Defensive Development
Jim Sumner, GoDuke the Magazine
“All they heard the entire offseason is about who left. Who left, and almost the assertion that last year was as good as it could ever get and that they couldn’t do what last year’s team could do. And the fact that we’ve already beaten two programs who last year’s team couldn’t beat, I think that means a lot to the guys in the locker room. What it shows to them is that the program is still developing, still elevating.”
That was Duke football coach Manny Diaz shortly after his team’s come-from-behind win at Illinois.
Diaz knows it’s impossible to compete in 2026 college football without utilizing the transfer portal. Duke has transfers starting at quarterback, offensive tackle, wide receiver and in the secondary, with key transfer reserves at almost every spot on the team.
But from his introductory press conference, Diaz has insisted that Duke can and will succeed as a developmental program — finding, signing, developing and playing the best high school players who meet Duke’s academic, athletic and cultural requirements. Portal additions will fill specific needs, but roster continuity will remain the cornerstone of the program.
It’s not just talk. Diaz’s first full recruiting class is now in its second season at Duke.
The impact of that class is significant. On offense, running back Nate Sheppard is one of the nation’s best.
The biggest impact of the second-year players is on defense. No fewer than nine second-year players are listed on Duke’s defensive depth chart. Tackles Julius Columbus and Bariate Kara, end Sampson Onuoha and cornerback Kaleb Lanier are depth pieces who could quickly become more than that with an injury.
Duke’s linebacker corps features three second-year players on the second unit, all three contributing. Will Felder Jr. was primarily a special teams player last season. He inserted himself into the conversation with a big spring. Elliot Schaper’s promising freshman season ended with a leg injury, on one of the biggest plays of Duke’s season, Sahmir Hagans’ kickoff return for a touchdown at Clemson.
Bradley Gompers was one of the highest-ranked Duke recruits in recent memory. At 6-5, 230 pounds, the Pittsburgh native has the body of a tight end, which he was at Central Catholic High School. A true, two-way player in high school, Gompers could have played on either side of the ball in college. ESPN.com ranked him at 286 on their ESPN300.
Gompers was a priority target of such programs as Michigan and nearby Penn State and signing him was one of Diaz’s first big recruiting victories.
Like virtually every Duke linebacker last season, Gompers had to fight through injuries. But he had 14 tackles in 12 games, 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
Felder and Gompers had big springs. Going into fall camp Diaz told the media, “It’s almost hard to imagine how they don’t have a massive role on our team.”
Gompers had four tackles and Felder three in Duke’s opening win over Tulane, including a third-down sack by Gompers that led to Tulane losing the ball on downs late, trailing only 10-3.
If Gompers isn’t the most touted recruit of Diaz’s Duke tenure, then defensive end Bryce Davis is. The Greensboro native committed to Clemson but changed his mind and signed with Duke. Like Gompers, Davis was a consensus four-star recruit.
Davis had 10 tackles as a freshman, two for losses.
But he knew he could be better and being better started with making his body better.
Honestly, I’ve leaned up a bit from my freshman year. I had a lot of baby fat still on my freshman year. So, being in the strength program, the best strength program in the country with Coach Feeley, I feel good, move better, feel stronger, faster. I took my nutrition seriously, took my weight seriously this offseason, trying to get leaner, faster, stronger and just going out there and ball my sophomore year.~Duke defensive end Bryce Davis
Davis used his better conditioning to attack the offseason. “The work I put in this offseason just allowed me to play more free, more confident.”
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke said the staff noticed Davis’ renewed commitment.
These guys are serious about their nutrition, about their bodies and that’s awesome. Bryce is one of those. He’s a pro.~ Duke defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke
Patke adds that Davis brings more to the table than just his physical attributes.
“He’s a student of the game," Patke added. "He’s mature above his years. He wants to know every detail. Even when he was hurt during the spring, he was meeting with Coach [Trent] Harris and wanting to know all the details of every coverage, how he can get better. He’s a polished player for a sophomore. You look at him sometimes and you forget he’s only a sophomore.”
Davis had six tackles against Tulane, two of them sacks, another for a loss, all crucial in keeping the Green Wave out of the end zone.
The 265-pound Davis is also a run stopper. He had five tackles against Illinois, helping hold the Illini to 3.5 yards per rush.
Davis and Gompers are reaching their considerable promise. But safety Andrew Pellicciotta has been the most productive sophomore defender.
Pellicciotta originally committed to Navy but changed his mind after an unofficial visit to Duke. He was a contributor as a freshman but has taken it to the next level as a sophomore.
Patke explains how that happened.
Obviously, him playing as a true freshman helped him grow. But through the spring, through fall camp, he’s just a guy who has a nose for the football and our job as a staff is to get him close to the football. He’s really good making the wrongs right on the field and he tackles at a high level. He’s very intelligent. He’s a quarterback on the field. He gets us in the right checks, the right adjustments. But his tackling is his superpower right now.~ Duke defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke on Andrew Pellicciotta
A sophomore as quarterback on the field?
Patke says that’s unusual, but Pellioccitta isn’t a usual football player.
“We saw it coming. We saw that he could handle that. His mental makeup allows him to make those plays and those adjustments.”
Pellioccitta says he learned “being able to stay calm in the game, stay comfortable,” as a freshman.
His tackling?
As safeties, we’re definitely pass-first defenders but we’ve got to fit the run when needed. It’s about being confident and flying in there.~ Duke safety Andrew Pellicciotta
He helped set up Luke Mergott to force a crucial fumble at the end of a long gain by Tulane, a fumble recovered by Duke linebacker Nick Morris Jr. Pellicciotta had 11 tackles against Illinois, nine of them solo tackles.
Like Gompers, Pellioccitta was a two-way player in high school. He was a running back and is translating those skills as Duke’s primary punt returner.
Diaz says he and his staff expected big things from this class and they’re getting them.
We felt like that class, the first full class we had, was filled with really talented players. When you have an open competition, with no status, with everything to play for, those guys have really stepped up and played really, really well for us.~ Duke head coach Manny Diaz
Duke is trying to find ways to get this year’s freshmen on the field, especially on special teams. Receiver Brody Keefe, running back Jayvian Tanelus and safety K.D. Cotton figure to get more snaps as the season progresses.
Diaz says the ability of players from last year’s team such as Wesley Williams and Aaron Hall to make NFL rosters, combined with the success of the young players coming back, reinforces the message he and his staff are trying to convey.
The narrative that you have to go somewhere other than Duke to fulfill all of your football dreams is nigh. You can compete for championships here; that’s been proven. You can go to the National Football League; that’s been proven, while at the same time getting an elite education and all the things that come from being a Duke alumni. That’s our vision for the program and it’s becoming a reality.~ Duke head coach Manny Diaz