Duke running back Mataeo Durant declares for 2022 NFL Draft

Duke running back Mataeo Durant announced his decision to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft, foregoing the option to use his extra year of eligibility granted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The senior offensive star helped guide the offense, improving his stats over each season with the Blue Devils.

Over four seasons, Durant played in 42 games and registered 490 touches. He finished his collegiate career with 2,554 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, adding 476 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

In his senior season, Durant played all 12 games and set career-highs in nearly every category. He finished with 256 carries, 1,233 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, adding 27 receptions for 252 receiving yards with two touchdowns.

Statement from Mataeo Durant

After declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft, Mataeo Durant posted the following statement on his social media page.

“Dear Duke, you’ve been everything I could have dreamed of and more. You’ve allowed me to reach new heights a kid like me could only dream of, and for that I am so grateful. This has been a long hard journey, but if I had the choice to do it all over again I would.

“To my coaches, you all have helped put me in a position that not many have. Thank you for believing in me and not only developing me as a football player and student of the game, but also as a man.

“Football has been an integral part of my life since I was young and because of my parents, that dream became a reality. All the camps my mom made me go to when I didn’t want to or all those long days on the road for my dad taking me to those camps paid off.

“To my friends, thank you for being that extra piece of the experience that I had no idea would come with it. What we have built will last 4Eva.

“With that being said, I would like to officially declare for the 2022 NFL draft.”

The message posted on social media was accompanied by the caption, “And we out.” He will not sit out any bowl game this season since Duke finished 3-9 and 0-8 in the ACC.

The school will now turn its attention to hiring its next head coach after David Cutcliffe’s announcement that he would step down in November. A number of potential candidates have emerged from a variety of backgrounds as the search comes to a close.