Blue Devil Country

Duke Football: Winning Efforts Extend to Recruiting Bouts

Manny Diaz and his Duke football recruiting team have added three more 2025 prizes in the past week.

Matt Giles

Duke football head coach Manny Diaz
Duke football head coach Manny Diaz / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
In this story:

Hickory High School (N.C.) three-star senior Jamien Little is an admitted longtime Duke football enthusiast. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound wide receiver, who traveled to Durham in late October and watched the squad's near miss in a 28-27 loss to now-No. 9 SMU, has enjoyed tracking the electricity in the first season of the Manny Diaz era, including the Blue Devils' three-game winning streak to record their first nine-win regular season since 2014.

ALSO READ: Latest Polls Completely Snub Surging Blue Devils

Speaking of that winning streak, Duke capped it off with a thrilling 23-17 victory at Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon. And on Sunday, Little announced his commitment to Diaz & Co., three weeks after backing out of his pledge to the struggling Demon Deacons.

He chose Duke over fellow finalist UNC.

Little's most recent visit was to Chapel Hill, as he was on hand for the Tar Heels' feel-good 31-24 home win over Wake Forest. But UNC's recruiting efforts are now in a freefall, especially so after the school announced the firing of Mack Brown last week while failing to immediately name a new head coach.

At No. 769 overall, No. 113 among wide receivers, and No. 18 in North Carolina on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, Jamien Little marks the Blue Devils' highest-ranked prize since August.

Duke football now enjoys the second-most 2025 pledges among ACC programs after also picking up commitments from Arbor View High School (Nev.) three-star offensive lineman Daniel Boyd and Malvern Prep (Pa.) three-star safety Andrew Pellicciotta last week.

The Blue Devils' 27-deep 2025 recruiting haul has risen to No. 33 in the country, per 247Sports, and No. 5 in the conference. It includes two composite four-star prospects in Grimsley High School (N.C.) quarterback Bryce Davis and Central Catholic High School (Pa.) tight end Bradley Gompers.

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke football and basketball recruiting news.

Published |Modified
Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

Home/Football