The Duke football program is looking to build on a fantastic year one under head coach Manny Diaz, one in which the Blue Devils won nine games for just the third time since joining the ACC in 1953. After having one of the top defenses in all of college football in 2024, the Blue Devils are set to have another year of defensive dominance. Pro Football Focus rated the Blue Devils' secondary as the eighth-best in college football heading into the 2025 season.
No fly zone 😈 pic.twitter.com/riwcE1YfWV
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) June 13, 2025
Duke is bringing back two of its key secondary pieces from a season ago in rising senior cornerback Chandler Rivers and rising senior safety Terry Moore. Both were potentially the top two defensive players for Duke in 2024 and are back to bolster a unit looking to be the best in the ACC in 2025.
Rivers is seen as one of the top overall players returning to college football in 2025. The Beaumont, TX native is ranked by ESPN as the seventh-best defensive back in the nation, and second-best in the ACC behind only Clemson's Avieon Terrell.
Rivers finished the 2024 season tied for the team lead in both pass deflections and forced fumbles while also finishing second on the squad in interceptions. He also gave up just 13 completions all season and allowed the third-lowest completion percentage in all of college football.
The senior is also viewed as a top 2026 NFL Draft prospect, as a recent CBS Sports mock slotted Rivers going 11th overall to the Los Angeles Rams.
Moore led the team in interceptions last season with four and forced fumbles with two, while also finishing fourth on the team in tackles (71) and third in pass deflections (5).
The Blue Devils are also bringing in two solid secondary pieces via the portal in Caleb Weaver from Sam Houston State and Jaiden Francois from Utah State. Weaver led the Bearkats in tackles (97) and interceptions (4) in 2024.
Pressure is certainly mounting on the Duke football program to bring on success after the heavy investment the team made into transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, but this defense is set to once again be one of the very best in college football in 2025.