Dr. Phillips football's Maliki Wright commits to Duke

Following his decommitment from USF, the three-star defensive back picked the Blue Devils over Mizzou, Iowa St. and Vanderbilt.

By Sam Albuquerque
| 8:30 p.m. June 14, 2024

Sports
High Schools

Dr. Phillips football's Maliki Wright announced via his X account that he has committed to play his college ball for Duke.

The 6-foot, 190-pound three-star defensive back, was previously committed to USF but re-opened his recruitment toward the end of 2023.

Wright chose the Blue Devils over the likes of other notable Power 4 programs like Iowa State, NC State, Missouri and Vanderbilt.

First-year Duke coach Manny Diaz, a former defensive coordinator, can expect Wright to be a do-it-all DB. He was often deployed in both single-high and cover-two schemes at safety.

Dr. Phillips coach Rodney Wells constantly moves the versatile, ultra-athletic and all-around defensive back all over the field. Wright has the aggression and size to load the box and make tackles, but he can also line up deep to use his speed and anticipation to break up the opponent’s passing game.

In 2023, Wright made 74 total tackles (four for a loss), caught two interceptions and had one sack during his 10 games.

Even expect Wright to play a bit on the offensive side as well this season.

author

Sam Albuquerque

A native of João Pessoa, Brazil, Sam Albuquerque moved in 1997 to Central Florida as a kid. After earning a communications degree in 2016 from the University of Central Florida, he started his career covering sports as a producer for a local radio station, ESPN 580 Orlando. He went on to earn a master’s degree in editorial journalism from Northwestern University, before moving to South Carolina to cover local sports for the USA Today Network’s Spartanburg Herald-Journal. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his lovely wife, Sarah, newborn son, Noah, and dog named Skulí.