Duke Football Gaining Traction With Top Recruits

Duke football head coach Manny Diaz and his staff are continuing to gain some traction with some of their top targets in the 2027 recruiting class. As the spring season rolls along, Diaz and Co. will continue to ink visits and hopefully see a few commitments from some of their 2027 targets.

Earlier in the Blue Devils' recruiting efforts, the staff was seemingly going after several recruits outside of the region where the Duke program could potentially thrive. Players from places like Texas, the south, or out west are generally difficult to turn away from those home regions of the country. But as of late, Diaz and Co. have gotten in contact and sealed visits with prospects from the East Coast.

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This likely gives the staff a much better chance of building an early relationship and finding key talent, potentially before their names start to get brought up to national powerhouses.

For a program like Duke, it is always going to be difficult to land true blue-chip prospects, but given its transfer portal situation with players such as Darian Mensah, the Blue Devils have proven they are willing to spend the money to get the Duke program back to national relevance consistently.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz celebrates defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Two Talented Wide Receivers Ink Official Visits to Duke

Duke has sealed two official visits with in-state wide receivers in the 2027 recruiting class in Anthony Roberts and Namajay Thompson.

Bot Roberts and Thompson are North Carolina natives, with Roberts attending Rolesville High School and Thompson attending Crest High School. Roberts is currently rated as the No. 383 overall player and the No. 51 wide receiver according to the 247Sports 2027 Composite Rankings. Thompson is listed as the No. 467 overall player and No. 63 wide receiver in the class.

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

Roberts has picked up offers from programs such as Virginia Tech, NC State, and Wake Forest. As for Thompson, he has received offers from the likes of Wake Forest and Michigan State, but Alabama has recently emerged as a potential team of interest.

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Duke in Contact With Top 2027 Basketball Prospect

Jon Scheyer and his staff currently sit with the No. 1 overall 2026 recruiting class, but are beginning to get their feet wet with the later recruiting classes, as it has been reported that the Blue Devils are linked to CJ Rosser, the No. 1 overall player according to the 247Sports 2027 Composite Rankings.

Rosser, a 6'10" power forward, is a North Carolina native but attends Southeastern Prep in Orlando, FL.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the first half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke recruiting news.

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