Last season Duke struggled mightily, going just 2-9, but the 2021 season hopes to bring a little good fortune to those in Durham. The Blue Devils will look to some upperclassmen, and new faces on campus, to turn things around this fall.
Here is a look at the Duke Blue Devils 2021 preseason football awards.
Freshman to Watch – OT Justin Pickett
The 6’7″, 315-pound offensive tackle is the one who I expect to be a shining star among the Blue Devils freshman class in 2021. Yes, I know picking an offensive tackle as a key freshman player is far from a sexy pick, but hear me out. Pickett comes into his freshman season as a highly accomplished player out of Carmel, Indiana with a winning mindset. He is explosive off of the line, a good pull blocker and can quickly create holes for running backs. Pickett can help the Duke O-line do a better job of protecting the QB and probably more importantly open up wide running lanes for those in the backfield. Look for Pickett to get some playing time in 2021 and potentially be a factor on the O-line.
Freshman POY – DE Aaron Hall
Hall was a sought out weak side defensive end by several ACC schools before eventually deciding to stay home and play for the Blue Devils in Durham. Hall recorded 97 tackles and 20 sacks in his senior season of high school. Duke will have a fairly young stable of defensive ends, mainly freshman and redshirt-sophomores, in 2021 so Hall will most likely be thrown into the mix early on and have an opportunity to shine. He thrives at getting into the backfield and busting up plays before they can develop. In 2021, expect Aaron to help improve and shore up the Duke defense, which ranked #98 in total defense in 2020.
Breakout POY – WR Jake Bobo
Up until the 2020, Jake Bobo was just a run-of-the-mill wide receiver. However, in 2020 he seemed to flourish. Last season, he exceeded his previous two seasons totals in both receptions and receiving yards. Now, granted, he did not set the record books on fire last year, but we did get to see him play at a higher level and I expect that trend to continue. In his senior season, Bobo will have his best year yet at Duke and be the go-to guy in the passing game.
Most Underrated – WR Jarett Garner
The main reason that I have Jarett Garner as the most underrated player of the upcoming season is because of his previous injuries. Unfortunately for him, he has been injury prone the past couple of seasons and thus far not risen to his full potential yet. His 6’3″, 210-pound frame compounded with his speed, gives him the makeup to be a great wide receiver. If he can stay healthy and stay on the field, look for Garner to become a prominent player in the Duke offense in 2021.
Defensive POY – CB Jeremiah Lewis
Last season, Jeremiah Lewis really stepped up his defensive game with 46 total tackles, 12 passes defended and 2 interceptions, all career bests. This season, look for those stats to increase even more. Lewis knows how to aggravate receivers and break up passes when needed. Be on the lookout for Lewis to become an essential player in the Duke secondary and potentially one of their best defensive players.
Offensive POY – RB Mateo Durant
While a he did not get the majority of the carries in the 2020 season, that distinction went to Deon Jackson, Mateo Durant certainly made the most of his carries. Durant rushed for 817 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2020 but the most mind-blowing stat he had was his 6.8 yards per rush attempt. Durant’s ability to run away from defenders and fearlessness in taking contact head on should make him even more of a focal point for the Duke offense in 2021. There is a good chance that Durant could a 1,000 yard rusher this season, with a multitude of touchdowns. For that potential alone, I have him as Duke’s offensive POY.
Check out the ACC Preseason Awards for other ACC teams below and stay tuned for more teams coming out soon!
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