4-Star Duke Safety Commit Visits UW While Blue Devils Coach Leaves

Paul Mencke Jr. from Cibolo, Texas, most likely is looking for a new school.

This past weekend, Washington hosted a pair of recruits committed to other college football programs, including 4-star safety Paul Mencke Jr. — who was pledged to Duke, which is now looking for a new coach after Mike Elko left for Texas A&M. 

Mencke, a 4-star safety from Samuel Clemons High School in Cibolo, Texas, chose the Blue Devils last summer over Notre Dame, Stanford and the UW, due in large part to a strong relationship he had developed with Elko. 

In recent weeks, rumors circulated that Elko was in the running to replace the fired Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M and, while Mencke heard that chatter, he remained firm on Duke. 

At the same time, the 6-foot-2, 174-pound defensive back felt if college coaches can consider their options, so could he, hence his trip to Seattle and the Apple Cup. 

"I committed for a reason and, if the staff I liked and committed to is gone, why would I go?" Mencke said. "Business is business and you have to do what puts you in the best position to succeed and feel comfortable."

With just over three weeks until prospects in the 2024 recruiting class can sign early — in the 72-hour window that falls in Dec. 20-22 — the urgency heightens for players such as Mencke to secure their future football homes in the face of a lot of college coaching changes. 

After Elko officially accepted the Aggies coaching job on Monday morning, Mencke becoming a fixture in the Huskies secondary is a real possibility for the talented Lone Star state prospect. 

Prior to his unofficial visit on Saturday, Mencke acknowledged he hadn't had much communication with the UW coaching staff. 

One reason is the Huskies have a pair of safety commits secure for the 2024 class; Peyton Waters from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, California, and Joshua Lair out of Fort Bend Marshall High School in Missouri City, Texas. 

As things stand, UW is expected to lose an equal number of safeties — seniors Asa Turner and Dominique Hampton — after this season concludes. 

However, as coach Kalen DeBoer acknowledged on Monday, Turner possibly could return in 2024 after playing just four games this season while battling injuries.  

After Mencke took an unofficial visit to the UW, he possibly could return for an official visit in December or January if he elects not to sign during the early window. 

After watching the Huskies' 24-21 victory over the Cougars, the Texas safety came away with all kinds of recruitment possibilities.

"It raised lots of interest," Mencke said of his trip to Seattle. "I got a lot to think about now."

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