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Duke OT James Pogorelc enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby:Grant Grubbs•02/27/25•

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Duke transfer
Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke helmet of Duke Blue Devils cornerback Chandler Rivers (0) with its slogan during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Duke offensive tackle James Pogorelc has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. Pogorelc transferred to Duke ahead of the 2024 campaign after spending four seasons at Stanford.

Pogorelc played in all 12 of Duke’s regular season games last season. He joined the Blue Devils with limited experience. He only saw action in 12 games, including two starts, during his four seasons at Stanford. In total, Pogorelc logged 114 snaps with the Cardinal.

Pogorelc played high school football at Chantilly (VA), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 312 overall player and the No. 33 offensive tackle in the 2020 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Duke had one of the best offensive lines in the nation last season. The Blue Devils only allowed 12 sacks in 2024, the eighth-least in the country. Pogorelc was a cornerstone of Duke’s offensive front.

He is the ninth Duke player to enter the transfer portal this offseason. The Blue Devils have added seven players, via the NCAA Transfer Portal. The incoming transfer class is headlined by former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah.

Greg McElroy evaluates Manny Diaz’s first year at Duke

Former Duke head coach Mike Elko turned the Blue Devils program around in his two seasons in Durham, going 17-9 after the Blue Devils had won only five games combined the previous two years. Manny Diaz kept that momentum going, leading Duke to a 9-4 season in 2024.

The former Miami head coach and Penn State defensive coordinator was recently praised by Greg McElroy on the Always College Football podcast. The ESPN analyst gave Manny Diaz an A- grade for his first season at Duke.

“They did a great job of taking care of business against in-state teams,” McElroy said. “They beat North Carolina. They beat NC State. They beat Wake Forest. That was the first time they beat all three in one season since 2013. 

“And they were great in one-score games. They were 6-1 in games decided by a single score. For Manny Diaz, his Year 1 grade is A-. I thought it was a great first year for him in Durham, North Carolina.”

Duke has now won eight or more games in three consecutive seasons. Diaz will look to lead the Blue Devils to new heights in 2025.