Mataeo Durant commits to Duke
Class of 2018 recruit Mataeo Durant brought his recruitment to an end Saturday afternoon, committing to David Cutcliffe’s Duke Blue Devils.
The three-star recruit from McCormick (S.C.) High School just recently narrowed his list to five schools - Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Wofford - but after careful consideration, Durant felt it was time to make a choice.
And Duke fit the bill from top to bottom.
“I want to thank God for granting me the ability to participate in the one sport that I am passionate about,” Durant said in a note posted to Twitter. “I am grateful for all the scholarship offers and relationships that I have created during this process. I would like to thank my family for the continuous support, my coaches, teammates, and friends. After a lot of thought and consideration, I have decided to further my academic and athletic career at Duke University.”
Durant, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound running back, has long considered schools with a healthy balance of football and academics, thus leading him to Durham.
Many recruits say all the right things with consideration to the two components when choosing a program. Durant, though, wasn’t just all talk.
In a spring interview with Rivals.com recruiting analyst Woody Wommack, Durant made it clear what stood out about Duke.
“My parents and I are big on education and what I can do after football instead of just focusing on football,” he said. “For educational purposes and football it’s the best of both worlds. You’re playing big-time football in the ACC and getting the top education in the country.”
Re’quan Boyette is Durant’s lead recruiter, and the two have developed a strong relationship. Boyette, who played running back at Duke, loves explosive guys at the position, and Durant fits the mold.
The rising senior has been recruited to both sides of the football by the schools courting him, and has been a standout on the basketball court and track in addition to his gridiron prowess. That athleticism makes him a valuable member of the Duke class.
He is listed as the nation’s No. 45-ranked prospect at his position by Rivals.com and the No. 14-ranked ball carrier in the Palmetto State.