The Duke football program began its 2025 season off strong with a dominant 45-17 victory at home over FCS opponent Elon. It wasn't a pretty first half offensively for the Blue Devils by any means, but a switch completely flipped in the second, allowing Duke to outscore the Phoenix 35-7 after entering the locker room tied 10-10. New Blue Devils QB Darian Mensah looked great in his debut, and several new faces on the squad put fans on notice from the get-go. After Manny Diaz brought in a slew of talented transfers, it was inevitable that some would break out right away. However, the two biggest stock risers from the Blue Devils' win over Elon may not have been who fans were expecting.
Two new Blue Devils raised their stock dramatically in Week 1
Diaz brought in several impact transfers on both sides of the ball, and many of these new faces were set to be critical pieces right away. Here are the biggest stock risers from each side of the ball after the Blue Devils' victory over Elon.
Offense: WR Cooper Barkate
Barkate made his way to Durham after graduating in three years at Harvard, where he was one of the most productive receivers in the history of the program. In 2024 with the Crimson, Barkate was an AP All-America Honorable Mention and an All-Ivy League First Team selection after tallying 63 receptions for 1,084 yards and 11 touchdowns. Barkate didn't waste any time letting Duke fans know who he was, as he went for 117 receiving yards on five catches against the Phoenix, leading the Blue Devils in yards. Barkate was involved in the offense constantly and created separation with ease. He feels like a big play machine that's waiting to completely explode as the season progresses.
Defense: LB Jaiden Francois
Francois didn't get a ton of buzz this offseason as the Blue Devils brought in several talented guys on the defensive side of the ball, along with bringing back key guys from one of the top defenses in the ACC last season. Francois spent the 2022 season at UCF before spending 2023-24 with Utah State. In 2024, Francois logged 51 tackles, 2 pass deflections, a sack, and an interception. He switched from playing cornerback with the Aggies to linebacker with Duke, and he showed out in his debut. Francois tallied 10 tackles, a tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks, leading the team in tackles. He might not have been the guy many fans thought was going to lead this talented defensive unit right away, but it looks like his snap count will only increase as the season moves along.