The winds are changing in college football and once again for the better when it comes to the Atlantic Coastal Conference as the Duke Blue Devils recently received a verbal commitment from four-star tight end Tyler Petite.
The pass catcher choose the North Carolina outfit over the 2014 national championship game losers the Auburn Tigers and Pac-12 powerhouse the USC Trojans.
Petite, from Moraga, California, is a huge coup for the Blue Devils and head coach David Cutcliffe who is doing as good a job as any in college football. Signing recruits from across the country is never an easy feat but to take one from under USC’s nose is extremely noteworthy. What is also notable about Petite snubbing USC is head coach Steve Sarkisian’s past success with tight ends and, in particular, Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Duke have signed just three four or five-star prospects over the last ten years with quarterback Sean Renfree, now of the Atlanta Falcons, the jewel in the crown. And while verbal commitments are non-binding and can easily be changed, it looks like Duke are making waves in the recruitment game.
At 6’4” tall and 225 pounds he has room to grow and fill out his frame. Furthermore, he possesses 4.6 40-yard speed and will only get better.
It may just be one signing but nevertheless it is a mightily impressive and deserved after the steady rise the Blue Devils have been on since Cutcliffe took over. Ten wins and a top-25 AP ranking was the highest point in Duke history since the 60’s, hopefully with further recruiting victories it will lead to even more on the field.