Duke Lands ACC Transfer Portal Lineman

The Blue Devils and Diaz are continuing to find success in the transfer portal.

Sep 24, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; A general view of a Duke Blue Devils helmet against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half of the game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Duke head coach Manny Diaz and his staff have been highly active during the first week of the 2026 college football transfer portal window. The Blue Devils have made progress with several of their top targets and have already secured commitments from 11 portal prospects. 

One of Duke’s latest portal additions is a former Cal offensive tackle with plenty of experience, who fills a significant need for the Blue Devils along the offensive line. 

Cal Offensvie Tackle Transfer Commits to Duke

On Thursday morning, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on X that Braden Miller, an offensive tackle transfer from Cal, had committed to Duke. Miller just entered the transfer portal on Monday, and the Blue Devils moved quickly to wrap up his recruitment. 

Sources: Cal Tackle Braden Miller has committed to Duke. He started 7 games this year at Cal and brings 528 career snaps with him to Durham. He’s 6-6 and 315 pounds. pic.twitter.com/0jKUvUBmAz

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 8, 2026

Miller is originally from Colorado and committed to Michigan State as a three-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class. He spent two seasons in East Lansing with the Spartans, redshirting his freshman year and appearing in three games as a redshirt freshman in 2023. 

At the end of the 2023 season, Miller entered the transfer portal and transferred to Cal. In 2024, he appeared in six games in a backup role for the Golden Bears, but in 2025, he saw the field much more, starting seven games. He’s played a total of 528 snaps and joins Duke with one year of eligibility remaining. 

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 | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Duke is losing both of its starting offensive tackles from 2025, as Burno Fina and Biran Parker are leaving for the NFL. Miller will likely step in and start right away for the Blue Devils in 2026, and he’s a massive portal addition for Diaz and company. 

Rivals’ transfer portal rankings list Miller as a three-star prospect, the No. 1,437 overall player in the portal, and the No. 100 offensive tackle. He has a massive frame, standing 6’7” and weighing 285 pounds. While he has room to grow as a run blocker, he was solid for Cal in pass protection last season and should be able to protect Darian Mensah at a high level.

Nov 22, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) is helped up by his offensive line after a sack during the fourth quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

With the addition of Miller, Duke’s 2026 transfer portal class ranks 48th nationally and seventh in the ACC according to 247Sports. It’s a strong start to the portal window for a Blue Devils team fresh off an ACC championship, and Diaz has done a great job addressing the roster’s most pressing needs. 

Landing Miller helps the Blue Devils fill a significant need on their offensive line, and the Cal transfer should be an immediate-impact player for Duke in 2026.

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