As part of a bonding experience for the current Duke football team, head coach David Cutcliffe will be taking the Blue Devils to attend a preseason NFL game to watch several former players competing in the pros. Former Duke offensive guard and first round draft pick Laken Tomlinson and the Detroit Lions will be taking on 3rd round pick wide receiver Jamison Crowder and rookie free agent offensive tackle Takoby Cofield on the Washington Redskins on August 20th.
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All three of these alums had outstanding careers with the Blue Devils and were a part of the winningest class of players in Duke Football history. Laken Tomlinson was an All-American offensive lineman with the Blue Devils, the highest NFL draft pick since 1987, and was also named the ACC’s 2014-15 Male Athlete of the Year.
Jamison Crowder finished his career at Duke as one of the program’s top wide receivers, breaking numerous school and conference records with the Blue Devils. Takoby Cofield was an All-ACC selection last year and joined Tomlinson on an offensive line that led the country in fewest tackles for loss allowed per game and led the conference with the fewest sacks allowed. Both Crowder and Tomlinson have impressed their coaching staffs as rookie draft picks in summer training camps and are expected to have an impact for their respective teams this NFL season.
The Blue Devils will practice on Thursday before heading up to FedEx Field for the game in the D.C. area and return to Durham on Friday. The team will also be visiting several national monuments on their trip, including the Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. David Cutcliffe and the Duke players are very excited about the upcoming trip, with Cutcliffe saying this about how setting up this event can help the team:
"“We’re excited about this tremendous opportunity – one with a couple of unique benefits. The educational component of taking our young men to see two of our country’s most significant historical landmarks is truly priceless. A good number of our players will attend their first professional football game, and being able to support three former Blue Devils in the process is an added bonus. And we can’t discount the team bonding aspect of a trip like this, where the hope is we become a more cohesive unit.”"
As Cutcliffe continues to build up the Duke Football program and improve the caliber of players through recruiting, more and more Blue Devils will be able to take the next step and play professionally in the NFL each year. Duke will return from their excursion on Friday to host their Meet the Blue Devils Day event for fans on Saturday and will kick-off the season at Tulane on September 3rd.