The 15 Duke basketball stars who could have starred in football

Through a football lens, these 15 Duke basketball greats had what it takes.

This is a desperate attempt to counteract the three-month drought across all college sports. I’ve decided to self-entertain by donning my what-if thinking cap to select 15 Duke basketball alums who could’ve thrived in helmets and shoulder pads, tagging each with a suitable football position. Actually, my handful of honorable mentions makes that 20 Blue Devils who showed notable gridiron potential as hoopsters in Durham.

More candidates to land on lists like this one are either returning to Duke next season or are set to debut. And considering Mike Krzyzewski continues to lure one superb athlete after another to his top-of-the-line program, it’s safe to assume many more will arrive in the coming years. But to simplify this ranking, only past Dukies are eligible.

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Before unveiling them, beginning with the honorable mentions and then from No. 15 to No. 1, I should also note that those Blue Devils who did indeed play a little of both college basketball and football — namely, Reggie Love and Greg Paulus — are ineligible as well. After all, by already proving what they are capable of on each stage, they spoiled the fun here by eliminating all the guesswork.

Now, without further ado, let’s tip this off — rather, let’s kick this off — with five Blue Devils who didn’t survive the final cut but don’t deserve to go completely unacknowledged when speaking of football-friendly qualities…