Duke has 18 recruited defensive backs on its 2019 roster. That’s more than 20 percent of its available scholarships.
Now Duke uses a 4-2-5 defense, with five defensive backs and defensive backs are generously represented on special teams.
But that’s a sizeable investment in the players that position coach Derek Jones calls Cheetahs and Duke is going to need a better return on that investment if they are going to contend for the 2019 ACC Coastal Division title.
A dozen of these defensive backs made at least one tackle last season.
So, there’s experience returning.