DURHAM – Graduate student cornerback
Josh Blackwell, senior running back
Mataeo Durant and redshirt senior cornerback
Leonard Johnson represented Duke on the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List, announced Thursday by the organization.
The Reese's Senior Bowl is the nation's most prestigious college all-star game, as it annually serves as the first step of the NFL draft process.
Blackwell is a projected starting cornerback for the Blue Devils. In 25 career games, including 17 starts, he has 61 tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble in addition to 13 pass breakups. Blackwell, a Buford, Ga., product, owns 17 career games with two or more tackles and recorded a career-high six stops against Wake Forest in 2019.
He started the first two games of the 2020 season before suffering a season-ending injury. Earlier in his career, Blackwell set the Duke bowl game record with four pass breakups in the Blue Devils' 2018 Independence Bowl win against Temple.
Durant, a native of Plum Branch, S.C., boasts 1,321 yards on 234 carries with nine scores in 32 career games. In addition, the senior has caught 28 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Entering the 2021 season, Durant's 1,321 career rushing yards rank 30th in program history.
Last year, Durant led the Blue Devils in rushing yards (817) and rushing touchdowns (eight) while ranking second on the team in scoring (54 points). Durant averaged 6.81 yards per rushing attempt in 2020, the fourth highest in a season in program lore.
Johnson returns as Duke's starting cornerback. A native of Hayden, Ala., Johnson has played in 35 career games, with 28 starts. He has 131 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four interceptions, four caused fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 13 pass breakups throughout his career. He also holds 10 games with six or more tackles and three games with multiple pass breakups.
Most recently in 2020, Johnson saw action in 10 games with seven starts and compiled 24 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups. Johnson's longest interception return of his career came at Baylor in 2018, following a 53-yard return for a touchdown.
The Reese's Senior Bowl had 106 total players drafted and 36 selected in the first three rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft. The 106 players represented 41 percent of the NFL Draft selections.
Former Duke tight end
Noah Gray represented Duke at the Reese's Senior Bowl last season. Gray was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Duke is set to kick off the 2021 season on Friday, September 3 at Charlotte. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
Season tickets are available online at
www.GoDuke.com/FootballTix or by calling the Duke Athletic Ticket Office at 919-681-2583.
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