Duke has never signed two ESPN 300 recruits in a single recruiting class.
Could that streak end next February?
Four-star tight end Tyler Petite of Moraga, Calif. turned heads in the college football world Monday when he announced his commitment to the Blue Devils instead of top in-state program Southern California. Petite joins wide receiver Keyston Fuller, who committed to Duke June 24, as the second ESPN 300 prospect of the class.
ESPN ranks Petite as the nation’s fourth ranked tight end and the 133rd-best player in the nation. This past season, he caught 24 passes for 495 yards and nine touchdowns for Campolindo High, according to 247sports.com.
Petite cited head coach David Cutcliffe as a major reason why he is planning to take his talents to Durham.
"It was a tough decision, very tough decision, but in my gut and after talking to my family I decided to commit to Duke," Petite told 247Sports.com. "I really couldn't go wrong either way but coach David Cutcliffe 'Cut' was a big part of why I committed to Duke. He's got a great resume, not only with Duke but with other programs."
An imposing 6-foot-5, 225-pound tight-end, Petite could provide future Blue Devil quarterbacks with a big and versatile target. His size is comparable to current redshirt senior tight-end Braxton Deaver, who has a chance to pursue an NFL career with a strong senior campaign.
Although it is still relatively early to commit for 2015 prospects and many tend to flip their verbal commitments, Petite told 247Sports.com that he will not consider changing his college plans.
Petite's commitment gives Duke 16 verbal commitments for the 2015 recruiting class, just two shy of the 18 prospects David Cutcliffe signed as part of the class of 2014 in February.
After a historic 10-4 season, the Blue Devils have had an abundance of success on the recruiting trail this year, particularly in Georgia, where they have received verbal commitments from six players. Duke has the nation's 21st best recruiting class and the sixth best in the ACC, according to 247Sports.
What to Watch for on the 2015 Recruiting Trail in July
- Four star-offensive guard Nick Wilson of Milton, Ga. who is ranked as the 277th prospect in the ESPN 300 will announce his college decision Friday at 3:00 p.m, according to his Twitter account. A number of experts think Wilson’s frontrunners are Stanford, Duke, Auburn and North Carolina. If Wilson commits to Duke, he would be the seventh Georgia native in David Cutcliffe's 2015 recruiting class.
- ·Can the Blue Devils snag another California native who also holds an offer to Southern California? Four-star quarterback Sam Darnold, who is 89th in the ESPN 300, took an unofficial visit to Durham this past weekend. He also holds offers from Oregon and Northwestern, among others.
- · Georgia safety Rashad Roundtree, who is ranked 75th in the ESPN 300, is highly considering Duke along with Georgia, Auburn and Ohio State. There is no word yet on when he will make an announcement.
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