247Sports updated its Talent Composite scores on Thursday, grading every college football program based on the star ratings of its players, and the Duke Blue Devils nearly brought up the rear in the ACC.
The Blue Devils finished 16th out of 17 ACC teams in the ranking, coming in 70th nationally. Only Wake Forest (71st) finished lower.
First-year head coach Manny Diaz might inherit a team with 17 wins over the last two seasons, but most of the talent that brought that success isn’t at Wallace Wade Stadium this year. Left tackle Graham Barton went to the NFL, as did All-ACC defensive lineman DeWayne Carter, and quarterback Riley Leonard and edge rusher RJ Oben transferred to Notre Dame.
Only four of the 80 Duke football players on 247Sports’ website have more than three stars to their name, the fewest of any program in the conference.
Among those four-star talents, however, is new quarterback Maalik Murphy, who transferred from Texas this winter and officially won the starting job this week. Edge rusher VJ Anthony, offensive lineman James Pogorelc (a Stanford transfer), and freshman wide receiver Chase Tyler are the only other four-star talents in the building.
The 2024 Team Talent Composite is here 🚨
Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State take the top 3⃣ spots.
Full breakdown🔗 https://t.co/0495mIpPvn pic.twitter.com/r9rRdlVyaO
— 247Sports (@247Sports) August 22, 2024
Duke gets the 2024 season underway against Elon on August 30.