Monday evening saw another Blue Devil standout announce his departure from the program.
Chris Rumph II, who broke out at defensive end over the last two seasons, released a statement via Twitter indicating his intent to enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
Rumph was prolific off the edge during his time in Durham, racking up 17.5 sacks and 33 tackles-for-loss throughout his three-year college career. With high expectations coming into this season, the Gainesville, Fla., native increased his output from 2019 in terms of solo tackles, total tackles and sacks en route to being named to the All-ACC Second Team.
As the NFL trends more toward speedy edge rushers who can line up in a variety of spots, Rumph could go fairly high in the 2021 Draft. Some outlets have speculated whether Rumph has first-round potential, citing his versatility and athleticism. While there is a bevy of talent at defensive end and outside linebacker in this year's class, Rumph certainly has a future on Sundays.
This marks the second draft announcement in three days from a member of Duke's defensive line, as senior Victor Dimukeje also announced that he was entering the 2021 Draft. Without Rumph and Dimukeje getting after opposing quarterbacks, the Blue Devils will have to find new sources of pressure next season.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Max Rego is a Trinity senior and an associate sports editor for The Chronicle's 118th volume. He was previously sports managing editor for Volume 117.