The defensive back seven was decimated by injuries in 2025 so if one thing could change for 2026 better health would be at the top of the list. If there is a silver lining to last season’s injury cloud, it is that lots of players had to step up and in the process they gained invaluable experience.
Continuing with the approach of looking at returning talent, portal acquisitions and incoming true freshmen, let’s start with the linebackers which should be a position of strength due to all the returning experience and talent.
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Luke Mergott started 2025 as a reserve but ended the season as a star with game sealing interceptions in both the ACC Championship Game and the Sun Bowl. Mergott recorded 90 tackles, which was the second most by a Blue Devil during the 2025 season.
Four additional linebackers with significant experience return: Nick Morris, Jr. (785 career snaps), Kendall Johnson (648 career snaps), Bradley Gompers (190 career snaps) and Elliot Schaper (118 career snaps). Those snaps are not just raw numbers but rather represent much production. The linebacker position was hurt by injuries in 2025. Can these experienced and talented players stay healthy? The talent and experience are there if the players can remain on the field.
Defensive end is another position where Duke will be relying on returning talent. Tyshon Reed, Kevin O’Connor, Kobe Smith, Bryce Davis and Semaj Turner have only one start between them but they have combined to play 2,042 snaps over 100 games. These experienced players must step up into the starters role in 2026.
On the interior defensive line, Duke has both returnees and portal talent. David Anderson and Preston Watson are the returnees, while Owen Wafle (Penn State) and Dakota Quinonez (Dartmouth) are the portal acquisitions.
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Anderson (433 career snaps) and Watson (521 career snaps) have combined to record 47 tackles and two quarterback sacks.
Waffle arrived from Penn State with a previous stop at Michigan, while Quinonez was First Team All-Ivy League at Dartmouth.
Moving on to the secondary, another position which was ravaged by injuries in 2025, improvement is a must here. Duke’s pass defense was porous last season. Accordingly, the staff hit the portal hard and brought in multiple players at cornerback and safety to shore up returning talent.
Experienced returning cornerbacks Kimari Robinson (24 games/10 starts/1,011 snaps) and Landan Callahan (17 games/6 starts/694 snaps) will be joined by portal acquisitions Dylan Flowers (Western Kentucky), Kyon Loud (Montana), Evan Smith (Northwestern) and Che Ojarikre (Stanford).
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Robinson and Callahan are proven tacklers with 59 and 43 respectively but neither has recorded an interception. Flowers has three career interceptions while Smith and Ojarikre have one each.
At the safety position, Duke returns starter DaShawn Stone (32 games/15 starts/1,365 snaps) and Andrew Pellicciotta (14 games/357 snaps). Stone has recorded 142 tackles and three interceptions while Pellicciotta has 26 tackles and one interception.
Patrick Smith-Young arrives from North Texas via the portal. He has 25 career starts, 194 tackles and an interception.
There are three incoming true freshmen defensive linemen who might see an opportunity to make an impact if depth along the line becomes an issue: tackles Ayden Cain and Chadwicke Cannon plus end Obinna Umeh.
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In the Special Teams phase of the game, there are more unknowns than known in my mind.
Let’s start with the known. Punter Kade Reynoldson is very good and is back for his junior season. Reynoldson has been selected Second Team Preseason All-America and First Team Preseason All-ACC by Phil Steele. Reynoldson has 24 punts of 50+ yards and also serves as the primary holder on field goals and extra points.
Unknowns. Who returns punts? Who returns kick-offs? Who is the long snapper? Who is the placekicker?
Intense competition during preseason practice will certainly take place. Cosme Salas returns at placekicker but his game action to date has been limited to kick-off duty.
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Wide receiver Javen Nicholas has experience returning punts at Charlotte in 2025 so he should be in the mix to return punts. Punt return specialist is a position where experience is required.
The roster absence of an experienced long snapper is concerning.
I’ll be back with a look at the schedule in a few days, so stay tuned.
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