Signing Day Central
The long wait is over; National Signing Day has finally arrived and DevilsIllustrated.com is set to guide you through the entire day.
Ted Roof is set to his third full recruiting class to National Letters of Intent and you can follow all of the action from behind your computer screen.
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We'll have live updates from the Yoh Football Center as the fax machine churns out each letter, plus full coverage of Roof's annual signing day press coverage.
Also be on the lookout for feature pieces analyzing Duke's 2007 class, including offensive and defensive superlatives as well as analysis of which signees might have the best chance to play as true freshmen.
Plenty of additional coverage awaits throughout the week as we'll stack Duke's class up against the rest of the ACC in a whirlwind tour of the conference.
Plus, you can get all of your questions answered inside our premium message board, Devil Insider.
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DUKE BLUE DEVILS 2007 FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 227
High School: A.C. Reynolds (Asheville, North Carolina)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Rivals.com ranking: Two Star
Quotable: "I like the defensive coaching staff [at Duke]. The education you will get is awesome which was a big plus for me. I like where it's at. I really like the Raleigh-Durham area. It just all fit very well."
Notable stats: Recorded 120 tackles and 20 tackles for loss during the regular season as a senior.
Committed: July 10, 2006
Odds & Ends: Brad Sherrod was his lead recruiter...Runs a 4.56 40-yard-dash...Helped team to a 13-1 record as a senior...Bench pressed 225 pounds 12 times at a Duke camp in June
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 197
High School: Brother Rice (Birmingham, Michigan)
Position: Quarterback
Rivals.com ranking: Two Star
Quotable: "Duke was number one on my list throughout the recruiting process. Once they offered me, I knew that's where I would go. I just wanted a chance to see some other schools, but all along I knew I was going to be at Duke."
Notable stats: Completed 55.1 percent of his passes as a senior for 1,375 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Committed: June 30, 2006
Odds & Ends: John Strollo was his lead recruiter...Ran a 4.9 second 40-yard-dash at Duke's summer camp last June, but has trimmed that time since then thanks to speed specific training...Led Brother Rice to a 33-4 record in his three years as a varsity starter...Has an older brother and a cousin who have each played college football
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 262
High School: Hamilton (Hamilton, Ohio)
Position: Defensive End
Rivals.com ranking: 52nd ranked strongside defensive end in the nation, 34th ranked overall prospect in the state of Ohio, three star
Quotable: "I ended up committing [to Duke on my official visit]. I wasn't really planning on it...it was a combination of all three things, the social life, the athletics, and the academics."
Notable stats: Recorded nine sacks as a junior playing defensive end
Committed: December 3, 2006
Odds and Ends: John Strollo was his lead recruiter...Offered scholarships by more than 10 Division 1-A schools, including Cincinnati, Maryland, Vanderbilt, and Minnesota...Could potentially move to defensive tackle depending on how his body develops...Played defensive tackle as a senior, causing his sack production to decline
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 250
High School: Boone (Orlando, Florida)
Position: Offensive Line
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "I just really like the school, I like everything about it. I decided that with the way the education is there, and I think the football team is up and coming, that I should go ahead and [commit]."
Notable stats: Had 245 receiving yards playing tight end as a senior...Averaged 20.4 yards per catch
Committed: July 17, 2006
Odds and Ends: Glenn Spencer was his lead recruiter...Played tight end in high school but projects as an offensive tackle at Duke...Will almost certainly redshirt to add needed weight and strength...Has good feet and long arms which should translate well into offensive tackle...Offered scholarships by Cincinnati, Northwestern, and East Carolina
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 183
High School: Bishop Kearny (Rochester, NY)
Position: Cornerback
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "I know I can play football. I'm not worried about what other people think. Just watch me play. I can play."
Notable stats: Rushed for 1,553 yards as a senior and 3,887 yards during his high school career
Committed: August 11, 2006
Odds and Ends: Passed over by many schools at running back because of his small size...Jerry Azzinaro was his lead recruiter...Defensively in high school, played a combination of linebacker and safety because the team needed his production close to the line of scrimmage
Height: 5-11 | Weight: 175
High School: Judson (Converse, Texas)
Position: Cornerback
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "The [Duke] team was like a big family. They are young right now, but two years from now, in just about two years, people are going to see Duke accomplish the same type of things Wake Forest did."
Notable stats: Runs a sub 4.5 40-yard dash
Committed: December 28, 2006
Odds and Ends: Also a standout track athlete...Lead recruiter was Scott Brown...Lost his mother at a young age and dedicated his college choice to her by committing to Duke on her birthday
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 180
High School: Greenwich (Greenwich, Connecticut)
Prep School: Mercersburg Academy (Mercersburg, Pennsylvania)
Position: Athlete
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "[Our dad] has given us a tremendous amount of advice. He thought it would be in our best interest to go to prep school, get another year of maturity and more experience on the football field."
Notable stats: Ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at the State College NIKE camp in April, 2005
Committed: December 11, 2006
Odds and Ends: Twin brother of Colin Jones, also part of Duke's 2007 signing class...Son of former Blue Devil Cedric Jones, who ranks 7th on Duke's all time receiving yardage list...Cousin of current Duke fullback Tielor Robinson...Lead recruiter was Jerry Azzinaro...Teammates at Mercersburg Academy with offensive lineman Bryan Morgan, who is also part of Duke's 2007 signing class.
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 180
High School: Greenwich (Greenwich, Connecticut)
Prep School: Mercersburg Academy (Mercersburg, Pennsylvania)
Position: Athlete
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "We were pretty sure that it was going to end up being Duke because both of our parents graduated from Duke and the coaching staff, they seemed like they really wanted us to be there. There is no other school that can compare to what Duke has to offer."
Notable stats: Helped lead Greenwich High School to an 8-2 record as a senior in 2005.
Committed: December 11, 2006
Odds and Ends: Twin brother of Cameron Jones, who is also a member of Duke's 2007 signing class...Prep school teammate with offensive lineman Bryan Morgan, who is also a member of Duke's 2007 signing class...Son of former Blue Devil Cedric Jones, who ranks 7th on Duke's all time receiving yardage list...Cousin of current Duke fullback Tielor Robinson...Lead recruiter was Jerry Azzinaro
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 195
High School South Cobb (Austell, Georgia)
Position: Receiver
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "[Receivers coach Scottie Montgomery] was just showing me what they struggled with this year and how I could come in and help them. We watched a little film, and they didn't really have a lot of speed...They like to run a lot of slant routes from the slot position to get past the linebacker, and he said with my speed I could handle that."
Notable stats: Recorded nearly 1,800 all purpose yards as a senior playing mostly quarterback
Committed: September 2, 2006
Odds and Ends: Lead recruiter was Glenn Spencer...Also a standout basketball player who received hoops offers from UMass and Ole Miss, among others...Also offered by Indiana for football...Offered by Duke after his performance at Duke's three day camp in mid-June
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 180
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kansas)
Position: Punter/Kicker
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "I'm happy and ecstatic about the opportunity to play at an ACC school, play at Duke, put on that Duke uniform, and get a great education."
Notable stats: Averaged 40 yards per punt as a senior
Committed: January 28, 2007
Odds and Ends: Lead recruiter was Larry Kerr...Offered by Duke while on his official visit the last weekend of January...Also offered by Youngstown State and Northern Colorado...Former three sport star in high school, but now plays just football and baseball
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 252
High School: Hoover (Hoover, Alabama)
Prep School: Mercersburg Academy (Mercersburg, Pennsylvania)
Position: Offensive Line
Rivals.com Ranking: 46th ranked prep school prospect in the nation, two star
Quotable: "They aren't quite sure exactly where they are going to put me but they are talking about center. I have practiced [at center], but I've never actually played it. I practiced it some at Hoover. I played tackle and guard [at Mercersburg]."
Notable stats: Bench presses nearly 350 pounds
Committed: December 10, 2006
Odds and Ends: Named to the Alabama Sports Writers Association All State team as a high school senior in 2005...Lead recruiter was Glenn Spencer...Aspires to be an eye surgeon...In addition to football, also an accomplished musician...Had offers out of high school from Louisville, UAB, Memphis, Navy, and Middle Tennessee...Prep school teammates with fellow Duke signees Cameron and Colin Jones...From the same home town as current Duke offensive lineman Rob Drum...Officially visited Duke in January, 2006 but ended up going to prep school because the Blue Devils filled their scholarships
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 183
High School: McKinney (McKinney, Texas)
Position: Safety
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "Basically I run fast and I hit hard, that's pretty much it....I think I'm pretty good at [pass coverage and run support]. If I had to pick one I was better at, I'd pick probably run support."
Notable stats: Scored 18 touchdowns as a senior playing running back
Committed: February 2, 2007
Odds and Ends: Originally committed to Stanford in September, but a coaching change in Palo Alto led to him changing his decision...Lead recruiter was Scott Brown...Also offered by Air Force and TCU in addition to Duke and Stanford...May delay enrollment at Duke until January, 2008 depending on Duke's scholarship numbers...Named all-district as a senior...Capable of being a dangerous kick returner
Height: 6-7 | Weight: 312
High School: Melrose (Melrose, Massachusetts)
Position: Offensive line
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "[The best thing about Duke is] just all of the opportunities that I'm going to get, not just in the classroom with my education but also on the field and the opportunity to play maybe earlier than other places. The opportunity to play with awesome guys and great coaches, so just all of the opportunities that Duke offers."
Notable stats: Has recently weighed in the range of 295 to 312 pounds
Committed: July 18, 2006
Odds and Ends: Lead recruiter was Jerry Azzinaro...Also a standout player on the Melrose basketball team...Projects as an offensive tackle in college...Has been timed at 5.6 seconds in the 40 yard dash
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 228
High School: Our Lady of Good Counsel (Rockville, Maryland)
Position: Tight End
Rivals.com ranking: 27th ranked tight end in the nation, 8th ranked overall prospect in the state of Maryland, three star
Quotable: "Seeing Thaddeus Lewis has been great. He's been doing great against some very good competition, throwing for 300 yards and just playing really well...I'm being recruited as a tight end. That's what I prefer to play in college and that's where I felt like I fit in the best also."
Notable stats: Had more than 40 tackles as a defensive end and more than 100 yards receiving as a tight end in his senior season
Committed: September 18, 2006
Odds and Ends: Lead recruiter was Bill O'Brien...Projected to play tight end at Duke, but could move to defensive end depending on needs and development...Had offers from South Carolina, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Marshall, among others...His junior season was his first playing organized football
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 215
High School: Gilman (Baltimore, Maryland)
Position: Linebacker
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "I have a really good relationship with Coach O'Brien. He's a really good guy. I like what they are doing there, I've been there a few times. [All of the players] really believe it's going to get turned around."
Notable stats: Has been electronically timed at 4.64 seconds in the 40 yard dash
Committed: January 17, 2007
Odds and Ends: Son of former Blue Devil Biff Poggi, who is the head coach at Gilman...With some added weight, will likely fit in at outside linebacker...Lead recruiter was Bill O'Brien
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 215
High School: Xaverian Brothers (Westwood, Massachusetts)
Position: Linebacker
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "It was kind of a no brainer. They have everything I want for academics and they are building up the football program."
Notable stats: Had 13 sacks as a senior, believed to be a school record
Committed: June 2, 2006
Odds and Ends: Lead recruiter was Jerry Azzinaro...Was Duke's first commitment for the 2007 class...Also offered by Connecticut and was close to an offer from Boston College before a hand injury in the spring prevented him from going to a Boston College camp...Comes from the same high school that produced Duke quarterback Zack Asack
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 290
High School: Phillips Academy (Andover, Massachusetts)
Position: Offensive Line
Rivals.com ranking: Three star
Quotable: "I have to say overall [Duke] is just a really good fit for me academically and athletically. In the end, that's really what counts most. Those were really the two things I was looking at. I felt really comfortable down there, and I think it's a place where I know I can succeed."
Notable stats: Didn't allow a sack in his junior year
Committed: December 5, 2006
Odds and Ends: Lead recruiter was Jerry Azzinaro...Also offered by Maryland and Connecticut...Has played every position along the offensive line, including long snapper
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 230
High School: Hibriten (Lenoir, North Carolina)
Position: Linebacker
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "I think my biggest strength is hard work and determination. That's what all my coaches have said. Every coach I've ever had has always said I'm the hardest worker they've seen. I just want people to see me as a player that didn't give up, that brought all he had to the field every day, showed up and just dominated the game."
Notable stats: Had 97 solo tackles as a senior according to his high school coach, Chuck Cannon
Committed: July 18, 2006
Odds and Ends: Bench pressed 225 pounds 16 times at Duke's one camp in June...Could potentially play as a defensive end at the college level...Lead recruiter was Brad Sherrod
Height: 5-10 | Weight: 177
High School: Morrilton (Morrilton, Arkansas)
Position: Athlete
Rivals.com ranking: 18th ranked overall prospect in the state of Arkansas, three star
Quotable: "They want me to play wide receiver, but I don't know about defense. I prefer wide receiver. Probably my speed and my ability to catch the ball [are my biggest strengths], and I know how to judge where the ball is going."
Notable stats: Had 1,300 yards rushing and 700 yards receiving as a senior
Committed: August 8, 2006
Odds and Ends: Runs a 4.42 second 40 yard dash...Lead recruiter was Scottie Montgomery...Also offered by Stanford...Helped lead high school team to state runner up finish as a junior...Also a standout basketball player
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 220
High School: Lovett School (Atlanta, Georgia)
Prep School: Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Virginia)
Position: Tight end
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "I definitely like Duke. How could you not? Graduating from there would give me a very nice diploma and I think their football is on the way up. Their last two recruiting classes have been (highly ranked)."
Notable stats: Caught five touchdown passes in four games as a senior in high school before breaking his ankle
Committed: December 11, 2006
Odds and Ends: Son of eight year NFL veteran Ben Utt...Played quarterback for most of his high school career before switching to tight end just before his senior season...Bulked up to 220 pounds while at Hargrave Military Academy...Lead recruiter was Charles London
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 235
High School: J.F. Webb (Oxford, NC)
Position: Linebacker
Rivals.com ranking: Two star
Quotable: "I can play (any of the linebacker positions). They haven't said yet which one I'll play. I'm probably just as good at all three."
Notable stats: Recorded 82 tackles as a senior
Committed: June 28, 2006
Odds and Ends: Received an offer from Duke after attending a three day camp in mid-June...Lead recruiter was Bill O'Brien...Led Webb to 7-5 record and playoff berth to help turn around a previously poor program