By: Joseph Sykes, Andrew Holman and Julian Routh | The Duquesne Duke
The 2015 Duquesne football season is almost here, and that means it’s time to brush up on your knowledge of the team. To help you out, we at The Duke put together a mock fantasy draft with Joseph Sykes, Julian Routh and Andrew Holman giving their two cents on six of the squad’s top-tier players.
ROUND 1
Pick No. 1 – Sykes: Chris King; Senior wide receiver
Synopsis: Having the first pick is oh, so sweet. How could I not snag senior wideout Chris King? The 6-foot-1, 200-pound receiver is not only the Dukes’ top-tier wideout, but one of the Northeast Conference’s most feared targets. King led the conference last season in receiving yardage after catching 68 passes for a total of 1,127 yards. His 14 visits to the end zone, which earned him second place in the NEC last season, proves that he is a wide receiver with great vision. These accomplishments earned him the title of FCS Preseason Second Team All-American. In his last campaign donning the Red & Blue, King will be fired up to top last season’s heroic effort.
Pick No. 2 – Routh: Dillon Buechel; Junior quarterback
Synopsis: Coming off a shortened 2014 campaign, junior quarterback Dillon Buechel has potential to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NEC this season and a great fantasy option. With a veteran offensive line and two dominant senior receivers in Chris King and Dave Thomas, Buechel could throw for 2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, assuming he stays healthy. Coach Jerry Schmitt – when asked if his quarterback is ready to start the season – said Buechel gained muscle this offseason and worked on delivering the football. In eight games in 2014, he racked up 2,015 yards and 14 touchdowns, and cut his interception total in half from the previous year.
Pick No. 3 – Holman: Rafiq Douglas; Sophomore running back
Synopsis: With King and Buechel off the board, Rafiq Douglas was the name that really stood out to me. The sophomore from Lusby, Maryland seems poised to carry a heavy load for the Dukes as Ryan Ho, the leading rusher from last season, graduated. As a freshman in 2014, Douglas accumulated just under 400 yards rushing, while averaging a respectable four yards per carry. Douglas recorded zero touchdowns last season and also only had one reception all season. If he can perform like he did in high school, where he scored a total of 56 TDs in each of his four years, he could emerge as a stud.
ROUND 2
Pick No. 4 – Holman: Kevin Enright; Junior tight end
Synopsis: With the first pick in the second round, I chose to go with a sleeper pick in redshirt junior Kevin Enright. Enright is in position to take on the starting tight end duties this season and will presumably be on the field for nearly every snap taken by the Dukes this fall. The hope is that his 6-foot-3, 241-pound stature will make him an attractive red zone target for the Dukes. Lastly, Enright resides from the Northeast Ohio area just as I do, and if there is one thing we all know it is that, “Nothing is given; everything is earned.” I believe that Enright will use these wise words of fellow Northeast Ohio native, LeBron James, as inspiration to boost him to impressive numbers this season.
Pick No. 5 – Routh: Dominique Terrell; Senior wide receiver
Synopsis: It was hard to pass on Dave Thomas here, but if all goes as planned with senior wideout Dominique Terrell, there could be huge upside to his play. Terrell – a transfer from the University of Virginia – fits much better in Duquesne’s spread offense, where he will see plenty of playing time in the slot now that Devin Rahming graduated. Could Terrell be the Dukes’ go-to no. 2 receiver? It’s very possible. As a sophomore at Virginia, he caught 38 passes for 475 yards and demonstrated explosive speed and reliable hands. Nothing against Thomas here, but if Terrell could succeed in the ACC, imagine what he can do in this offense against teams like Bucknell and Kentucky Christian.
Pick No. 6 – Sykes: Dave Thomas; Senior wide receiver
Synopsis: What can I say? I like receivers. First off, I can’t believe Dave Thomas fell into my lap with the final pick. I was going to pick a running back here, but after Andrew selected Rafiq Douglas with the third pick, it seemed dicey to go with a back up. Secondly, Thomas has a sure-fire shot of becoming the team’s no. 2. With Dominique Terrell entering the fray after transferring from the University of Virginia, this could emerge as a threat to Thomas. However, he knows the offense better than Terrell and after a solid 2014 campaign, which saw him come down with 39 catches and 430 yards.
