Spring practice is over, and the attention has shifted from the current team to the future for Manny Diaz and his Duke staff.
Armed with a contract extension that represented a big vote of confidence from the administration in the aftermath of Duke's first outright ACC Championship since 1962, Diaz will look to go big game hunting this summer and reel in some top prospects.
It'll be interesting to see the roster-building strategy by Diaz in this cycle. After signing 28 high school kids in the 2025 class, the Blue Devils only signed 16 in the 2026 cycle. A bigger class is likely needed in 2027, but the Transfer Portal has totally changed the dynamics.
Heading into OVs, Duke has five commitments in its 2027 class. Who could join them in the coming weeks?
Manny Diaz would hit a home run by landing these 3 Duke football targets soon
1. TE Parker Newman, Sevirville, Tennessee - 3-star
Tennessee native Parker Newman is an intriguing TE prospect with excellent size and ball skills. He's the type of prospect who could blow up even more during his senior season and have a lot of programs banging down his door.
As things stand, it's shaping up to be a battle between Duke and Penn State for the 3-star prospect. Diaz will get the first crack at Newman, with the TE scheduled to be in Durham for the first official visit weekend of the summer on May 29th. He's currently scheduled to head to Penn State the following week, something the Blue Devils will hope to prevent from happening.
Newman is currently ranked as the No. 435 overall player in the 247 composite.
2. WR Anthony Henderson, Suffolk, VA - 3-star
3-star WR Anthony Henderson is an intriguing prospect. He had an injury-shortened junior season, but as a sophomore, he produced over 1000 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. He's likely to blow up as a senior, but plenty of major programs are already taking notice.
Henderson will make the rounds this summer, taking visits to Duke, Maryland, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils sit in a good spot, but there's plenty of recruiting to be done. He's scheduled to be in Durham on June 12th.
3. S Lance Henderson, Durham, NC - 3-star
3-star Lance Henderson is not a prospect Diaz can afford to escape his own city. Right now, NC State is widely viewed as the favorite with a prediction currently in their favor, but Duke still has plenty of time to change things.
It's a three-team race overall for Henderson, with Duke and NC State duking it out alongside Virginia Tech. He'll take visits to all three, with his visit to Duke scheduled for June 12th.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Durham native is a two-way player for his high school, but most expect he'll play safety at the next level.
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