Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 13

Here's another returning corner with a chance to make a major leap in 2026.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz takes questions after the game against 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

With each day that passes by, we get closer and closer to the Duke football program kicking off its 2026 training camp ahead of the regular season.

As we have discussed throughout this series, expectations around the Blue Devils are pretty low, but feel eerily similar to head coach Manny Diaz's first year in Durham in 2024.

Duke wasn't expected to be competitive on a national scale at all, and becoming bowl-eligible would've been considered a victory.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on after the game against 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

Diaz then went on to win nine games in his first year at the helm for Duke, cementing the fourth campaign of nine or more wins for the program since it joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953.

It feels wild that a team coming off a conference championship would be viewed as having a successful following season if it made a bowl game at all, but that is the position we are unfortunately in with the Blue Devils. However, there is hope.

It starts with Diaz, who has exceeded preseason expectations in both seasons he has been the head coach at Duke. In 2025, following his nine-win debut campaign, Diaz led the Blue Devils to their first ACC Championship since 1989. The former Miami head coach has yet to give Duke fans a reason to doubt him at all.

Nov 29, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the fourth quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, there is another key aspect of this 2026 squad that feels just like 2024: it seems clear it will be led by its defense. The Blue Devils kept star running back Nate Sheppard around, but star quarterback Darian Mensah and star wide receiver Cooper Barkate both transferred to Miami this offseason.

Duke brought in San Jose State transfer Walker Eget, who is the team's projected starting quarterback, as well as wide receivers Jared Richardson (Penn) and Javen Nicholas (Charlotte). We have already discussed Eget and Nicholas in this series, and we will get into Richardson further down the list.

Nov 29, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) throws against the Stanford Cardinal in the second quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Nonetheless, it is probably safe to assume the Blue Devils will take a step back offensively next season. However, there's a real chance Duke could take a step forward on the defensive side of the ball.

Both in the front seven and in the secondary, Diaz and Co. brought back several key depth pieces primed to shine in elevated roles, as well as transfer portal additions expected to make immediate impacts.

Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz watches from the sideline as they take on the UConn Huskies at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I think the front seven could be one of the best position groups on the team, and the secondary won't be far behind if some of the returners and newcomers make leaps quickly.

We will continue our Duke football top 30 players countdown with a returning cornerback who I expect to make major strides in a starter role with the Blue Devils in 2026.

Oct 26, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils cornerback Kimari Robinson (5) and defensive tackle Aaron Hall (99) celebrate during the second half of the game against Southern Methodist Mustangs at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 13 CB Kimari Robinson

Cornerback Kimari Robinson is entering his redshirt junior season, spending his entire collegiate career at Duke. However, 2026 will be his first campaign as a full-time starter from day one.

Robinson was highly sought after coming out of high school. The former 3-star recruit was rated as the No. 990 overall player, No. 98 cornerback, and No. 141 player out of the state of Florida, according to the 247Sports 2023 Composite Rankings. The St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) product held offers from the likes of Colorado, Temple, Georgia Tech, and Maryland, among others.

His true freshman campaign saw the level of production you would probably expect from a 3-star true freshman: not much. Robinson appeared in two games for the Blue Devils as a rookie, tallying three tackles and preserving his redshirt year.

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

However, it didn't take long for Robinson to see the field consistently. As a redshirt freshman in 2024, the 5'10" corner appeared in 11 games and made one start. He logged 23 total tackles, four pass deflections, a forced fumble, and 4.5 tackles for loss.

2025 felt like the year where Robinson could really break out onto the scene, and although his playing time increased a pretty significant amount, he didn't quite have that jump in production that a lot of fans were hoping to see.

As a redshirt sophomore, Robinson appeared in 11 games, starting nine of them. In a hefty 581 total snaps played in 2025, Robinson notched 34 total tackles and two pass deflections.

Sep 6, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils defensive end Kobe Smith (18), cornerback Kimari Robinson (5) and linebacker Luke Mergott (34) bring down Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Hank Beatty (80) during the second quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Throughout his career, injuries have been a bit of a nuisance, causing him to miss some games in each of the last two years. However, it hasn't been anything close to a level that would plague his career. Nonetheless, Robinson is in a position to be a big-time contributor in the secondary for the Blue Devils.

Robinson and Landan Callahan, both returners, are the projected starting cornerbacks heading into camp. However, they will face competition from some of the newcomers Duke brought in, such as Dylan Flowers (Western Kentucky) and Kyon Loud (Montana).

Nonetheless, Robinson will be a crucial piece to get the Blue Devils' defense back to prominence in 2026.

Nov 22, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Destyn Hill (2) runs against Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defensive back Dylan Flowers (10) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In 2024, Duke led the ACC in sacks (43), forced fumbles (19), and fumbles recovered (14), while ranking seventh in opponent points per game (24.5). In 2025, the Blue Devils totaled 26 sacks and 10 forced fumbles while ranking 12th in the league in opponent points per game (29.4).

Last season, Duke got away with a bit of a disappointing defensive unit because its offensive charge was arguably the best in the ACC. This time around, that will probably not be the case.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Eli Wood (82) scores a touchdown to tie the score near the end of the 4th quarter as Duke Blue Devils cornerback Landan Callahan (21) defends during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Diaz and defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke will need to keep their defensive unit consistent as a whole. Offensive droughts plagued the Blue Devils in 2024, but it was the defense that kept them in so many games. This 2026 roster could make for a similar situation.

Robinson has been here for years and has the talent to be a big-time corner in the ACC. 2026 is his year to prove it.

Nov 30, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils defensive tackle Preston Watson (95) tries to elude Wake Forest Demon Deacons offensive lineman Erik Russell (72) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Other Top 30 Stories:

No. 30 WR Jaivon Solomon | No. 29 RB CJ Campbell | No. 28 QB Dan Mahan | No. 27 DT Preston Watson | No. 26 DT Owen Wafle | No. 25 IOL Sean Stover | No. 24 DE Kevin O'Connor | No. 23 CB Landan Callahan | No. 22 WR Javen Nicholas | No. 21 CB Kyon Loud

No. 20 S Andrew Pellicciotta | No. 19 CB Che Ojarikre | No. 18 LB Kendall Johnson | No. 17 QB Walker Eget | No. 16 CB Dylan Flowers | No. 15 OT Braden Miller | No. 14 C Matt Craycraft