Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 11

The Duke Blue Devils certainly will not be a team with lofty expectations heading into the 2026 season. Head coach Manny Diaz has exceeded expectations in both seasons he has been in Durham. His two-year tenure includes an 18-9 overall record with a nine-win season in Year 1 and securing Duke's first ACC Championship since 1989 in Year 2.

However, the general consensus seems to be that the mass departures the Blue Devils experienced this offseason will be too much to overcome. Duke lost a ton of star power on both sides of the ball. Offensively, that obviously starts with the departures of star quarterback Darian Mensah and star wide receiver Cooper Barkate, both now with Miami.

Jul 15, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami quarterback Darian Mensah speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of the Blue Devils' three-headed monster on offense last season, running back Nate Sheppard is the lone returner, but he will enter the 2026 season as arguably the best running back in college football that no one is talking about.

The offense will run through Sheppard, meaning he will see the volume to potentially be a top-five running back in the country with the immense talent he already possesses. As a whole, the Blue Devils' offense has the potential to be a solid unit in the ACC. However, Diaz and Co. will likely have to lead with their defense, as we have been preaching throughout this entire top 30 players series.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard (20) celebrates a touchdown in the second quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke has a plethora of returners ready to take the next step toward becoming mainstays on the field. Additionally, Diaz and his staff did a great job in the transfer portal this offseason defensively, bringing in pieces who will replace the production left behind.

Admittedly, a lot of the Duke football program's potential in 2026 revolves around a lot of things going right. Many of these new additions have the potential to be legit Power Four contributors, but few have actually shown the production on the field.

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

Regardless, if Duke is going to exceed preseason expectations once again under Diaz, for the third year in a row, it will likely have to be the defense that leads the way. I think the Blue Devils' front seven has an opportunity to really surprise some people and become one of the better units in the ACC. But as we just mentioned, most of that hype is based on potential, not proven production.

Diaz and Co. have several young returners who saw the field early and now have the chance to take a big leap forward a bit earlier than originally anticipated. That is where we will continue our preseason top 30 players countdown, with a returning defensive front seven piece with a chance to really burst onto the scene as a sophomore.

Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 11 LB Elliott Schaper

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

Elliott Schaper is entering his true sophomore season with the Blue Devils and was not necessarily expected to consistently see the field right away. Then, injuries in the linebacker room shot the rookie up the depth chart pretty quickly.

Coming out of Austin Westlake High School (TX), Schaper was ranked as a 3-star recruit, rated as the No. 1,024 overall player, No. 114 linebacker, and No. 147 player out of the state of Texas, according to the 247Sports 2025 Composite Rankings.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Demon June (12) is wrapped by Duke Blue Devils defensive end Bryce Davis (14) during the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He held offers from programs like Arizona, Arizona State, Wisconsin, and California, but was not widely expected to play a big role for the Blue Devils as a true freshman. The injury bug changed that. Schaper became one of five true freshmen for the Blue Devils last season to appear in more than four games, along with Bradley Gompers, Andrew Pellicciotta, Nate Sheppard, and Bryce Davis.

All five of these sophomores are expected to play big roles for Duke heading into 2026. In six appearances, the 6'3", 220-pound linebacker tallied 16 total tackles, two sacks, an interception, and two tackles for loss, including a 12-tackle, two-sack, and one-pick performance against California.

Nov 29, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils linebacker Luke Mergott (34) reacts after recovering a fumble 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

Talk about showing promise. Unfortunately, Schaper suffered a season-ending injury against Clemson, but his rapid rise within the Duke front seven presents major potential for him as a sophomore.

The linebacker group could be the best position for Duke in 2026, with Schaper playing significant time along with Luke Mergott, Nick Morris Jr., Kendall Johnson, and Gompers. It is unclear whether Schaper will start right away, but given his production as a rookie, he has earned the right to be on the field early.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) passes the ball as Duke Blue Devils defensive end Kevin O'Connor (15) and linebacker Luke Mergott (34) pressure in the fourth quarter during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Specifically on the defensive side of the ball, the Blue Devils will have to get old quickly. With guys like Pellicciotta, Gompers, Davis, and Schaper, they will all be expected to take leaps and command the defensive front for Diaz and Co.

As we have mentioned, it is hard not to assume Duke will take a step back offensively, and possibly a big one. It will be up to the defensive unit as a whole to return to 2024 form for the Blue Devils to have any chance of defending their 2025 conference crown.

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Trell Harris (11) runs the ball against Duke Blue Devils defensive end Tyshon Reed (10) during the third quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Believing the Blue Devils have a serious chance to repeat as ACC champs is optimistic, to say the least. However, the ACC is wide open outside of Miami.

There is no clear consensus on which team is the second-best in the league, and given Duke's fairly light schedule, if its defense overperforms, it can be competitive. Schaper will be one of the main pieces who have to grow for Duke to stay competitive.

Duke Football 2026 Top 30 Players Countdown: No. 11 LB Elliott Schaper

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