Which Duke Football Position Battle Could Trigger Transfer Portal Movement

The Duke Blue Devils seemingly have position battles all over the gridiron.

Throughout the Blue Devils' fall camp, we have potentially seen signs of which guys are moving up the depth chart to be key contributors in 2026. There are many positions where new or unproven players will need to step up, following a slew of departures in Durham after the 2025 campaign.

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. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Head coach Manny Diaz and his staff have a ton of interesting decisions to make over the next two weeks as the program gears up to kick off its regular season against Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium on Sept. 5.

Arguably the biggest question mark on the team heading into camp for the Blue Devils was the wide receiver position. How the competition shakes out could trigger some departures.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jayden Moore (8) twists from a tackle by North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Gavin Gibson (5) during the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wide Receiver Battle for Duke Could Trigger Transfer Portal Movement

The Blue Devils' wide receiver room is practically completely new. Duke lost its top three wideouts from the 2025 ACC Championship squad: Cooper Barkate transferred to Miami, Que'Sean Brown transferred to Virginia Tech, and Sahmir Hagans exhausted his collegiate eligibility and is now with the Indianapolis Colts.

Diaz and Co. brought in some talent and have some young returners who could step up to fill those voids. Penn transfer Jared Richardson and Charlotte transfer Javen Nicholas are generally viewed as the top two receiving options on the team. But as we've said throughout camp, the WR3 spot seems to be a mystery.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Cooper Barkate (18) catches a pass near the goal line as Virginia Cavaliers safety Devin Neal (27) and safety Corey Costner (18) defend in the fourth quarter during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Returners Jayden Moore, Jaivon Solomon, and Jamien Little feel like the three guys heavily in the mix to take the third starting receiver spot. After Duke's first scrimmage, it looked like Solomon potentially made a push, catching three passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns.

Then, Little was productive in the team's second scrimmage this past weekend, hauling in four passes for 22 yards.

Regardless of who earns the third spot, there's a chance there's an odd man out in that trio once the regular season rolls around, and if one of those three receivers has a lesser role than he'd hoped for in 2026, a search for greener pastures could come to fruition.

Penn's Jared Richardson gets the Quakers on the board with a 18-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter at Delaware Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Duke Could Rotate the Trio

Maybe the three receivers operate as an interchangeable trio, and all see some time on the field. Still, if that's the case, that means none of them are playing significant time on the field, which could lead to frustrations. On the flip side, if one or two separate and take on an expanded role, whoever is left out of the mix could look for a new home.

Solomon and Little are redshirt freshmen, and Moore is a redshirt sophomore. All have a chance to be a consistent part of Duke's 2026 offense, but the odds are probably that all three won't get that chance.

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