Duke Blue Devils: Cash Rated High

Feb 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Defensive back Jeremy Cash speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Defensive back Jeremy Cash speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Duke Blue Devils have a clear high round draft pick. Will he be joined by other Devils?

The Duke Blue Devils did not win the Coastal Division last year. They still played another good year of football under coach David Cutcliffe and they have the single Tobacco Road player who is likely to have an impact at that the next level. That would be safety Jeremy Cash.

Cash is the highest rated prospect from any of the North Carolina area schools with a second round grade, but he is more than that. He is a run stopper on early downs and the Blue Devils had no problem moving him around the defense so that he could be like a third linebacker. His hard hitting in these situations reminds one of Troy Polamalu.

There are plenty of NFL teams that could take Cash to put in their defensive backfield. His kind of play should attract the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers. They are the former Ronnie Lott teams and have had some turnaround in their secondaries lately. San Diego could be another landing spot where Eric Weddle left in free agency.

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After Cash things get special. Ross Martin has a seventh round grade and the all time leading scorer in Duke football history should get his shot at kicking on the big stage. Will Monday, the punter, is not rated on the draft board, but should get an invitation to somebody’s camp.

Center Matt Skura anchored the Duke line without buddy Laken Tomlinson last year and he should also get rewarded with a draft slot. However he is like Martin in this regard, he holds a seventh round grade as of right now.

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Of the players who hold similar draft positions to Monday, Max McCaffrey would be one to watch coming into training camps. His father was a productive pro and his brother was the Heisman runner up last year. On his own merits he could become a safety blanket possession receiver for a good quarterback.

Duke will look to take back the Coastal Division this fall, but they will miss the leadership and skill of players like Cash, Skura, Martin, and Monday.