The Duke Blue Devils aren't contenders, are they? They're not expected to be in contention for the ACC title over Clemson or even SMU, so they're not really on a national radar whatsoever. Maybe they should be.They were perhaps underrated in 2024, as they won nine games, the same as Alabama and LSU, and both those teams are considered legit contenders. Of course, the teams are different, but still. ESPN insider Bill Connelly believes Darian Mensah, because of his arrival on this Duke team, is one of college's most important players. "Duke was a mini-Michigan last season, playing good enough defense to win nine games despite no run game and a passing game Manny Diaz disliked so much that he immediately went out and grabbed Mensah with what was believed to be a big-money deal," Connelly said."At Tulane in 2024, Mensah was excellent for a redshirt freshman; if he becomes simply excellent, period, why shouldn't the Blue Devils be considered contenders (Especially with a light conference schedule featuring only one projected top-40 ACC team)?" Connelly asked. The ACC isn't loaded, and while Clemson is really good, improving on a nine-win season from 2024 could easily put Duke into conversations no one expects them to be in.