DT) and Dorian Mausi (OLB). Of these three, I’d expect Mausi to have the best shot at playing early. Duke’s a little thin at LB and while Mausi is a little undersized, he has a real motor, gets after the quarterback and makes good decisions. His senior highlight reel is here.

The Blue Devils have a lot other talented players coming in. There have also been some other offers of late. Specifically, Duke offered Addison Penn (OL), a BC commit. Duke is also looking at Jontavis Robertson, a WR from Georgia. The Blue Devils have found a lot of good players from Georgia over the years (the Singletons, DeVon Edwards, etc.), so let’s hope this works out, too.

Finally, Duke is making a play for Ger-Cari Caldwell, a WR from Rock Hill, SC (Rock Thrill, baby!). Caldwell is a little thin at 6-4/192, so expect him to redshirt if he comes to Duke, but his highlight reel shows how good he is at running WR screens. That ability makes him the perfect Blue Devil WR.

While the class is small, it may grow. Duke Maven has a lot of good coverage on the class and some outstanding offers. Take a look when you can.