The summer has been very fun for [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag], who is spending his first complete recruiting cycle as the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils.
He hopes to recruit for the foundation of his program for the next few years, and his 2025 commitment class offers some promise. A team’s success is directly tied to their ability to win in the trenches, so it was important for the Blue Devils to land the pledge of three-star Bariate Kara over the weekend.
The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Loganville, GA native held over 20 offers during high school recruitment, but his relationship with new defensive ends coach Harland Bower ultimately gave Duke the edge.
The Blue Devils haven’t recruited Kara for long. Still, after they offered him just in March of this year during his unofficial visit, the relationships with the staff, the cultural fit, and Duke’s academics became significant factors in sealing the deal.
Kara is a terrific athlete. His size and athleticism allowed him to play both as a defensive end and a tight end during high school. Duke recruited him to slide inside for Saturday games, which means he’ll need to add to his frame to have the requisite mass to battle with the guards and centers of the ACC.
Excited to announce my commitment to Duke University to further my athletic and academic career! Beyond grateful to God and everyone who has contributed to this journey! #AGTG #committed #BleedBlue @DukeFOOTBALL @Coach_MannyDiaz @GinfanteMT @AdamRoweTDD @Dukeglobalzone pic.twitter.com/O2botoW2Tk
— Bariate Kara 🇳🇬 (@BariateKara) July 7, 2024
With Kara’s commitment, the Blue Devils are dangerously close to wrapping up their recruiting efforts for 2025. As it stands right now, they are the 30th-ranked recruiting class in the nation on 247Sports.