Is Duke football’s 2025 recruiting class the Blue Devils’ best ever? If not, it’s close
The final national recruiting rankings may show the 27-player class Duke signed on Wednesday is the second-best in school history — or it could end up the best.
Manny Diaz is not about to split hairs on the subject.
Having led Duke to a 9-3 record on the field in his first season as Blue Devils head coach, he is thrilled with a class that includes three four-star players and is No. 33 nationally, according to 247sports.com.
“From our university administration all the way down to our recruiting interns,” Diaz said, “everyone’s got a hand in this class. I just feel very fortunate as the head football coach that I get a chance to coach these guys. I do believe the class is a statement of intent, not just in terms of the quality but the quantity.”
Beginning with the 2010 recruiting class, Duke has only had three classes rated among the top 50 nationally. The 2016 class, with the Blue Devils having played in bowl games in four consecutive seasons at that point under head coach David Cutcliffe, was ranked No. 32 by 247sports.com. The following year, in 2017, Duke’s class was No. 47.
For a while Wednesday, Duke’s current class was No. 32, and that ranking fluctuated as other schools signed players. Nevertheless, it marks a significant improvement over the previous four classes, which were ranked 59th, 68th, 61st and 59th.
Duke has already posted its third consecutive winning season, compiling a 26-12 record during that time. This season, the Blue Devils beat all three of its in-state ACC rivals, North Carolina, N.C. State and Wake Forest.
Diaz said that sustained success played a role in this group being so talented.
The players signing in this class were early in their high school careers when Duke turned things around under previous coach Mike Elko after suffering through three losing seasons to end the Cutcliffe era. They mostly know Duke as a winning program.
“They’re watching the students storm the field against Clemson or they’re watching the nine-win season from three years ago,” Diaz said. “This group was just in ninth grade. So to be able to equate Duke with winning, everyone know you’re getting the academic experience. So I think the fact those two things go in hand.”
Top-rated recruit
Bryce Davis, DE: A playmaking edge rusher, Davis is the highest-rated high school recruit the Blue Devils have ever signed. The four-star player from Greensboro Grimsley originally committed to Clemson on July 20. But, a month later on Aug. 25, he be flipped his commitment to Duke and never wavered again despite Clemson and Georgia trying to pry him away.
Player who could impact early
Bradley Gompers, LB: One of three four-star players in the class, Gompers would have been the best incoming Duke recruit in past seasons. Instead, the Pittsburgh Central Catholic High product joins Davis as a player who could star for Duke as a freshman next fall. Gompers picked up offers and received constant attention from Penn State, Michigan and Miami after he committed to the Blue Devils but held firm.
“Just going off of film,” Diaz said, “he might be the best player in PA this year. Everybody went after him.”
Most intriguing recruit
Roman Fina, OT: Continues a new family tradition by picking Duke. Roman Fina’s older brother, Bruno Fina, played at UCLA before transferring to become Duke’s starting left tackle this season. Their father, John, starred at Arizona before playing 11 seasons in the NFL. He made two Super Bowl appearances with the Buffalo Bills.
Top local recruit
Kavon Simmons, WR: Played quarterback as a sophomore and junior at Wake Forest High before moving to wide receiver, where he’ll play in college. He threw for more than 2,000 yards as a junior so he’s quite the talent. Simmons was also an all-conference basketball player at Wake Forest. Simmons and Hickory High’s Damien Little arrive as wide receivers just as Duke’s top receivers, Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol, exhaust their eligibility.
“Kavon Simmons is just an outstanding athlete,” Diaz said. “We think he can effect the wide receiver room. He’s a guy that came to our camp and was just phenomenal at camp.”
Signed players
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | Hometown | High school |
| Bradley Gompers | LB | 6-5 | 215 | Pittsburgh | Central Catholic |
| Bryce Davis | DE | 6-3 | 245 | Greensboro | Grimsley |
| Bariate Kara | DE | 6-4 | 260 | Loganville, Ga. | Loganville Christian |
| Nate Sheppard | RB | 5-10 | 180 | Mandeville, La. | Mandeville |
| Jamien Little | WR | 6-1 | 175 | Hickory | Hickory |
| Sampson Onuoha | DE | 6-3 | 240 | London, England | Belmont Hill (Mass.) School |
| Roman Fina | OT | 6-5 | 250 | Tucson, Ariz. | Salpointe Catholic |
| Jamin Brown | OL | 6-4 | 285 | Gadsden, Ala. | Southside |
| Javion Soloman | WR | 6-1 | 170 | Gray, Ga. | Jones County |
| Tommy Rupley | DL | 6-3 | 250 | Acton, Mass. | Belmont Hill School |
| Andrew Pellicciotta | S | 5-10 | 195 | Malvern, Pa. | Malvern Prep |
| William Felder, Jr. | CB | 6-2 | 195 | Willingboro, NJ | Phila. Roman Catholic |
| Kaleb Lanier | CB | 6-0 | 175 | Decatur, Ga. | Decatur |
| Dan Mahan | QB | 6-2 | 180 | Burlington | Williams |
| Elliott Schaper | LB | 6-3 | 210 | Austin, Texas | Westlake |
| Qeanu Johnson | WR | 6-1 | 190 | Hamden, Conn. | Hamden Hall |
| Cole Allen | OT | 6-6 | 265 | Jackson, Miss. | Jackson Prep |
| Ma’khi Jones | CB | 5-11 | 170 | Newark, NJ | Milton (Ga.) |
| Asher Wasserman | LB | 6-2 | 220 | Hamden, Conn. | Hamden Hall |
| Kolbe Harmon | CB | 5-11 | 165 | Brentwood, Tenn. | Brentwood Academy |
| Julius Columbus | DL | 6-2 | 286 | Gainesville, Ga. | Gainesville |
| Kai Jacobowitz | OT | 6-8 | 300 | Carlsbad, Calif. | Carlsbad |
| Maliki Wright | S | 6-0 | 180 | Orlando | Dr. Phillips |
| Evan Scott | OT | 6-5 | 300 | Augusta, Ga. | Lakeside |
| Nathan Kutufaris | OT | 6-6 | 270 | Springfield, Pa. | Cardinal O’Hara |
| Kavon Simmons | WR | 6-0 | 170 | Wake Forest | Wake Forest |
| Daniel Boyd | OL | 6-4 | 290 | Las Vegas | Arbor View |