Surging Safety Puts Duke Football Suitors in Top Six

Sometimes in the recruiting world, it can be as simple as looking to maximize the high school talent close to home. Manny Diaz and the Duke football recruiters have yet to land a homegrown talent for the 2026 class, but they could be one step closer with some recent news.

On Monday, 247Sports’ Anna Adams reported the top six in the running for Crest High School (N.C.) three-star safety Lyrik Pettis. The Blue Devils survived the cut, but so did nearby ACC foes UNC and NC State.

A 6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect, Pettis racked up roughly 20 offers before trimming his list. In addition to the three teams in The Triangle, Pettis is also still considering Wake Forest, Rice, and Sam Houston.

Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils have been in pursuit of Pettis for almost a year now, becoming the high school talent’s first Power Four offer back in April of 2024. Diaz & Co. will hope that year-long effort pays off in an eventual commitment.

For now, the Duke football recruiters boast a four-deep 2026 recruiting haul that ranks No. 49 nationally and No. 9 in the ACC, per 247Sport. That collection is headlined by Prosper High School (Tx.) four-star offensive lineman Sean Stover, along with a trio of three-star prospects.

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