With the 2024 season coming up fast, The Chronicle is breaking down each major position group on the Duke roster: specialists, defensive backs, linebackers, running backs, defensive line, offensive line, receivers and quarterbacks. Next up are the receivers and tight ends:
Coming off a season that emphasized the run game, the Blue Devil receiving corps didn’t receive a lot of shine, finishing the year with an average of 180.85 passing yards per game. However, new head coach Manny Diaz has a stronger connection to the air attack than former play caller Mike Elko. Diaz’s top wide receiver in his final season at Miami, Charleston Rambo, finished the year with 1,172 yards. With the new coach likely looking to take advantage of transfer quarterback Maalik Murphy’s impressive arm strength, Duke’s receiving group is poised to become a significant threat to opposing defenses.
Key Players Lost: Jalon Calhoun, Malik Bowen-Sims
Calhoun was easily the most significant loss of the offseason for the position group, having racked up 666 receiving yards in his senior year on top of being a key piece in the punt return game. Now signed as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions, the quick, agile slot receiver will be looking to take his game to the next level with NFL roster cuts due in less than a week. Bowen-Sims was the first receiver to enter the transfer portal in hopes of playing a greater role in the Austin Peay offense than he did with the Blue Devils, as he finished his Duke career with just 13 receptions for 107 yards. The squad from Durham is returning many of the rest of its key pieces, which will allow for more consistency between seasons.
Projected Starters: Jordan Moore, Eli Pancol, Sahmir Hagans, Nicky Dalmolin
Moore, a returning starter, is poised to become an integral part of the Blue Devil offense this season. The graduate student led the receiving group with 62 receptions and finished the year with 835 yards last season. With Diaz likely looking to expand the passing attack, Moore will aim to be the primary beneficiary of more pass attempts. With an abundance of experience and proven consistency, he has the potential to become a favorite target of Murphy.
After suffering a season-ending lower body injury in the 2023 preseason fall camp, Pancol is set to join Moore as a returning starter for Duke. In the 2022 season, Pancol started eight out of nine games, seizing the opportunity by recording 23 receptions for 347 yards and finished the season fourth on the team in both. Pancol is a receiver characterized by his explosiveness, as he recorded the fourth-longest play in program history with an 81-yard reception against Northwestern, and he will be a crucial part of the Blue Devils’ ability to stretch the field with his speed.
Rounding out the squad is Sahmir Hagans, whose speed and versatility led him to contribute on offense and special teams. As third on the team in receptions and receiving yards total with 30 receptions and 260 total receiving yards, the Philadelphia native has historically shown the ability to utilize his speed to outrun the defense, notably having the eighth-longest return in program history with an 81-yard dash against Georgia Tech. His duality makes him an ever-present scoring threat against Duke’s opponents while simultaneously opening up scoring opportunities for his fellow Blue Devils.
At the tight end spot, it will be another season as the top dog for graduate student Nicky Dalmolin. Dalmolin had 15 receptions for 147 yards last season, and will look to continue a career of consistent blocking and receiving for his squad. With 1,664 snaps under his belt, his veteran presence will certainly help as well.
Dark Horse: Javon Harvey
Before transferring to the program in Durham, the redshirt senior remained consistent at his former program, Old Dominion. In the 2023 season, the Georgia native totaled 391 yards and 29 receptions in nine games with his ability to make crucial, explosive plays flying under the radar. Although he is currently fifth on the depth chart, his capacity for playmaking and production makes him another weapon at Diaz’s disposal.
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