Duke linebacker Montreze Smith, a three-star freshman from the 2024 recruiting class, announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Sunday.
“I want to thank Duke University, my coaches, teammates, and the entire athletic staff for the incredible opportunity to be part of this program,” Smith wrote in a social media statement. “Representing Duke both on and off the field has been an honor, and I am truly grateful for the support and relationships I’ve built during my time here.”
Smith, a Georgia native, was 247Sports’ No. 79 linebacker in the Class of 2024 and the sixth-highest Duke football signee in [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag]’s first freshman class. He appeared in four games this season, recording one tackle against Elon in the opener, and he’ll have four years of eligibility left.
The Blue Devils had 12 other linebackers on the 2024 roster, but each of the team’s three leading tacklers (Ozzie Nicholas, Alex Howard, and Cam Bergeron) at the position just spent their final year with the program. Redshirt juniors Tre Freeman and Nick Morris Jr. should be back for next year, but the position could be one of interest for Duke in the portal this offseason.