Gridiron Heroics partners with Draft Scout to give each school’s Top 5 NFL Draft prospects in the ACC. Welcome to a list of the Duke Top 5 NFL Draft prospects from the 2023 class, as seen by Draft Scout.
Each week brings us closer and closer to one of the most anticipated days on the sports calendar — the NFL Draft. This year’s draft will be held in Kansas City, Mo. from April 27-29. Starting today? We take a look at the Duke seniors, the class of 2023. Since we don’t know yet which underclassmen will declare? We’ll reconfigure the rankings when that happens, so be sure to revisit us.
Our ACC Draft prospect series will run beginning Nov. 7 and will run for the next week, with three schools running per day in alphabetical order. A master conference list of the ACC’s Top 20 NFL draft prospects will wrap things up on Monday, Nov. 14. Please check the team links below frequently so you can check out the other schools’ top prospects as the week progresses.
ACC TOP 20 PROSPECTS: Overall ACC Top Prospect List
ACC ATLANTIC PROSPECTS: Boston College | Clemson | Florida State | Louisville | N.C. State | Syracuse | Wake Forest
ACC COASTAL PROSPECTS: Duke | Georgia Tech | Miami | North Carolina | Pittsburgh | Virginia | Virginia Tech
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So, we all know that not every team in the country has five surefire draft picks on it. Some programs do, especially in some of the more elite conferences, but the vast majority don’t have that many top-flight prospects. But, we also know that the definition “top-flight” doesn’t always pan out, and at the same time that strong undrafted free agent everybody forgot? He ends up making an NFL and flourishing.
Below is a look at the Duke Top 5 Draft Prospects, and how they project in the eyes of Draft Scout. Again, for now, we’ll go strictly with seniors (c/o 2023), as no underclassmen have been allowed to declare earlier yet, though when they do? We’ll update the lists below.
DUKE TOP 5 NFL DRAFT PROSPECTS 2023
NO. 1 PROSPECT
NAME: Shaka Heyward, LB
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: HPFA
CAREER STATISTICS: Heyward has posted 312 career tackles (and is still going), along with 31 career tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks. He played in four games as a freshman in 2018 and hasn’t stopped since.
THE TRUTH: When it comes to the 2023 NFL Draft? Duke’s Shaka Heyward may be the one guy you want to keep an eye on when it comes to being a Duke day-three pick. Yes, we know the Clemsons and Florida States have had their share of big-time draft picks over the years, but Heyward may be the guy from Duke in 2023. Some Scouts have the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Georgia native as a draft pick, but if that doesn’t happen? He’ll get his extended shot with a healthy free-agent contract. Translation: He’ll get his shot.
NO. 2 PROSPECT
NAME: Jalon Calhoun, WR
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: HPFA
CAREER STATISTICS: Calhoun has caught 177 career passes for the Blue Devils, with 1,978 yards and 11 touchdowns.
THE TRUTH: Calhoun was an honorable mention freshman all-american when he started all 12 games for the Blue Devils in 2019, before the pandemic even came along. He’s been a threat ever since and at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, he’s proven to be a receiver with good 4.5-range speed but also a guy who can operate in the slot when asked.
NO. 3 PROSPECT
NAME: Darius Joyner, SS
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: HPFA
CAREER STATISTICS: Joyner is a former FCS standout, recognized by media entities like my former stop at HERO Sports as an All-American at Western Illinois and Jacksonville State. Last year at Western Illinois, he recorded 142 tackles, in 27 career games at Jacksonville State prior to. He played in 27 career games.
THE TRUTH: Joyner is a rising gem in the draft circles, which often happens with prospects who begin at the FCS level and ascend. Don’t be surprised if he becomes more of a focal point for scouts as the spring goes along in 2023.
NO. 4 PROSPECT
NAME: JaMion Franklin, DT
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: PFA
CAREER STATISTICS: Former Notre Dame player played 12 career games with the Fighting Irish, then came to Duke and this year has become a major factor with the Blue Devils.
THE TRUTH: Maybe Franklin’s career hasn’t gone exactly as he’d want, but he’s still in the ballgame as far as getting an opportunity next spring. He’s having a solid 2022 season so far. He came to Duke in Jan. 2020.
NO. 5 PROSPECT
NAME: Chance Lytle, OG
DRAFTSCOUT PROJECTION: PFA
CAREER STATISTICS: Colorado grad transfer — 30 career games, 4 starts.
THE TRUTH: Hey, Chance is a big dude. He’s 6-foot-7, 330 pounds and he’s working in with Duke’s rotation. When with the Buffaloes he played from 2017-21 — he could be a guy who gets an extended shot at making an August roster, but time will tell.
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