Shaka Heyward

Shaka Heyward speaks with media after Pro Day

Shaka Heyward, Jacob Monk and DeWayne Carter head out for the coin toss against North Carolina

Shaka Heyward and Brandon Johnson tackle a Virginia player

Shaka Heyward gets ready for a play against North Carolina

Shaka Heyward makes a tackle for Duke against Kansas

Shaka Heyward lines up to make a tackle against Notre Dame

Position:
Linebacker
Height:
6-4
Weight:
220
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
Dacula, Ga.
High School:
Mill Creek

CAREER: Two-time All-ACC selection in 2021 and 2022 … in 51 career games (41 starts), compiled 339 tackles, 32.5 TFL, 11.5 sacks, four INTs, five fumble recoveries, nine PBUs, and 12 QB pressures ... had 12 double-digit tackle games, including a career-high 16 stops against North Carolina A&T in 2021 ... posted 36 games with five+ tackles ... recorded 2.0+ TFL on five different occasions with a career-best 2.5 against Pittsburgh in 2021 ... earned one INT against Notre Dame (2019), Kansas (2021), Virginia Tech (2022) and Pittsburgh (2022) ... registered fumble recoveries against Pittsburgh (2019), North Carolina (2019), Georgia Tech (2020), North Carolina (2022), and Miami (2022) … tallied a safety and special teams TD against Georgia Tech in 2020 ... credited with another safety against Pittsburgh in 2021 ... finished career having recorded at least three+ tackles in 40 straight contests … played 3,400 career snaps … graduated tied for eighth in program history in career fumble recoveries (five), 12th in career TFL (32.5), 13th in career tackles (339), and tied for 14th in career sacks (11.5) ... signed free agent contract with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals in May 2023.

2022: Team captain … honorable mention All-ACC pick and team defensive MVP award recipient … started and played in 12 games … finished second on the team in tackles (93) and PBUs (six) and was tied for the team lead in INTs (two) ... in addition, recorded 6.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one QB pressure and two fumble recoveries … was eighth in the ACC with 7.75 tackles per game … garnered four double-digit tackle performances, including a season-best 13 tackles against Virginia, North Carolina and Wake Forest … led or finished second on the team in tackles in seven-of-13 games ... earned at least five+ tackles in nine games … recorded 1.0+ TFL in four contests, including a season-best 2.0 at Northwestern … finished with 1.0 sack against Boston College and Wake Forest ... tallied one INT against Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh … earned a season-best three PBUs at Northwestern ... posted fumble recoveries in back-to-back games against North Carolina and Miami … on the field for 873 snaps … on July 21, 2022, represented Duke at the annual ACC Kickoff media event in Charlotte, N.C.

2021: Third team All-ACC selection ... recipient of the team’s Vincent Rey Award, an honor presented to the team’s top linebacker, and the K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award for most season snaps played ... started all 12 games ... led the team and ranked fifth in the ACC with 98 tackles ... added a team-high 11.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, one INT, one PBU and five QB pressures ... garnered three double-digit tackle performances, including a season-best 16 tackles against North Carolina A&T ... led or finished second on the team in tackles in 10-of-12 games ... earned at least five+ tackles in 10 games … recorded 1.0+ TFL in eight contests, including a season-best 2.5 against Pittsburgh ... finished with 1.0 sack against North Carolina, Georgia Tech, and Pittsburgh ... assisted on Duke’s lone safety on the year against Pittsburgh ... tallied one QB pressure in four contests, including two against Charlotte ... tallied lone INT against Kansas ... on the field for a team-high 1,019 snaps.

2020: Recipient of the team’s Vincent Rey Award, an honor presented to the team’s top linebacker, and the Sonny Falcone Award, an honor presented annually to offensive, defensive, and developmental members for their year-round commitment to strength and conditioning ... started all 11 games ... led Duke with 80 tackles, while adding 8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, one fumble recovery, and four QB pressures … ranked 12th in the ACC in tackles and tackles per game (7.27) ... registered two double-digit tackle games, including a season-best 12 against Charlotte ... had 10 tackles against Boston College ... earned at least five+ tackles in 10 games … recorded 1.0+ TFL in seven contests, including a season-best 2.0 against Charlotte ... logged 1.0+ TFL in four of the last five games of the season ... finished with 1.0 sacks against Notre Dame, Charlotte, and Georgia Tech ... registered Duke’s lone safety on the year against Georgia Tech, marking the team’s first since 2017 against N.C. Central ... recovered a muffed punt versus the Yellow Jackets and returned it for a TD for first career score ... tallied one QB pressure in contests with Notre Dame, Boston College, Virginia and Florida State ... on the field for 860 snaps.

2019: Played in all 12 games with six starts ... recorded 68 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, one INT, two QB pressures and two fumble recoveries ... in the ACC, ranked third among freshmen in tackles and sixth among rookies in TFL ... ranked 33rd in the ACC in tackles per game (5.67) and tied for third in fumble recoveries ... finished fourth on the team in tackles ... booked three double-digit tackle games, including a season-best 15 tackles against North Carolina ... also reached double figures versus Wake Forest (11) and Miami (10) ... posted 6+ tackles in seven games ... notched a season-best 2.0 TFL against both North Carolina and No. 15 Notre Dame in consecutive weeks ... had 1.0 sacks in three straight contests versus North Carolina, No. 15 Notre Dame and Syracuse ... had one fumble recovery against Pittsburgh and North Carolina ... registered lone INT versus No. 15 Notre Dame ... on the field for 630 snaps.

2018: Played in four games, seeing action against Virginia, North Carolina, Clemson and Temple ... on the field for 18 snaps.

PRIOR TO DUKE: Lettered three seasons at Mill Creek under coach Shannon Jarvis ... three-star prospect according to ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247Sports.com ... consensus top-60 outside linebacker nationally by ESPN.com (No. 41), Rivals.com (No. 52) and 247Sports.com (No. 57) ... as a senior, recorded 90 tackles and 5.0 sacks along with one INT, eight passes defended, one fumble recovery and one caused fumble ... helped Mill Creek to an 8-4 ledger as a senior and Georgia High School Association (GHSA) state playoff berth ... scored defensive TDs in consecutive games as a senior with a fumble return against Collins Hill and INT return versus Archer ... booked 78 tackles as a junior when Mill Creek reached the GHSA Class AAAAAA semifinals ... as a junior, helped the Hawks to a 13-1 record as a junior and Region 6-AAAAAA title with only loss coming to Grayson in the GHSA Class AAAAAA semifinal ... after junior season, earned a spot in the Georgia Elite All-Star Classic and logged four tackles and one INT.

PERSONAL: Born April 19, 2000 ... majoring in evolutionary anthropology and pursuing a certificate in markets and management ... son of Vic and Anita Heyward ... brother, Victor, was a member of the football program at Georgia State University (2017-18-19-20), and graduated ranked eighth in program history in career tackles (189), eighth in TFL (17.5) and 10th in sacks (6.5) … cousin, Johnny Ali Heyward, graduated from Duke in 1997 … cousin, Connor Heyward, was a four-year letterwinner (2017-18; 20-21) in football at Michigan State University and finished his career with 2,265 all-purpose yards (211-825 rushing, 33-723 kick returns, 96-711 receiving, 6 punt returns) with 11 career TDs (six receiving, five rushing) and graduated ranked No. 16 on MSU career kick return yards list and tied for No. 18 on career kick return list and was a sixth round (No. 208 overall) selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft ... cousin, Cameron Heyward, played football at Ohio State University (2007-08-09-10), helped the Buckeyes to three Big Ten championships, was a first round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2011 NFL Draft and is currently in his 12th season with the Steelers ... cousin, Corey Heyward, lettered four seasons in basketball at Georgia Tech (2014-15-16-17) … cousin, Craig Heyward Jr., played football at Middle Tennessee State University (2006-07-08-09) … late cousin, Craig Heyward, played football at the University of Pittsburgh, was a first round selection of the New Orleans Saints in the 1988 NFL Draft, played 11 professional seasons the Saints (1988-1991), Chicago Bears (1992), Atlanta Falcons (1994-95), St. Louis Rams (1997) and Indianapolis Colts (1998), rushed for 4,301 career yards and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1995.