Del Grande Joins Duke Football Program

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke head football coach Manny Diaz announced Tuesday that offensive lineman Nick Del Grande has signed a financial aid agreement to attend the institution and join the Blue Devil gridiron program.

The 6-4, 302-pound Del Grande played in 35 games, starting in all 35, for Coastal Carolina the past four years and earned a pair of All-Sun Belt honors. A team captain in 2025, he helped the Chanticleers to a combined record of 20-19 across the last three seasons with appearances in the 2023 EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl, 2024 Myrtle Beach Bowl and 2025 Independence Bowl.

Del Grande guided Coastal Carolina to six wins during the 2025 campaign and its sixth straight bowl appearance. According to Pro Football Focus, Del Grande finished the season with zero sacks allowed, just three quarterback hits surrendered and only 10 pressures yielded. He owned PFF's highest total offensive grade among Sun Belt tackles (79.1) and the best pass blocking grade (88.2) among Group of Six tackles.

In 2024, Del Grande earned Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt accolades after starting all 13 games. He helped anchor a unit which led the Sun Belt in fewest sacks allowed with 15 (1.15 per game), a mark which ranked tied for 17th nationally. His performance helped the Chanticleers average 4.6 yards per carry with 21 scores. Aided by Del Grande's pass protection, Coastal threw for 2,616 yards and with 20 touchdowns.

As a redshirt freshman during the 2023 season, Del Grande started all 12 games at left tackle and earned Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt honors. He helped the offense rank first in the league in passing yards per attempt (8.49), third in yards per play (6.33) and third in sacks allowed (16). He helped Coastal rack up a season-high 569 yards of offense against Appalachian State and possess the ball for a season-high 37:16 in an EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl victory. Del Grande did not appear in any games as a true freshman in 2022.

Del Grande, a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, native, will have one season of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2026 campaign.

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Del Grande Joins Duke Football Program

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