Duke Commit Shines at the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas

A 2026 Duke safety commit showed out in the Shrine bowl of the Carolinas.

Sep 24, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; A general view of a Duke Blue Devils helmet against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half of the game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas is underway, with several Division I and Power Four signees from both South Carolina and North Carolina participating in the 89th edition of the historic high school all-star game.

There are plenty of talented players on the field for the Shrine Bowl, and on day two of practice, a 2026 Duke safety signee was reportedly among the most impressive players.

2026 Duke Signee Shines at Shrine Bowl of the Carolina's Practice

While there are plenty of signees in Duke's 2026 recruiting class that Blue Devils fans should be excited about, arguably none are as exciting as KD Cotton, a three-star safety from Weddington High School in Matthews, North Carolina.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils defensive back Caleb Weaver (3) celebrates with teammates after making a interception in the fourth quarter during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Cotton was invited to participate in the 2025 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, and his performance did not disappoint. According to Rivals' Charles Power, who will be at the practices all week, the Duke signee was among the best players on the field during the second day of practice. 

In a recent article for Rivals, Power named Cotton the No. 6 overall performer on day two. He noted that the young safety started the day with a bang, intercepting NC State quarterback commit Jacob Smith.

Sep 27, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Johntay Cook (2) is tackled by Duke Blue Devils linebacker Jaiden Francois (2) and safety DaShawn Stone (8) in the first quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

• "KD Cotton turned in one of the highlight moments of Tuesday morning’s North Carolina practice, intercepting a pass from NC State signee Jacob Smith during the team period," Power wrote.

Although Cotton is on the smaller side, standing at 5'9" and weighing 175 pounds, Power said his instincts, technique, and overall feel for the game were on full display during practice. He also noted that Cotton showed the awareness and ball skills that highlight why he'll be able to make an impact in Duke's secondary. 

Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils tight end Landen King (0) celebrates with running back Chandler Rivers (5) before the first half of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

• "On the smaller side at around 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, Cotton makes up for it with strong instincts, sound technique, and a good feel for the game," Power wrote. "He projects as a potential nickel or safety at the college level and showed the awareness and ball skills that make him a useful player in Duke’s secondary."

Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz high-fives players Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during the NCAA football game against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cotton wasn't a highly touted recruit, with Rivals' industry rankings listing him as the No. 1,519 overall player in the country, the No. 147 safety, and the No. 56 prospect from North Carolina. However, if he can perform at a high level against some of the top high school talent in the region, he could very well be an immediate contributor for head coach Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils.

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