Duke Blue Devils football head coach Manny Diaz and his staff experienced one of the most turbulent offseasons in college football.
It began when standout quarterback Darian Mensah revealed he would enter the transfer portal, only weeks after saying he planned to stay with the Blue Devils. Shortly afterward, the team’s leading receiver, Cooper Barkate, followed suit and also entered the portal.
Both Mensah and Barkate ultimately committed to Miami.
Duke filed a lawsuit against Mensah for breaching the terms of the NIL deal signed by the two sides, but it was settled before it ever went to court. There are plenty of new faces on this new Blue Devils squad, as Diaz and Co. now have plenty of holes to fill.
They’ve gotten off to a solid start with the portal, and now are landing a talented wide receiver from Idaho State.
Duke Lands WR Out of Idaho State
The Duke football program has landed a commitment from wide receiver Jonah Burton, a 5′ 10″, 190-pound receiver out of Idaho State. Burton is ranked No. 528 among receivers in the On3 Transfer Portal Industry Rankings.
Burton began his collegiate career at Baylor, where he logged nine catches for 110 yards in 2023 before missing the entirety of the 2024 campaign. In 2025, he transferred to Idaho State, where Burton tallied 21 receptions for 233 yards.
The junior started three games in 2023 and will have one year of eligibility remaining after having a medical waiver granted by the NCAA.
Duke WR Room Could Get Interesting
The Blue Devils lost a star in Barkate, who finished second in the ACC in receiving yards (1,106) and receiving touchdowns (7) in 2025. In addition to Burton, Diaz and Co. are bringing in two receivers who both have a chance to replace that production.
First, there’s Javen Nicholas from Charlotte. Nicholas transferred to the 49ers ahead of the 2025 campaign after spending two years at LSU, primarily as a special-teamer.
Nicholas logged 60 receptions for 740 yards and five touchdowns in 2025.
In addition, Duke is bringing in 6′ 2″, 215-pound Jared Richardson from Penn. As an All-American in 2025, Richardson tallied 80 catches for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading the Ivy League in receptions and receiving touchdowns.
Diaz reloaded at the wide receiver spot after losing a few of his top targets, as the Blue Devils look to stay atop the ACC standings in 2026.
