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Duke football makes interesting decision offering Texas defensive end

By Kevin Connelly

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 12: Head coach David Cutcliffe of the Duke football team reacts during the first half of their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 12: Head coach David Cutcliffe of the Duke football team reacts during the first half of their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The Duke football program made an interesting decision to offer a scholarship to a prospect that doesn’t seem destined for Durham.

David Cutcliffe and the Duke football program certainly have been busy on the recruiting trail amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but the Blue Devils made an interesting decision on Monday.

Duke offered Class of 2021 strong-side defensive end Stone Eby, although he already released his Top-8 schools.

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Despite dwindling down his list, in the tweet in which the Flower Mound, Texas native announced his final schools, he said that his recruitment was still “100% open.” Maybe Cutcliffe and his staff see that as an opportunity to try and flip a prospect they did not have a chance with and bring him into Durham.

The Top-8 schools in Eby’s list are Baylor, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Purdue, Rice, Stephen F. Austin, Southern Methodist, and Washington State.

Just by looking at those programs on the surface, none really have anything in common with the Blue Devils, and it would appear that the Flower Mound High School star would want to stay in, or close, to his home state of Texas.

Stone Eby is ranked as the No. 1,085 recruit in the Class of 2021, No. 66 strong-side defensive end, and No. 169 prospect in the state of Texas, according to the 247 Sports Composite Rankings.

The 247 Sports Crystal Ball predicts Eby will stay in Texas and join the SMU Mustangs.

ALSO READ: Top-10 impact players for 2020 Blue Devils

SMU, Baylor, and Georgia Tech seem to be the clear frontrunners for the defensive end at the moment.

In his junior season, Eby racked up 78 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, six pass breakups, and two forced fumbles as his school posted an 8-4 record with a Texas 6A D-I second-round playoff appearance.

ALSO READ: Duke offers major Class of 2021 linebacker Keith Cooper Jr.

Duke currently has 11 players committed in the Class of 2021, six defensive and five offensive players, which puts the Blue Devils as the No. 37 class in the nation and the No. 11 class in the ACC.

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