Durham, N.C. — The wait is over. Duke Football has officially released its depth chart for the 2025 season opener against Elon, scheduled for Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. inside Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Blue Devils, fresh off a 9–4 campaign under head coach Manny Diaz, return 14 starters and enter their 112th season of play with high expectations.

Offense
Redshirt sophomore Darian Mensah has earned the starting quarterback job after transferring from Tulane, where he threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns last season while finishing sixth nationally in passer efficiency. He’ll be protected by a veteran offensive line led by Brian Parker II, graded by Pro Football Focus as the nation’s No. 9 returning offensive tackle. The receiving corps features graduate veteran Sahmir Hagans and transfer standout Cooper Barkate (Harvard), alongside rising sophomore Que’Sean Brown. At running back, redshirt senior Jaquez Moore and junior Peyton Jones headline a unit that looks to improve on last year’s 13 rushing touchdowns.

Defense
Duke’s defensive front is built around senior end Vincent Anthony Jr. and graduate tackle Aaron Hall, with redshirt junior Wesley Williams emerging as another proven disruptor after posting 13.5 TFL and 7.5 sacks a year ago. In the secondary, preseason All-America Chandler Rivers returns at cornerback after recording three interceptions and nine pass breakups in 2024. Graduate safety Terry Moore, also an All-ACC selection, teams with transfer Caleb Weaver(Sam Houston State), one of the top-graded run-stopping safeties in the country, to give Duke one of the ACC’s most experienced secondaries .

Special Teams
Veteran kicker Todd Pelino enters 2025 with 219 career points, already ranking fourth on Duke’s all-time list for field goals made (41). Sophomore punter Kade Reynoldson, who earned Freshman All-America honors last season, brings consistency to the kicking game after averaging 43.8 yards per punt in 2024.

Key Player Spotlights
QB Darian Mensah — Transfer from Tulane who averaged 9.49 yards per attempt last year, one of only five returning FBS quarterbacks above 9.0. His dual-threat ability makes him the X-factor in Duke’s new-look offense.

CB Chandler Rivers — Preseason All-American and First Team All-ACC returnee. Led Duke’s secondary with three interceptions, nine breakups, and 54 tackles last fall. One of the ACC’s true lockdown defenders.

OL Brian Parker II — Graded the nation’s No. 9 offensive tackle by PFF after allowing zero sacks on 515 pass-blocking snaps in 2024. Anchors an offensive line that finished second in the ACC in fewest sacks allowed.

DE Wesley Williams — Breakout performer in 2024 with 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Named Honorable Mention All-ACC and projects as Duke’s top edge-rushing presence.

K Todd Pelino — Veteran kicker with proven range, tied for third in program history with four field goals of 50+ yards. Provides stability in close contests.

With Duke riding a three-game winning streak in season openers — including last year’s 26-3 win over Elon — the unveiling of the depth chart sets the stage for another strong start. Whether it’s Mensah’s debut at QB or Rivers locking down the secondary, the Blue Devils are primed to showcase both returning experience and fresh talent under the lights in Durham .

Would you like me to also reformat the depth chart itself (offense, defense, special teams) into a CMS-ready table for easy embedding beneath this article? That could give readers a clean, scrollable roster snapshot.

DUKE FOOTBALL DEPTH CHART — Game 1 vs. Elon

OFFENSE (SPREAD)
WR: Cooper Barkate (Gr.) / Chase Tyler (R-Fr.) / Kavon Simmons (Fr.)
LT: Bruno Fina (Gr.) / Caleb Dorris (R-So.) / Roman Fina (Fr.)
LG: Jordan Larsen (R-Jr.) / Reagan McCranie (R-So.) / Daniel Boyd (Fr.)
C: Matt Craycraft (R-Jr.) / Bradley Smith (R-Fr.) / Ryan Daly (R-Fr.)
RG: Justin Pickett (Post-Bacc.) / Gemyel Allen (R-Fr.) / Jamin Brown (Fr.)
RT: Brian Parker II (R-Jr.) / Jack Small (R-Fr.) OR Cole Allen (Fr.)
WR: Que’Sean Brown (R-So.) / Jayden Moore (R-Fr.) / Jamien Little (Fr.)
WR: Sahmir Hagans (Gr.) / Andrel Anthony (Post-Bacc.) / Jaivon Solomon (Fr.)
TE: Jeremiah Hasley (R-Jr.) / Jake Taylor (R-Jr.) OR Landen King (Post-Bacc.)
RB: Jaquez Moore (R-Sr.) / Anderson Castle (Gr.) OR Peyton Jones (Jr.) OR Nate Sheppard (Fr.)
QB: Darian Mensah (R-So.) / Henry Belin IV (Gr.) / Dan Mahan (Fr.)

DEFENSE (MULTIPLE)
VYPER: Vincent Anthony Jr. (Sr.) / Kevin O’Connor (R-So.) / Kobe Smith (R-Fr.)
NT: Aaron Hall (Gr.) / David Anderson (R-So.) / Desmond Aladuge (R-So.)
DT: Josiah Green (Gr.) OR Preston Watson (So.) / Tery Simmons Jr. (R-So.)
DE: Wesley Williams (R-Jr.) / Tyshon Reed (So.) / Bryce Davis (Fr.)
MIKE: Nick Morris Jr. (Gr.) / Luke Mergott (R-So.) / Elliott Schaper (Fr.)
WILL: Tre Freeman (Post-Bacc.) / Kendall Johnson (R-So.) / Bradley Gompers (Fr.)
STAR: Jaiden Francois (Gr.) / Dawson Andrew (Sr.) / Will Felder Jr. (Fr.)
CB: Chandler Rivers (Sr.) / Landan Callahan (R-Fr.) / Kaleb Lanier (Fr.)
CB: Kimari Robinson (R-So.) / Moussa Kane (R-So.) / Kyren Condoll (R-Fr.)
FS: Caleb Weaver (Post-Bacc.) / Andrew Pellicciotta (Fr.) / George Wright (Sr.)
ROVER: Dashawn Stone (R-So.) / Ma’Khi Jones (Fr.) / Leon Griffin III (R-So.)