Winning is fun, and the Duke Blue Devils are enjoying an unbeaten start to the regular season. As they rest and recharge during the bye week, I have time to reflect on the start of the season and how the team can improve.
Head coach Manny Diaz is officially 22-9 as the Blue Devils ' head coach and could be on track to secure yet another nine-win season in Durham, instantly becoming the most successful stretch in the program's history. Several players have emerged as nice surprises for Duke to begin the season, and three of them have caught my eye during the bye week. Let's take a look at who those players are.
Sep 12, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Duke Blue Devils cornerback Dylan Flowers (0) stops Illinois Fighting Illini running back Ca'Lil Valentine (5) near the end zone during the first half at Gies Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Donning the jersey once held by former Blue Devils standout defensive back Chandler Rivers , Flowers has emerged as the defense's No. 1 cornerback through four games. He hasn't had any takeaways, but the play speaks for itself: a dependable inside-out defender who can travel with opposing playmakers and play aggressively in run support.
Some of the tackles I've seen from Flowers give me shades of Rivers. As the defense plays more explosive offenses with better pass-catchers, the Western Kentucky transfer will need to be relied on more than ever.
Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; William & Mary Tribe defensive back Brendan Robinson (25) attempts to tackle Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jonah Burton (6) during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A transfer who flew under the radar this offseason was Jonah Burton, who is now one of Duke's best playmakers on offense. He is built like a running back, and it shows after the catch in how he breaks tackles. What makes him great is his quickness and short-area explosiveness, which allow him to win routes early and get open for quarterback Walker Eget.
The Blue Devils have plenty of depth at wide receiver, but Burton, the former Baylor wide receiver, has become a key player in offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer's system. He will be a go-to target as ACC competition ramps up next week when Duke faces Georgia Tech .
Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard (20) runs the ball during the second quarter against the William & Mary Tribe at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Be honest, who expected this type of play from Nate Sheppard? If you did, you would be lying to yourself. No one could've imagined the type of production he'd put up in his first four games, while quickly becoming college football's best running back and entering the early Heisman Trophy conversation.
Sheppard has not only become Duke's best player; he is one of the best in recent program history , period. He is sensational on the field, doing things that only the best in the NFL can do, and is still a year away from draft eligibility. All of this surprises me, but it is certainly welcome for Duke's success this fall.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as 3 Duke Football Players Who Have Surprised After Four Games .
