Duke NFL Draft Prospect Details Why He’s Different

Prospect media availability for the 2026 NFL Draft has officially gotten underway, and four Blue Devils will have a chance to speak to the media over the next few days. To kick it off for the Blue Devils, defensive lineman Vincent Anthony Jr. spoke on some of his experiences in the college game.

Anthony Jr. is a hometown kid out of Durham, NC, who has been a critical part of an elite Blue Devils' front seven for the last few years. He, along with fellow Duke 2026 NFL Draft prospect Wesley Williams, were key pieces to a Blue Devil unit that led the ACC in forced fumbles (19) and tied the conference lead in sacks (43) in 2024.

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Cavaliers tight end Sage Ennis (0) catches the ball and runs for a touchdown against Duke Blue Devils defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr. (7) during the second quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Despite Duke taking a step back as a whole defensively in 2025, Anthony was still one of the most productive players in that unit. As a senior, the defensive end tallied career-highs in tackles (34), sacks (7.5), and forced fumbles (1).

Across his career, the 6'6", 250-pound monster totaled 105 tackles, eight pass deflections, 15 sacks, and a forced fumble. Anthony was an Honorable Mention All-ACC selection in 2025 while earning ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors in September of that campaign.

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

Now, the Durham native looks to make the next step to the NFL.

Nov 30, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Hank Bachmeier (9) is forced to run from pressure by Duke Blue Devils defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr. (7) during the second half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Vincent Anthony Jr. Details Why He’s Worthy of Being Selected

Anthony is a very good athlete with good bend at his size when getting off the line. He might not have the most balanced attacks in comparison to other edge rushers in this year's draft class, but there are some very intriguing aspects to his game.

During his media availability, Anthony described what makes him different from the rest of the edge rushers in this year's class.

Nov 9, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr. (7) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the game against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

"I feel like nobody else this year is that tall and can bend as well," Anthony said. "Like I said, I'm 6'6" but can bend like I'm 6'0". You know, I can play strong like the rest of them, and I'm fast. I'm quick off the ball."

Duke EDGE Vincent Anthony Jr. is a problem.

Displays WILD bend for a 6’6, 260lb defensive end. 3 sacks against Illinois and cooked NFL-caliber LT JC Davis on two of them.

Major candidate to be a 2026 NFL Draft riser 😈 pic.twitter.com/zOtE5mIS1D
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 10, 2025

Vincent Anthony Jr. Draft Outlook

Anthony Jr. has proven he can be elite at getting to the ball quickly, totaling 15 sacks across his career and 22.5 tackles for loss across the last two seasons. He's a very solid athlete, but will need to work on how he handles contact from blockers throughout his career.

The Duke senior has a chance to hear his name called on day two or day three of the 2026 NFL Draft.

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