Tag Archives: Duke Football

Projecting the Blue Devils in the NFL Draft

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With the NFL Draft’s third day approaching tomorrow at noon, and two Blue Devils in Sean Renfree and Conner Vernon in contention to be selected, writers from The Chronicle sat down to predict where they believe the duo will land and why.

Duke wide receiver Conner Vernon hopes to be the program's first NFL Draft selection since 2004.

Duke wide receiver Conner Vernon hopes to be the program’s first NFL Draft selection since 2004.

Conner Vernon

  • Zac Elder—Seventh round, 217th overall to the Miami Dolphins. Although not listed at the top of anyone’s list at wide receiver, Vernon stands a good chance being selected in the late rounds. If teams can overlook his lack of physicality and 4.68 40-time at the NFL Combine, then Vernon might get scooped up in one of the later rounds by a team looking for a solid receiver who can also handle punt and kickoff return duties. Vernon, a local Miami product, has drawn a number of comparisons to former Dolphin receiver Wes Welker, who began his successful NFL career with this franchise.
  • Michael Schreiner—Fifth round, 149th overall to the St. Louis Rams. Vernon has been a sleeper pick of many in the lead up to the draft, and the upside he presents as a No. 2 receiver justifies the buzz. He does not have the quickness or size to be the big play guy, but he executes and will do well as a possession receiver. He is also polished and can make an immediate impact in the NFL, which is exactly what the Rams need with only three of last season’s receivers projected to be on this year’s roster.
  • Daniel Carp—Sixth round, 199th overall to the Baltimore Ravens. The defending Super Bowl champs have some holes to fill at receiver since the loss of Anquan Boldin, and with a bevy of picks in the late rounds of this year’s NFL Draft, Vernon would be a wise choice. Ravens head coach Jon Harbaugh will value the Duke receiver’s work ethic and route-running ability, leading him to use one of his picks at the end of the sixth round on him. You could see Vernon come off the board as early as round five, but some average workouts this offseason could cost him on Draft day.
Sean Renfree had surgery the day after Duke's Belk Bowl loss, but still could be selected in the NFL Draft.

Sean Renfree had surgery the day after Duke’s Belk Bowl loss, but still could be selected in the NFL Draft.

Sean Renfree

  • Zac Elder—Undrafted. Bad news for Renfree—only one quarterback (Florida State’s E.J. Manuel) was drafted in the first round of Thursday night’s NFL Draft. And with top prospects Geno Smith, Ryan Nassib, Tyler Wilson and Matt Barkley still left on the board, the former Duke star’s hopes of being selected are slim. After tearing a pectoral muscle in the Belk Bowl, Renfree has not had the opportunity to elevate his draft stock and impress NFL coaches and scouts as some other draft hopefuls have done.
  • Michael Schreiner—Seventh round, 240th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. The pectoral injury he suffered in the Belk Bowl has hurt his chances of getting drafted, but his limited downside should still be enough to convince a team to spend its final pick on Renfree. Aside from a weak arm that will likely limit his upside, Renfree presents little risk to potential suitors. Duke head coach David Cutcliffe compared his work ethic to Peyton Manning, and as a reserve with Cincinnati he would push those ahead of him while also representing a viable second string option down the road.
  • Daniel Carp—Sixth round, 183rd overall to the New Orleans Saints. Four months ago, Sean Renfree’s chances of hearing his name called at the NFL Draft seemed miniscule. But despite not having thrown a football since late December, Renfree’s draft stock has only continued to rise thanks to ringing endorsements from the likes of David Cutcliffe and Peyton Manning. Renfree could come off the board as early as the fifth round and could be taken before his teammate Conner Vernon. In fact, I think he will. The New Orleans Saints will be in the market for a young quarterback in the late rounds of this year’s draft, and Renfree could be the guy they turn to. Renfree also would be a great fit with the New England Patriots, but they only hold three picks after the fourth round—all late in the seventh. A bold prediction could be the Pats package their three picks to move up into the mid-sixth round and grab Renfree, but all fake trades aside, New Orleans’ pass-happy offense would be a good fit for the former Duke signal-caller.

Duke football 2013 spring unit breakdowns

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For the week leading up to Duke football’s 2013 Spring Game, the Blue Zone has broken down this year’s returning squad unit by unit to examine the key changes you’ll see for next year’s Blue Devils. With the Spring Game set to kick off at 4 p.m., here’s everything you need to know about this year’s squad.

 

We’ll have live updates and analysis throughout Duke’s 2013 Spring Game. Feel free to follow along live on Twitter at @chroniclesports.

Duke football 2013 spring unit breakdowns: special teams

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For the week leading up to Duke football’s 2013 Spring Game, the Blue Zone will be breaking down this year’s returning squad unit by unit to examine the key changes you’ll see for next year’s Blue Devils. Today, we look at the special teams unit.

Key returners: redshirt sophomore Will Monday, sophomore Ross Martin

Ross Martin led the Blue Devil kicking unit last season and hopes to replicate his success as a sophomore (Photo by Faith Robertson/The Chronicle)

Ross Martin led the Blue Devil kicking unit last season and hopes to replicate his success as a sophomore (Photo by Faith Robertson/The Chronicle)

Key departures: Jackson Anderson

Now in the mix: redshirt freshman Thomas Hennessy

2012 performance: The Blue Devils excelled in most aspects of the kicking game last season. Ross Martin earned freshman All-America honors by knocking in 20 of his 23 field goals on the season and converting on 46-of-47 extra point attempts. Martin knocked down both of his attempts from longer than 50 yards last season, notching a season-long of 52.

Will Monday also ranked 13th in the nation in punting, averaging 44.64 yards per kick en route to All-ACC recognition in his first collegiate season.

Kick coverage was where the Blue Devils struggled. The team was mediocre in kickoff coverage and ranked 118th out of 120 FBS schools in punt coverage.

Season outlook: Martin and Monday return to the field and should continue to provide Duke consistency in the kicking game. Kick coverage has been one of head coach David Cutcliffe’s primary concerns in spring practice. He continually mentions how important the game’s three phases—offense, defense and special teams—are to success on the gridiron. It will be interesting to see if the kick coverage unit can improve under the tutelage of first-year special teams coordinator Zac Roper, who replaced Cutcliffe’s longtime friend and colleague Ron Middleton last offseason.

One of the unsung heroes to Duke’s success in the kicking game has been long snapper Jackson Anderson, who Cutcliffe said has not had a bad snap in his four years with the Blue Devils. This type of consistency is something often overlooked until something goes wrong, which it never did with Anderson snapping the ball. Anderson graduated last season and is now trying to break into the NFL ranks, which means that Thomas Hennessy’s transition as the team’s new long snapper could be a crucial one to continuing Duke’s special teams success.

Previous unit breakdowns: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs

Duke football 2013 spring unit breakdowns: linebackers

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For the week leading up to Duke football’s 2013 Spring Game, the Blue Zone will be breaking down this year’s returning squad unit by unit to examine the key changes you’ll see for next year’s Blue Devils. Today, we look at the linebackers.

Key returners: redshirt juniors Kelby Brown and C.J. France, redshirt sophomore Kyler Brown, junior David Helton

Kelby Brown will return to Duke's linebacking corps after missing the entire 2012 season due to injury (Photo by Elysia Su/The Chronicle)

Kelby Brown will return to Duke’s linebacking corps after missing the entire 2012 season due to injury (Photo by Elysia Su/The Chronicle)

Key departures: Austin Gamble

Now in the mix: freshman Dominic McDonald

2012 performance: Duke’s linebacking corps was statistically very productive in 2012. Head coach David Cutcliffe kept his linebackers constantly rotating in his 4-2-5 defense and the Blue Devils’ top four linebackers were able to make significant contributions to the defense. C.J. France was the biggest surprise of the 2012 season, leading the linebackers with 56 tackles, 1.5 for a loss and an interception. After starting the season on the bench, France quickly found a spot in the starting lineup and held onto it for the remainder of the season. Helton and Kyler Brown were dependable on the strong side, registered 54 and 50 tackles on the season, respectively. Gamble served as one of the emotional leaders of this linebacking group, but was the least productive last season, when he registered just 36 tackles but also forced and recovered a fumble and blocked a kick.

Duke’s linebackers were relatively reliable in pass coverage last season. Most of the big plays that the Blue Devils fell susceptible to last season came in the form of long bombs over the top of their secondary. The linebackers were average in run support, often having to make tackles when Duke’s struggling defensive line allowed some of the ACC’s stronger backs into the second level. As a unit, they succeeded in wrapping the ballcarier up, though a few missed tackles were definitely a part of this team’s downfall.

Season outlook: In addition to returning an experienced group of linebackers, the Blue Devils will be relieved to welcome Kelby Brown back to the lineup. Brown had been a full-time starter during his first two seasons at Duke before a knee injury kept him out for the entire season. Luckily for the Blue Devils, Brown had not used his redshirt year as a freshman and can now use his extra year of eligibility. It is unclear to see where Brown will factor into the linebacking corps this year, though. He was listed behind France on Duke’s first depth chart of the spring. Expect him to make some push for the starting job this summer in training camp. As of now, his younger brother Kyler is projected to start on the strong side with Helton listed as second-string.

Dominic McDonald is one of four Duke freshmen to enroll early and participate with the team in spring practice. McDonald had shown a lot of promise before having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in late February. It is unclear how long the injury will keep him out, but he will likely be good to go by the time the Blue Devils meet this summer for training camp. Cutcliffe had previously lauded McDonald’s work in meetings and the weight room, citing the Florida native’s promising future.

The key for the Blue Devil linebackers this year will be in run support, where the team struggled last season. Attacking the line of scrimmage and making tackles shortly after first contact will be crucial to this team’s success in stopping the run. If there is anything this team needs from its linebackers this year, it is for them to evolve from consistent players to playmakers. Duke returns experience at linebacker, but also boasts a bunch that rarely made an impact on a game by sacking quarterbacks and causing turnovers.

Previous unit breakdowns: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line

Duke football 2013 spring unit breakdowns: defensive backs

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For the week leading up to Duke football’s 2013 Spring Game, the Blue Zone will be breaking down this year’s returning squad unit by unit to examine the key changes you’ll see for next year’s Blue Devils. Today we continue with the defensive backs, which we profiled further in Wednesday’s Chronicle.

Key returners: redshirt senior cornerback Ross Cockrell and sophomore safety Dwayne Norman

All-ACC selection Ross Cockrell will lead a young and inexperienced Duke secondary into 2013 (Photo by Thanh-Ha Nguyen/The Chronicle)

All-ACC selection Ross Cockrell will lead a young and inexperienced Duke secondary into 2013 (Photo by Thanh-Ha Nguyen/The Chronicle)

Key departures: cornerbacks Tony Foster and Lee Butler and safeties Jordon Byas and Walt Canty

Now in the mix: redshirt sophomore safety Jeremy Cash and redshirt freshmen Corbin McCarthy and DeVon Edwards

2012 performance: Defending the vertical pass was definitely not one of Duke’s strong suits in 2012. The Blue Devils gave up more than 260 yards through the air to opponents, often surrendering large chunks of yardage during critical stretches of games. While most college programs run a traditional defensive scheme with four starters in the secondary, Duke utilizes a 4-2-5, playing two cornerbacks and three safeties at a time. Oftentimes one or more of the Blue Devil safeties were forced to the play near the line of scrimmage in order to shore up a weak front seven that had trouble stopping the run. This left the remaining secondary in one-on-one coverage for much of the season against some of the nation’s top passing attacks. The result—despite have five defensive backs on the field—Duke was susceptible to allowing big plays through the air.

The Blue Devils gave up more than 340 yards passing three times, giving up 50+ points in two of the games. Premier passing attacks like Clemson, Florida State and Miami had their way with Duke’s secondary. And the Blue Devils only intercepted 11 passes on the year, although Cockrell had five of those 11 to lead the ACC.

Head coach David Cutcliffe acknowledged that defending explosive vertical pass plays has been one of the defense’s primary focal points this spring. Opponents averaged 15-and-a-half yards per catch against Duke. Many of these big pass plays came on crucial third down or late game situations.

Season outlook: As of now, three spots in next year’s depth chart are most likely filled. Cockrell will be the anchor at the top cornerback position, with Norman and Cash both starting at safety. McCarthy is currently slated as the third starter at safety, but the redshirt freshman is almost completely untested having played in just two games last season. It is also unclear who will fill the second starting cornerback position alongside Cockrell. The current depth chart lists DeVon Edwards as the probable starter, but unlike McCarthy, Edwards has yet to see any time on the field.

If producing a starting five that is game-ready is a challenge for Cutcliffe and his defensive staff, finding reliable depth in the secondary presents an even greater mystery. Coaches are high on incoming freshmen cornerbacks Evrett Edwards and Quan Mann, who are currently listed as second and third, respectively, on the depth chart. The three-star prospects should see significant playing time, although right now they are question marks in terms of adjusting to college-speed wide receivers. Fifth-year senior Garrett Patterson should also see time at cornerback, although the redshirt senior only saw limited action despite playing in all 13 games.

Previous unit breakdowns: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers

Peyton Manning pranks teammate at Duke workouts

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Peyton Manning returned to Duke this week to work out with his old college coach, David Cutcliffe. While he was here, he relived his college days with a practical joke per a pic on the NFL’s Facebook.

While the All-Pro quarterback was working out with his brother, Eli and their Denver Broncos and New York Giants teammates, Peyton decided to play a little prank on Broncos receiver Eric Decker.

At the conclusion of Manning’s five-day training camp in Durham, he presented Decker with a bill for the week’s activities, including fees for on-field instruction, laundry, taping and use of the facilities. Manning was nice enough to throw in an airport shuttle, on the house.

529616_10151477197366263_1078715681_nOne week with David Cutcliffe…$3,217.50.

Pranking your teammate and having it go viral…priceless.