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Duke Lands Nine on East-West Shrine Bowl Watch List
8/1/2025 6:00:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Nine Duke football players were selected to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl Watch List, according to an announcement by the organization.
Senior defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr., redshirt junior offensive lineman Matt Craycraft, redshirt sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah, senior safety Terry Moore, redshirt junior offensive lineman Brian Parker II, redshirt senior offensive lineman Justin Pickett, senior cornerback Chandler Rivers, post-baccalaureate safety Caleb Weaver and senior defensive end Wesley Williams were all recognized on the list.
Anthony Jr. returns as a starting defensive end for the 2025 campaign. In his fourth season with the Blue Devils, Anthony Jr. has seen action in 36 career games with 28 starts and has compiled 70 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, six pass breakups and 19 quarterback pressures. The Durham native has recorded two-plus tackles 22 times, including a career-best six against Elon in the 2024 season opener. Anthony Jr. registered 2.0 or more TFL four times during the 2024 season, against Elon (2.0), North Carolina (2.5), Florida State (2.0) and Wake Forest (2.0).
Craycraft and Pickett enter their third and fourth seasons, respectively. Both were key members of an offensive line that ranked second in the ACC, and tied for ninth nationally, in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.92) in 2024. The duo was part of a unit that allowed 72.0 tackles for loss, with just 234 yards lost, the fourth-lowest total in the ACC and provided pass protection for Maalik Murphy to throw for a Duke single-season record 26 touchdowns. Craycraft was graded by Pro Football Focus (PFF) as having the 10th-highest pass blocking grade among Power Four centers (76.1) and the fourth-highest mark in the ACC. The pair garnered Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team honors from Athlon Sports heading into the 2025 campaign.
Mensah is set for his first year as a Blue Devil after transferring from Tulane in January. In 13 career games (13 starts), Mensah has completed 189-of-287 passes for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also rushed 60 times for 132 yards (2.20) and one score. Last fall, Mensah led all American Athletic Conference (AAC) starters in yards per attempt (9.49) and completion percentage. He led a Green Wave offense that ranked among the top 10 nationally in third down conversion percentage (2nd/.525), yards per completion (6th/14.32), team passing efficiency (7th/166.86) and points per game (9th/37.15).
Moore is a returning All-America honoree and All-ACC safety. He earned Second Team All-America honors from Action Network to cap his 2024 season. From Washington, N.C., Moore was tabbed by PFF as the No. 10 returning safety nationally heading into 2025. He also earned a place on the 2025 On3 top-100 players list (No. 63). In 33 career games (19 starts), Moore has compiled 116 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four interceptions, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, seven pass breakups and two quarterback pressures.
Parker II returns for his third season as Duke's starting right tackle and was tabbed a preseason All-America selection by Phil Steele (third team) and Athlon Sports (fourth team) and a Preseason First Team All-ACC selection by Phil Steele. A Second Team All-ACC honoree in 2024, Parker II started all 13 games, 12 at right tackle and one at left tackle, last fall. The Cincinnati, Ohio, product was graded by PFF as having the fifth-highest pass blocking grade among Power Four tackles (85.5) and the highest in the ACC. According to PFF, he played the most pass blocking snaps nationally without allowing a sack in 2024 with 515, surrenÂdering just one hit and nine hurries. Parker II enters the 2025 season ranked as the No. 9 returning offensive tackle nationally by PFF.
Rivers is a returning All-America and First Team All-ACC cornerback. He earned 2024 All-America nods from The Athletic (second team), College Football Network (second team), the Associated Press (third team) and Phil Steele (fourth team). Rivers started all 13 games last fall and compiled 54 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, three interceptions, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, eight pass breakups and three quarterback pressures. He was graded by PFF as having the second-highest defense grade (90.7) among cornerbacks nationally. According to PFF, he had the second-highest coverage grade (89.8) among cornerbacks nationally.Â
Weaver is a College Sports Network top-100 returning player for 2025. In 34 career games (31 starts), he has registered 167 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, two caused fumbles, 11 pass breakups and two QB pressures. A native of Houston, Texas, Weaver was a First Team All-CUSA selection in 2024 while helping the Bearkats to their first bowl appearance in program history with a 31-26 victory in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
An Honorable Mention All-ACC pick in 2024, Williams returns for his third season as a Blue Devil. In 27 career games (15 starts), he has compiled 87 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, one caused fumble, three pass breakups, 12 quarterback pressures, three blocked kicks and one safety. He joins Clemson's T.J. Parker as the ACC's only returning players with 6.5+ TFL in each of the last two seasons and the conference's only returners to have 7.5+ sacks in 2024. Williams was named a Second Team Preseason All-ACC selection by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele heading into the 2025 season.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. An important part of America's football tradition, the event gives top college players a chance to showcase their talents to NFL scouts and a national television audience.
Duke is set to kick off the 2025 season at home on Thursday, August 28 when it welcomes Elon to Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. Season tickets for the upcoming season may be purchased online at goduke.com/footballtix or by calling the Duke Athletics Ticket Office at 919-681-BLUE (2583).
For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "DukeFOOTBALL".
#GoDuke
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Senior defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr., redshirt junior offensive lineman Matt Craycraft, redshirt sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah, senior safety Terry Moore, redshirt junior offensive lineman Brian Parker II, redshirt senior offensive lineman Justin Pickett, senior cornerback Chandler Rivers, post-baccalaureate safety Caleb Weaver and senior defensive end Wesley Williams were all recognized on the list.
Anthony Jr. returns as a starting defensive end for the 2025 campaign. In his fourth season with the Blue Devils, Anthony Jr. has seen action in 36 career games with 28 starts and has compiled 70 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, six pass breakups and 19 quarterback pressures. The Durham native has recorded two-plus tackles 22 times, including a career-best six against Elon in the 2024 season opener. Anthony Jr. registered 2.0 or more TFL four times during the 2024 season, against Elon (2.0), North Carolina (2.5), Florida State (2.0) and Wake Forest (2.0).
Craycraft and Pickett enter their third and fourth seasons, respectively. Both were key members of an offensive line that ranked second in the ACC, and tied for ninth nationally, in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.92) in 2024. The duo was part of a unit that allowed 72.0 tackles for loss, with just 234 yards lost, the fourth-lowest total in the ACC and provided pass protection for Maalik Murphy to throw for a Duke single-season record 26 touchdowns. Craycraft was graded by Pro Football Focus (PFF) as having the 10th-highest pass blocking grade among Power Four centers (76.1) and the fourth-highest mark in the ACC. The pair garnered Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team honors from Athlon Sports heading into the 2025 campaign.
Mensah is set for his first year as a Blue Devil after transferring from Tulane in January. In 13 career games (13 starts), Mensah has completed 189-of-287 passes for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also rushed 60 times for 132 yards (2.20) and one score. Last fall, Mensah led all American Athletic Conference (AAC) starters in yards per attempt (9.49) and completion percentage. He led a Green Wave offense that ranked among the top 10 nationally in third down conversion percentage (2nd/.525), yards per completion (6th/14.32), team passing efficiency (7th/166.86) and points per game (9th/37.15).
Moore is a returning All-America honoree and All-ACC safety. He earned Second Team All-America honors from Action Network to cap his 2024 season. From Washington, N.C., Moore was tabbed by PFF as the No. 10 returning safety nationally heading into 2025. He also earned a place on the 2025 On3 top-100 players list (No. 63). In 33 career games (19 starts), Moore has compiled 116 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four interceptions, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, seven pass breakups and two quarterback pressures.
Parker II returns for his third season as Duke's starting right tackle and was tabbed a preseason All-America selection by Phil Steele (third team) and Athlon Sports (fourth team) and a Preseason First Team All-ACC selection by Phil Steele. A Second Team All-ACC honoree in 2024, Parker II started all 13 games, 12 at right tackle and one at left tackle, last fall. The Cincinnati, Ohio, product was graded by PFF as having the fifth-highest pass blocking grade among Power Four tackles (85.5) and the highest in the ACC. According to PFF, he played the most pass blocking snaps nationally without allowing a sack in 2024 with 515, surrenÂdering just one hit and nine hurries. Parker II enters the 2025 season ranked as the No. 9 returning offensive tackle nationally by PFF.
Rivers is a returning All-America and First Team All-ACC cornerback. He earned 2024 All-America nods from The Athletic (second team), College Football Network (second team), the Associated Press (third team) and Phil Steele (fourth team). Rivers started all 13 games last fall and compiled 54 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, three interceptions, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, eight pass breakups and three quarterback pressures. He was graded by PFF as having the second-highest defense grade (90.7) among cornerbacks nationally. According to PFF, he had the second-highest coverage grade (89.8) among cornerbacks nationally.Â
Weaver is a College Sports Network top-100 returning player for 2025. In 34 career games (31 starts), he has registered 167 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, two caused fumbles, 11 pass breakups and two QB pressures. A native of Houston, Texas, Weaver was a First Team All-CUSA selection in 2024 while helping the Bearkats to their first bowl appearance in program history with a 31-26 victory in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
An Honorable Mention All-ACC pick in 2024, Williams returns for his third season as a Blue Devil. In 27 career games (15 starts), he has compiled 87 tackles, 20.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, one caused fumble, three pass breakups, 12 quarterback pressures, three blocked kicks and one safety. He joins Clemson's T.J. Parker as the ACC's only returning players with 6.5+ TFL in each of the last two seasons and the conference's only returners to have 7.5+ sacks in 2024. Williams was named a Second Team Preseason All-ACC selection by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele heading into the 2025 season.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. An important part of America's football tradition, the event gives top college players a chance to showcase their talents to NFL scouts and a national television audience.
Duke is set to kick off the 2025 season at home on Thursday, August 28 when it welcomes Elon to Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. Season tickets for the upcoming season may be purchased online at goduke.com/footballtix or by calling the Duke Athletics Ticket Office at 919-681-BLUE (2583).
For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "DukeFOOTBALL".
#GoDuke
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Players Mentioned
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