While much of the conversation has centered on the players Duke lost through the Transfer Portal especially the late-breaking headlines surrounding star QB Darian Mensah and 1,000-yard WR Cooper Barkate bolting for Miami that narrative overlooks how effectively Manny Diaz replenished the roster. He brought in a wave of talented transfers, and when everything settled, the Blue Devils had added 19 portal players, several of whom are poised to take on critical roles for the reigning ACC champions.
With that in mind, we’re turning our attention to five specific transfer additions whose performances could end up defining Duke’s 2026 campaign.
5. DL Owen Wafle (Penn State)
The defensive line has some significant holes to fill after losing Wesley Williams and Vincent Anthony Jr., and Wafle arrived as one of the bigger portal gets on that side of the ball. The older brother of five-star USC signee Luke Wafle, he’s already spent a year at Michigan and a year at Penn State before landing in Durham, where he’ll look to make an immediate mark on Diaz’s defense. If Duke wants to take a step forward defensively and remain a legitimate ACC contender, getting Wafle to deliver on his potential would be a major step in that direction.
4. WR Jared Richardson (Penn)
Duke dipped back into the FCS ranks hoping to replicate its previous success at wide receiver—Cooper Barkate came from Harvard, turned into the team’s top target, and then followed Mensah to Miami. Now, Diaz might have found another gem in Penn’s Jared Richardson, who arrives after a 1,033-yard, 12-touchdown season with the Quakers. Alongside Charlotte transfer Javen Nicholas, Richardson is expected to head up a revamped receiver room, with a group of younger players battling behind them for the remaining snaps.
3. LT Nick Del Grande (Coastal Carolina)
Losing left tackle Brian Parker to the Bengals in the sixth round was one of the heavier personnel hits Duke took, and Diaz turned to the portal for a replacement in Del Grande. A two-time All-Sun Belt selection with 35 career starts under his belt, he brings considerable experience to Durham. He’ll pair with Cal transfer Braden Miller, who’s projected to start at right tackle, giving the Blue Devils a pair of portal bookends on an offensive line that was arguably the team’s biggest strength in 2025.
2. DB Che Ojarikre (Stanford)
No position group needed a bigger offseason upgrade than Duke’s secondary, which ranked 135th nationally in EPA against the pass last year. On top of that, Diaz had to replace Chandler Rivers, the unit’s best player and a fifth-round pick of the Ravens. Enter Ojarikre, who made six starts for Stanford and is being eyed as Rivers’ projected replacement. He could factor in at nickel or on the outside, but either way, he’ll be counted on to help turn around a struggling backfield.
1. QB Walker Eget (San Jose State)
Was there really any other choice for the top spot? Eget will still have to hold off redshirt freshman Dan Mahan in fall camp, but all indications point to him being the guy under center for the Blue Devils this season. He brings 18 career starts and a steady presence to a position that was thrown into flux by Mensah’s stunning departure. While he doesn’t offer the same ceiling as his predecessor, he doesn’t need to Eget’s job is to provide stability, manage the game effectively, and give star RB Nate Sheppard the room to thrive. If he can do that, Duke has a real chance to defy the expectations of those predicting a major falloff.
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