He might not get the love for it yet, but Duke linebacker Alex Howard has been one of the best defensive players in the ACC through four weeks of the 2024 college football season.
Howard led the Blue Devils with eight total tackles against Middle Tennessee, bringing himself to 36 on the season. He made 3.5 of them behind the line of scrimmage, adding to his team-leading 8.5 tackles for loss. He even tacked on 1.5 sacks to give himself 3.0 of those for the season (you’re never going to believe this, but that’s also the most on the team).
The Youngstown State transfer isn’t just the leading Blue Devil in all three categories. He’s the only ACC defensive player with 35 tackles. eight tackles for loss, and three sacks so far in 2024.
Howard put together his first great performance against Northwestern in Week 2 when he made 14 tackles and 2.5 TFLs. He didn’t just rack up tackles downfield after broken plays, either, as more than half of his stops came within five yards of the line of scrimmage.
He proved himself as an asset in run defense, fitting gaps and making tackles when he made contact, and in pass protection thanks to his ability to read a quarterback’s eyes. If the Wildcats threw a pass around the line of scrimmage, Howard was already heading in that direction by the time the ball was in the air.
The first-year Blue Devil has used his talents each week with at least seven tackles in all four games. He’s made at least two tackles for loss in three games, and he’s been an essential part of a Duke pass defense allowing fewer than 4.3 yards per attempt this season.
Howard gets his chance to earn those headlines in Week 5 when the Blue Devils host North Carolina. The Blue Devils haven’t beaten the Tar Heels since 2018, and a win would move Duke to 5-0 before a road trip to Georgia Tech. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you if he becomes a First Team All-ACC heavyweight.