Contrary to the narrative pushed by certain media members throughout the offseason, Duke football remains a highly formidable team, even in the absence of Darian Mensah.
Now entering his third season directing the Blue Devils, Manny Diaz oversees a program that may not be positioned to claim another ACC crown, but the talk of their complete collapse is wildly overblown.
With Nate Sheppard anchoring the ground attack as an elite running back and a seasoned offensive line paving the way, Duke will present serious problems for opponents in 2026. The product on the field will have a different feel than last year, but no one on the schedule should expect an easy victory against them.
As the season draws nearer, Diaz still has several critical personnel decisions to settle during fall camp.
Three pivotal position competitions for Manny Diaz and Duke heading into fall camp:
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Third wide receiver
The Blue Devils brought in a pair of impact transfers who should contribute immediately at receiver. Penn’s Jared Richardson and Charlotte’s Javen Nicholas arrived via the portal and look fully capable of offsetting the production Duke lost.
The race for the third starting receiver role is where things get interesting. Returnees Jaivon Solomon, Jamien Little, and Jayden Moore are all vying for significant snaps, but freshman Brody Keefe—who turned heads during spring practices—could be the dark horse for that spot.
Solomon and Little are likely to open the season as the WR3, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see Keefe claim that role at some point during the campaign.
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Defensive backfield
This group is nearly impossible to pin down, as Diaz recently made it clear that every job in the secondary is wide open heading into fall camp.
“There are no jobs claimed in the secondary, so everybody understands that every time there’s a ball thrown, someone has a chance to earn playing time this year,” Diaz told reporters following Wednesday’s practice.
Improving the pass defense stands as the single biggest priority for Diaz and his staff in 2026. Portal additions like Che Ojarikre (Stanford), Dylan Flowers (Western Kentucky), Evan Smith (Northwestern), and Patrick Smith-Young (Western Kentucky) join experienced holdovers Kimari Robinson, Landan Callahan, and DaShawn Stone in the mix.
Despite returning three starters from last season’s secondary, Duke’s struggles in that area were so pronounced that Diaz is absolutely justified in holding open auditions for all spots during fall camp.
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Quarterback
Even though Duke’s offensive identity will center on Sheppard and the running game, securing competent play under center remains absolutely essential.
Diaz had limited portal options following Mensah’s late exit, but he secured graduate transfer Walker Eget from San Jose State. Though many observers have already installed Eget as the presumed starter, Diaz has consistently emphasized that sophomore Dan Mahan remains very much in the conversation.
Mahan benefits from his familiarity with the system and made the most of spring practices, where he took all the first-team reps while Eget was unavailable. Ultimately, while Eget appears the favorite to win the job by the time the fall arrives, Mahan has a legitimate opportunity to surpass the veteran and claim the starting role himself.
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