The Duke football program has a lot to figure out from a roster standpoint before it kicks off the regular season against Tulane on Sep. 5.

Head coach Manny Diaz and his staff have retooled a once-depleted roster, but with so many unproven guys at different positions, they will have to figure out which guys will be heavy contributors throughout fall camp.

There are several significant position battles throughout the roster, and some groups feel wide open. Throughout camp, either newcomers or returners looking to step into bigger roles in 2026 will need to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

Duke recently had its first scrimmage of fall camp. Let's break down the biggest takeaways.

Jaivon Solomon Separating Himself As WR3?

The Blue Devils' wide receiver room feels completely wide open right now. It's generally expected that Penn transfer Jared Richardson and Charlotte transfer Javen Nicholas will be the team's top two wideouts this fall, but the WR3 spot is totally up in the air.

Young returners Jaivon Solomon, Jayden Moore, and Jamien Little seem like the top candidates to earn the starting role, but all have promise. Solomon might have separated himself with his performance in the Blue Devils' first scrimmage.

Solomon caught three passes for 50 yards and two touchdowns. The offense as a whole combined for four receiving touchdowns, with Solomon credited with two of them.

Moore is the only receiver among the aforementioned trio to have caught a pass in a game in 2025, but Solomon might have just made a push to start.

Bryce Davis Poised for Breakout Season

True sophomore defensive lineman Bryce Davis is Duke's highest-rated recruit in program history, according to 247Sports. He operated in a reserve role as a rookie, tallying 10 total tackles and a pass deflection.

Expected to be a full-time starter come Week 1, Davis is in line for a major breakout campaign in the trenches. In Duke's first scrimmage, he was dominant, carding two sacks for losses of seven and six yards, respectively.

The Blue Devils' pass rush presents a lot of intrigue, but Davis will be a leader of that unit.

Duke's Running Back Room Is Deep

The Blue Devils will likely need to lean on their run game in 2026, led by arguably the team's best overall player, Nate Sheppard. However, the RB room's depth could be a major strength.

In the team's first scrimmage, seven different backs saw at least six carries. Yale transfer Wilhelm Daal II led the way with 12 carries for 62 yards, followed by Rutgers transfer CJ Campbell with eight carries for 41 yards, and Sheppard with eight carries for 37 yards.

3-star freshmen Jayvian Tanelus and CJ Givers went for eight carries for 48 yards and six carries for 25 yards, respectively.