Every Duke Football Starting Job Up for Grabs This Season

The Duke football program kicked off its 2026 training camp on Wednesday, just about a month away from its regular-season opener on September 5 against Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium.

As we have discussed throughout the offseason, head coach Manny Diaz and his staff have a lot to figure out with the roster over the next month, given the many unproven pieces who will need to take on big roles.

Training camp will tell us a lot about who is emerging at certain spots and which position groups provide the most optimistic outlook. With training camp just getting underway, let's go over a few prominent position battles.

Quarterback

San Jose State transfer Walker Eget seems to have a slight edge as the starter to begin camp, but redshirt freshman Dan Mahan could certainly make it a discussion with a strong performance over the next few weeks.

In two seasons as the Spartans' starting QB, Eget tallied 5,555 passing yards to go along with 30 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Like many of the Blue Devils' newcomers, he is completely unproven at the Power Conference level.

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 dual-threat quarterback with lots of potential, but he has yet to show any of it in game action. Eget is probably the favorite right now, but the QB battle in Durham could certainly become more intriguing as camp moves forward.

Penn's Jared Richardson gets the Quakers on the board with a 18-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter at Delaware Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wide Receivers

The wide receiver corps as a whole for Duke is in question. It lost its top three receivers from last season in Cooper Barkate (transferred to Miami), Que'Sean Brown (transferred to Virginia Tech), and Sahmir Hagans (exhausted eligibility).

Diaz and Co. brought in two intriguing transfer portal receivers in Jared Richardson (Penn) and Javen Nicholas (Charlotte). Richardson was uber-productive for years with the Quakers, and Nicholas was the best receiver on a 1-11 Charlotte team a year ago. But like Eget, both are unproven.

Aug 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte 49ers wide receiver Javen Nicholas (5) runs for yards after catch defended by Appalachian State Mountaineers defensive back Zyeir Gamble (5) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Blue Devils also have young guys who spent last season mostly on the sidelines, like Jaivon Solomon, Jamien Little, and Jayden Moore. Richardson seems to be the favorite to be the top target for Duke in 2026, but the room as a whole is completely wide open.

Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Isiah Canion (4) catches the pass past Duke Blue Devils cornerback Kimari Robinson (5) during the second half of the game at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cornerbacks

The favorites to start at the corner spots for Duke are returners Landan Callahan and Kimari Robinson, but the program brought in some talented transfers who could make some noise.

Dylan Flowers (Western Kentucky) and Kyon Loud (Montana) were both productive at their previous stops, and with strong camps, this battle could emerge into one of the toughest positional decisions Diaz and Co. will have to make.

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