Three Blue Devils earn academic honors
Three Blue Devils were recognized by the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society the organization announced on Wednesday.
Representing Duke were , and . The Blue Devils have now placed at least three players on the NFF Hampshire Honor Society in 10 of the last 11 seasons.
The NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA and sprint football who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers. An elite group of 1,559 players from 313 schools qualified for membership in 2022, the Society's 16th year. The 1,559 honorees are the second most in a single year during the program's history. The initiative has now honored 14,640 student-athletes since its inception.
"As the National Football Foundation celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2022, we are pleased to honor another impressive group of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Over the last 16 years, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as a powerful vehicle for schools to recognize their college football players who have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically, and we congratulate the schools and each of these young men for their commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives."
In 44 career games, 25 starts, Bobo registered 1,441 career receiving yards on 125 receptions for 18th all-time in program history. The 2021 Third Team All-ACC selection garnered a team-best 74 receptions for 794 yards with one score during his senior season alone. His receiving yardage placed him ninth in the ACC, while his receptions had him tied for fifth. Of his 74 receptions on the year, 43 went for a first down, and over the course of the last two years, 65 of his 106 receptions were for a first down. Bobo tallied three 100-yard receiving games this past year and surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for his career in the contest with Kansas. The two-time Academic All-ACC selection and team captain graduated from Duke in December 2021, with an economics degree.
In four years, Holman saw action in 39 games, making 24 starts along the offensive line. The Snellville, Ga., native played 2,058 career snaps to his name and played in the 2018 Walk-On's Independence Bowl. During his final season, Holman helped Duke finish sixth in the ACC in fewest sacks allowed with 27 and protected an offense that accumulated 5,011 yards of total offense. He also blocked for running back to rush for a program record 1,241 yards last season. The three-time All-ACC Academic Team recipient graduated from Duke in December 2021, with a psychology degree.
Taylor missed only one game during his Duke tenure (47 career games) and has served as the program's snapper for the last four seasons. The Snellville, Ga., native has been a key component of Duke's placement kicking unit that has gone 145-of-149 (.973) on PATs and 51-of-66 (.773) on field goals since 2018. He has also helped Duke's punters register 180 punts for 8,026 yards during that stretch. The 2021 Academic All-ACC selection graduated from Duke in May 2021, with a computer science degree and will also graduate in May 2022, with a master's in management studies from Duke's Fuqua School of Business.
