3 Duke Football Rookies Who Shined in Week 4

Through four weeks, the Duke Blue Devils are flying under the radar at 4-0 following their 62-7 trumping over the William & Mary Tribe.

The Blue Devils have the nation's best running back, Nate Sheppard; a defense that is starting to fire on all cylinders; and a head coach in Manny Diaz, who is showing why he is one of the most well-respected culture builders in the country. Duke is heading in the right direction in 2026, and there is a higher probability they could repeat as conference champions despite losing a lot of talent in the offseason.

Diaz Duke — Sep 19, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on against the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, on Saturday, Duke saw flashes from their rookies and redshirt freshmen. It was a true glimpse into the future as Diaz began to identify the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes as paramount to long-term program success. Here are three rookie Blue Devils who shined in Week 4's blowout win.

CJ Givers, Running Back

With only three carries, the true freshman tailback made the most of it. He scored for the first time in his college career with a 28-yard rushing touchdown that helped Duke secure another dominant win at home. The Roswell, Georgia native showed the speed and quickness you want in a future starter at running back.

As he continues to get bigger, Givers will have a chance to compete for serious playing time behind Sheppard. As the change-of-pace running back behind college football's best, he'd take a great step in his growth and development so far.

Dan Mahan, Quarterback

Mahan Duke — Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Dan Mahan (12) celebrates defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mahan is a redshirt freshman and is technically not a rookie, but Saturday was his first set of serious action in college football, and he delivered in a big way with 126 yards, three touchdown passes, and completing six of his seven attempts. What stood out to me was Mahan's confidence, poise, arm talent, and athleticism for the position.

Walker Eget's backup could be a starter if he must this season. His mobility makes him a legitimate dual-threat who forces defenses to play true 11 vs. 11, not 10 vs. 11. This could be a great player for the Blue Devils in the long term, making him an exciting feature of next year's offense.

Brody Keefe, Wide Receiver

Keefe Duke — Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jaivon Solomon (4) celebrates his touchdown with Brody Keefe (18) during the second quarter against the William & Mary Tribe at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his first snaps on offense for the Blue Devils, Keefe was one of the biggest highlights of the afternoon, snagging a Mahan pass with one hand for a touchdown in the third quarter against one-on-one coverage. It was an impressive play by all accounts as Keefe flashed his playmaking ability from his high school days in Charlotte. Keefe's catch further proves the depth at wide receiver is adequate despite the loss of several talented players.

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