Rankings, predictions, ratings, and projections are flying into focus from every corner as the 2025 college football season rapidly approaches.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) released its ranking of the top 50 college football players for the upcoming season, and while two Duke Blue Devils earned their places on the list, they deserved to be much higher in the rankings.
PFF drastically underrates two of Duke's best defensive players
Both Chandler Rivers and Terry Moore were included in the top 50. However, Moore barely made the cut, and Rivers fell well short of breaking into the top 25... an unjust ranking for two of the best defensive backs in the country.
- 71 total tackles (45 solo)
- 5 pass deflections
- 4 interceptions (83 yards)
- 2 forced fumbles
- 1 sack
As a redshirt sophomore, Moore racked up an impressive number of tackles as he covered the middle of the field for the Blue Devils' defensive secondary. He also amassed 83 return yards on four interceptions, despite never finding the end zone last season.
Even while playing safety, he earned a sack against the then-No. 5 Miami Hurricanes, as well as forcing a fumble in the ACC matchup. His second forced fumble of the season came against the Northwestern Wildcats toward the end of the year.
- 54 total tackles (30 solo)
- 8 pass deflections
- 3 interceptions (36 yards, 1 touchdown)
- 2 forced fumbles
- 1 sack
Rivers played such good defense during the 2024-25 season that quarterbacks stopped throwing to targets he was covering. He earned an impressive eight pass deflections and brought down three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles.
Just like Moore, Rivers forced two fumbles last season, one against Virginia Tech and one against UConn. He also earned a sack in Duke's win over VT last year.
Their stats speak for themselves. Moore and Rivers are two of the best defensive backs in the country and deserved to be higher up on PFF's list. They'll just have to prove their rankings wrong in the upcoming season.