The One Trait That Makes Each Duke Prospect Draftable

The 2026 NFL Draft is officially under two weeks away, and there are a few Blue Devils who are getting ready to begin their professional careers. The draft will be held in Pittsburgh, PA, from April 23-25.

Duke did not see any of its former players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, but that is likely to change this time around, as several competed in the NFL Combine and all 32 NFL franchises were in attendance when the program hosted its Pro Day in March.

Manny Diaz, head football coach at Duke, shouts during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl against Arizona State at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. | Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Manny Diaz and his staff have a ton of work to do in order to rebuild a squad coming off an ACC Championship victory, but other former players are now taking the next step. Let's go over one trait from each Duke prospect that makes them draftable.

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers (DB28) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Chandler Rivers - Instincts

Cornerback Chandler Rivers is undersized for the NFL, standing at just 5'10" and 185 pounds. However, throughout his career at Duke, he displayed his stellar quickness and instincts to make up for his lack of size.

2024 was the year when Rivers really came onto the scene as an NFL-level talent. The Texas native tallied 54 tackles, eight pass deflections, a sack, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions.

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils cornerback Chandler Rivers (0) attempts to swat the ball from Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Trell Harris (11) during the third quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Despite his senior campaign in 2025 being a bit of a down year, Rivers has proven that his instincts can make up for his lack of size in short-field scenarios. NFL teams will likely be paying attention to that when evaluating him for days two and three of the draft.

Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke defensive lineman Wesley Williams (DL62) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Wesley Williams - Motor

Edge Wesley Williams played every snap like it was his last, simply put. With a great first jump off the line, the 6'3", 265-pound junior snapped off the mark and made an impact on nearly every play. In three seasons with Duke, Williams totaled 130 tackles, four pass deflections, 11.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.

Williams isn't the most explosive athlete in the world, which is where a trait like motor comes into play, something that can be difficult to coach or teach. Similar to Rivers, Williams will make up for his lack of certain athletic traits simply with how hard he plays.

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke offensive lineman Brian Parker (OL38) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Brian Parker II - Consistency

Offensive lineman Brian Parker II will likely be the first former Blue Devil to hear his name called during the draft, and for good reason. The 6'5", 300-pound lineman was one of the most impactful at his position in the ACC over the past couple of seasons.

Simply put, Parker was almost always available. Through four years at Duke, including a redshirt season where he was on the field for a total of eight snaps, the Cincinnati native appeared in 40 games for the Blue Devils and started 33. He helped Duke to 35 wins over that span.

Mar 1, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke offensive lineman Brian Parker (OL38) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

An AP Third Team All-American in 2025, Parker projects as a starter at the next level.