Duke Pursuing 2027 Illinois Quarterback Commit

Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils are pushing to flip a 2027 quarterback who's currently committed to Illinois.

Nov 29, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the fourth quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Duke head coach Manny Diaz and his staff have been very busy on the high school recruiting trail throughout January, extending offers to several prospects and making progress with some of their top targets in the 2027 cycle.

While the Blue Devils have primarily been targeting uncommitted players, Diaz and company haven’t shied away from pursuing prospects who have already committed, including a four-star Illinois quarterback commit.

Blue Devils Targeting 4-Star Illinois QB Commit

Over the past month, Duke has begun targeting Kamden Lopati, a four-star Illinois quarterback commit from West High School in West Valley City, Utah. The Blue Devils extended an offer to him on Jan. 3, and on the 29th, Blue Devils offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer traveled to Utah to visit the young quarterback in person.

I appreciate the visit and spending time with me at school @coachbrewha. #GODUKE @DukeFOOTBALL @coachsolovi @westpanthersfb @Andy_Pham1 @TheUCReport @adamgorney @BrandonHuffman @BlairAngulo @GregBiggins @SWiltfong_ @CharlesPower @TomLoy247 pic.twitter.com/OdnFLyDVP5

— Kamden Lopati (@CowboyKamden) January 29, 2026

Lopati is one of the top quarterbacks in the 2027 cycle and is coming off a strong junior season at West, where, according to MaxPreps, he threw for 2,671 yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while adding 730 yards and 10 scores on the ground. 

Although he hasn’t even entered his senior year of high school yet, Lopati has already had a chaotic recruiting journey. He was pursued by many programs last spring and summer, and ultimately committed to Illinois in July. 

Dec 31, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; A Illinois Fighting Illini helmet sitting on confetti after the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Since Lopati’s commitment to Illinois, several schools have continued to pursue him, with UCF, Stanford, Colorado, Tennessee, and now Duke having extended offers in the past few months. 

Brewer is far from the only coach to have traveled to West High School to visit with Lopati, as coaches from Michigan State, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Cal have all done the same in the past week. 

Sep 10, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA; A Duke Blue Devils helmet sits on an equipment chest during the third quarter of the game against the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

While programs are still actively pursuing Lapoti, he remains committed to Illinois and hasn’t shown many signs of changing his mind. Still, in today’s college football landscape, no commitment is ever safe, and Duke should continue its pursuit of the four-star quarterback.

Lapoti would be a massive addition to the Blue Devils’ 2027 class, as the program is in desperate need of a young, talented signal-caller. Rivals’ industry rankings list the Illinois commit as the No. 142 overall player in the country, the No. 11 quarterback, and the No. 3 prospect from Utah.

Not only will Duke have to compete with Illinois for Lapoti, but it will also face other schools trying to flip him. Still, he’s worth pursuing for the Blue Devils, and if Brewer and company can continue to strengthen their relationship with him, they could be in a position to land him.

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