Manny Diaz and the Duke Blue Devils have received a rather concerning outlook in the transfer portal.
Manny Diaz and the Duke Blue Devils have been fairly busy in the transfer portal this winter, bringing in 14 players. But has Duke actually been able to find success in the process?
There is no question that the Blue Devils have landed some very intriguing talents, such as wide receiver Jared Richardson and running back CJ Campbell Jr.
But overall, Duke's haul feels slightly underwhelming, especially compared to last year when it bagged quarterback Darian Mensah, wide receiver Cooper Barkate and halfback Anderson Castle.
Sure, Mensah definitely tipped the scales in 2025's favor, as the Blue Devils actually only secured commitments from nine players overall in the portal last offseason, but based on how impressive Duke looked this year, you would have expected more.
In fact, On 3's transfer portal rankings has placed Diaz's squad 44th overall and just 11th in the ACC, a rather concerning outlook given that the Blue Devils appeared to be on their way to elevating their status after winning an ACC championship.
Duke has also lost key players like wide receiver Que'Sean Brown and safety Terry Moore this winter, which further diminishes the prospects the team has acquired.
Duke Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz. Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images.It's definitely a bit worrisome for a Blue Devils program that has finally been starting to garner some serious respect on a national scale. But on the same token, it's pretty apparent that Duke is still a far cry from the genuine upper echelon schools across the nation.
Maybe it just shows that things are still a work in progress at Durham.
Let's face it: Diaz is still relatively new at this. He spent just three seasons as head coach of Miami between 2019 and 2021 before finding his way to Duke's head-coaching job in 2024 (he served as Penn State's defensive coordinator in between).
Overall, Diaz has gone 39-24 between Miami and Duke and just won his first bowl game this year when the Blue Devils defeated Arizona State in the Sun Bowl. So he is a bit green around the gills.
Plus, it may take some time for people to seriously begin taking Duke — a known basketball haven — all that seriously as a football program.
Perhaps another successful campaign in 2026 will go a long way in establishing the Blue Devils as an actual national power ... or at least within the ACC.