The Quarterback is the most important position in football. The offensive signal caller commands the team and leads them into battle each week while taking gut-crushing hits from monster defenders. In this series, we will dive deep into each Power Five team’s QB room, third is Mike Elko’s rejuvenated Duke Blue Devils.
Departures
Duke managed to keep all their QBs this off-season, so for the first time in this series, a team had no departures.
New Additions
Duke has four QBs on their roster which is less than most teams. The Blue Devils did not find a QB in the portal this off-season, putting their faith in starter Riley Leonard. Despite this, Duke brought in two 2023 recruits, the first of which was Grayson Loftis.
As a recruit, Loftis ranked 46th at the QB position and 880th in the nation. My interview with him was actually the first article I published for Mike Farrell Sports. Despite ranking as a three-star, he can challenge for the starting spot once Lenoard is gone as he is very talented as a signal-caller. It would not shock me to see Loftis receive playing time this season in mop-up duty.
At the ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte @WSPA7 had a chance to chat with Duke Head Coach, Mike Elko & starting QB Riley Leonard about true freshman QB Grayson Loftis, who enrolled in January & had 123 yards passing & a TD in the Blue Devils Spring Game.
High praise.@GrayQB12 pic.twitter.com/WAsYLUutoH— Todd Summers (@ToddSummers7) July 26, 2023
Duke brought in a second 2023 recruit in Donald Tomlin. Tomlin was unranked in the 2023 class and hails from Columbia, South Carolina. He sits at the bottom of the depth chart and will likely redshirt. Like Loftis, Tomlin has four years of eligibility remaining.
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Donald Tomlin with one of @RidgeViewF_Ball best runs so far for 1st down pic.twitter.com/dqB2jW8fG9
— Lou Bezjak (@LouatTheState) August 20, 2022
The Returning QBs
Riley Leonard is first. He started his first season as a Blue Devil in 2022. Riley tossed over two thousand yards and 20 touchdowns, leading Duke to a very good 9-4 record in the process. Leonard entered Duke as part of the 2019 class and has two years of eligibility remaining.
As a recruit, the three-star signal caller ranked 682nd nationally and forty-sixth at the QB position. Leonard hails from Fairhope, Alabama, and attended local Fairhope High School. He exploded last season for the Blue Devils’ with over 3,500 total yards and thirty-three touchdowns. Duke will be in good hands with Leonard at the wheel.
Riley Leonard got Duke looking like a football school???? pic.twitter.com/NWwjfkv70j
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) November 19, 2022
The other returning QB is Henry Belin IV. He hails from the Bronx, New York, and attended Cardinal Hayes High School which is the top football school in the state per MaxPreps. Henry’s brother Rich is currently a 2025 QB recruit who could be the Blue Devils’ next QB commit.
Belin redshirted after accumulating eighty-three yards on six passing attempts. He will once again backup Leonard this season, giving solid depth in case something happens to the starter. As a recruit, Henry ranked fifty-ninth at the QB position and 925th in the nation. Henry has four years of eligibility remaining and will likely be the starter next season.
Good workout with incoming Senior, Henry Belin, of Cardinal Hayes, committed to Duke next year. @SimmsCompleteQB @HenryBelin @hallenbiii @CardinalHayesFB @CoachAmann @JeffFaris @jcoan17 pic.twitter.com/WDLpZkRRga
— Phil Simms (@PhilSimmsQB) August 6, 2021
With only four QBs on their roster, Duke lacks depth but has talented players. Riley Leonard looks to have another great season and Henry Belin IV looks next in line. It would also not shock me to see Grayson Loftis receive some playing time this season.
