Expecting defections, Duke football coach Mike Elko thrilled with 16 new recruits
Admitting the bulk of the work was done by his predecessor and coaches who are no longer employed by Duke, Blue Devils football coach Mike Elko welcomed 16 new players to the program Wednesday.
The class of incoming freshmen for next season were recruited by former coach David Cutcliffe and his assistant coaches. Cutcliffe and Duke parted ways on Nov. 28 after the Blue Devils went 3-9 overall and 0-8 in ACC play.
The assistant coaches stayed on for the two weeks until Elko was hired, talking with recruits to keep the class together. On Tuesday, the day before the signing period began, most of those coaches were told they are being let go as Elko brings in his own staff.
Elko talked to as many committed players as he could since his hiring last Friday. In the end, Duke didn’t turn all those commitments into signed players but the 16-man class certainly pleased Elko.
“When you put together a class of this size, and magnitude, and you’re bringing in this many kids like we do in football,” Elko said, “so many people play a part in this thing as we put it together. And so the first thank you obviously has to go to coach Cutcliffe and his staff, I think those guys did an unbelievable job of identifying players that fit Duke, fit with this university was about fit what football at this university is about, you know, and they showed an unbelievable amount of professionalism over the last two weeks to continue to work and grind to keep this class together.”
Duke athletics director Nina King also played a big role by talking with players and their families during the coaching search.
That work helped Duke land a class that’s rated No. 51 in the country and No. 8 in the ACC, according to 247sports.com. The Blue Devils were passed by N.C. State over the 24 hours prior to signing day. The Wolfpack’s 13-player class is now No. 7 in the ACC.
All 16 new Duke players are three-star recruits, with the highest-rated of them being offensive lineman Steven Nahmias from Marist School in Atlanta, defensive back Chandler Rivers of Beaumont, Texas, and wide receiver Mehki Wall from Dudley High in Greensboro.
Other in-state players, along with Wall, are wide receiver Jaden Watkins from Asheville School, defensive lineman Vincent Anthony from Durham’s Jordan High, athlete Terry Moore from Washington High, linebacker Carter Wyatt from West Brunswick High in Shallotte and tight end Jake Taylor from Cardinal Gibbons in Raleigh.
Elko admitted expecting more defections from the class, given the nature of the situation. So he was thrilled with how the class held together.
“I think I’m being honest, I think anytime there’s this type of transition and change, you certainly would anticipate the group fracturing,” Elko said. “Other (schools’) coaches come in and as soon as the coaching change happens, they try to pull people out. I think it’s a testament to (the players’) character. And I think it’s a testament to the do brand. I really do. I think they believed in what Duke was. And I think that’s where, you know, Nina played a huge role, assuring them of what the future would look like.”
Eight of the 16 players will be enrolling in January, which will allow them to take part in spring practice prior to their first college season.
Here’s a list of Duke’s newest recruits who signed on Wednesday:
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School |
| Vincent Anthony Jr. | DE | 6-6 | 235 | Durham | Jordan |
| Henry Belin IV | QB | 6-3 | 210 | New York | Cardinal Hayes |
| Matt Craycraft | OL | 6-4 | 275 | Dallas | Jesuit |
| Jeremiah Hasley | LB | 6-3 | 220 | Gibsonia, Pa. | Pine-Richland |
| Terry Moore | ATH | 6-1 | 185 | Washington | Washington |
| Steven Nahmias | OL | 6-3 | 285 | Dunwoody, Ga. | Marist School |
| Brian Parker | OL | 6-5 | 285 | Cincinnati | St. Xavier |
| Kenzy Paul | DB | 6-1 | 190 | La Prairie, Canada | McCallie (Tenn.) |
| Chandler Rivers | DB | 5-10 | 175 | Beaumont, Texas | United |
| Jake Taylor | TE | 6-5 | 220 | Apex | Cardinal Gibbons |
| Nathan Vail | DB | 6-2 | 185 | Kennesaw, Ga. | Harrison |
| Mehki Wall | WR | 5-10 | 165 | Greensboro | Dudley |
| Jaden Watkins | WR | 6-3 | 185 | Asheville | Asheville School |
| Eric Weatherly | RB | 5-8 | 175 | St. John’s, Fla. | Bartram Trail |
| Wesley Williams | DE | 6-5 | 245 | Gainesville, Va. | Battlefield |
| Carter Wyatt | LB | 6-2 | 220 | Shallotte, N.C. | West Brunswick |
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 3:32 PM.