Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 15

The Duke football program has a lot of questions to answer heading into the 2026 college football season, and most of those will come on the offensive side of the ball.

Duke fans all know how dramatic this offseason was, as after the program won its first ACC Championship since 1989, the transfer portal completely decimated most of the expectations it had heading into 2026.

The Blue Devils had a legitimate chance to be ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 heading into the 2026 season, led by Heisman Trophy contender Darian Mensah, who was coming off a redshirt sophomore season with Duke when he led the conference in passing yards (3,973) and passing touchdowns (34).

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) celebrates after the Blue Devils score a touchdown in overtime during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke had arguably the best offensive line in the league last year, as well. The Blue Devils led the ACC in scoring (34.6 points scored per game) and total touchdowns (63), while finishing second in passing yards (3,995) and eighth in rushing yards (1,934).

Now, the Blue Devils head into the 2026 campaign with vastly different expectations on both sides of the ball. Mensah is gone. Star wide receiver Cooper Barkate is gone, as well as the Blue Devils' WR2 and WR3 in Que'Sean Brown and Sahmir Hagans.

Duke will be led with its defense once again, but the trenches on both sides of the ball look like position groups that can be two of the best on the squad next season.

Nov 29, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Cooper Barkate (18) runs the ball against Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Lardarius Webb Jr. (20) during the fourth quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensively, despite losing Wesley Williams and Vincent Anthony Jr., the Blue Devils have several intriguing newcomers and returners who could bring the Blue Devils' prominence back on the defensive front.

However, the program also saw a few big-time losses on the offensive line, and those will also have to be replaced this season. Brian Parker II, the Blue Devils' mainstay at the right tackle spot, declared for the 2026 NFL Draft following the 2025 campaign. Additionally, starting tackle Bruno Fina also declared for the 2026 draft.

As a result, Duke was left in a tricky spot regarding its offensive line, which has been a strength for the program throughout the Manny Diaz era.

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

In 2024, the Blue Devils allowed 12 sacks, the second-least of any team in the ACC. That number was a bit down in 2025, as Duke surrendered 28 sacks, but the unit as a whole was reliable for the most part.

Now, Diaz and Co. will have to look for replacements to protect San Jose State transfer and projected Duke starting quarterback, Walker Eget. The offense has a lot of questions to answer heading into the year, but it starts with the trenches along the offensive line.

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

We continue our Duke football 2026 top 30 players countdown with a new offensive line addition who will be thrust into the starting lineup right away. He will be expected to be a heavy contributor as this Blue Devil offense looks to stay afloat despite a mass exodus of departures this offseason.

Sep 6, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears offensive lineman Braden Miller (77) blocks Texas Southern Tigers defensive end Michael Akins (9) during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 15 OT Braden Miller

Braden Miller is one of two major offensive line additions Duke made this offseason, with the other being Coastal Carolina transfer Nick Del Grande, who we will get into later in this series.

Miller is a seasoned vet in college football and will enter the 2026 campaign with the Blue Devils as a graduate student. He spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Michigan State and the last two at California, within the ACC.

Coming out of Eaglecrest High School (CO), Miller was ranked as a 3-star prospect, rated as the No. 1,019 overall player, No. 90 offensive tackle, and No. 5 player out of the state of Colorado, according to the 247Sports 2022 Composite Rankings. He actually held an offer from Duke out of high school, but ultimately headed to East Lansing.

Sep 6, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears offensive lineman Braden Miller (77) moves to block Texas Southern Tigers defensive end Michael Akins (9) during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Miller is a massive human being, listed at 6'6" and 315 pounds. However, he had a hard time getting consistent playing time on the field early on in his college career. He redshirted his true freshman season with the Spartans and only appeared in three contests as a redshirt freshman in 2023.

Miller then transferred to Cal, where he got a bit more action, but still struggled to be a regular contributor. In his first year with the Golden Bears, the Colorado native appeared in six games without starting any.

Nov 29, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) after defeating the Southern Methodist Mustangs at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was the 2025 campaign where Miller finally saw a consistent role in Berkeley. He made 13 appearances in 2025, starting seven games, on the offensive line, and played a big role in protecting Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, one of the best young quarterbacks in all of college football.

Additionally, Miller displayed his versatility. Of the about 500 offensive snaps he played in 2025, those were split across both guard and both tackle positions.

In 2026 with the Blue Devils, Miller will be asked to fill some pretty big shoes, those being from Parker after he headed to the NFL. Realistically, Miller isn't as talented and likely will not be as productive as Parker was throughout his time in Durham, but Miller's mix of raw size and impressive versatility makes him a very interesting addition for the Blue Devils.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Anderson Castle (4) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Brian Parker II (53) during the second half against North Carolina at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of Duke's three-headed monster on offense last season, the one part it did not lose is star running back Nate Sheppard, who is poised to be one of the best running backs in college football next season. Sheppard will be featured much later on in this series.

Miller, Del Grande, and the rest of the offensive line absolutely have to be serviceable to give Sheppard a chance to thrive. The fact that Duke got Sheppard back after the outstanding true freshman year he had is a victory in itself. It is now the trenches' job to put him in a position to succeed consistently.

Miller is a talented piece and was certainly a worthwhile addition for the Blue Devils, but he must be a key contributor right away.

Nov 29, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz celebrates Duke Blue Devils quarter back Darian Mensah's (10) touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 15 OT Braden Miller

Other Top 30 Stories