Nate Sheppard and Nick Del Grande have earned ACC Player of the Week recognition at their current positions following Duke’s 31-27 victory over Illinois in Week 2.
Sheppard, who has now been named the ACC Running Back of the Week for both weeks of the 2026 season, ran for 147 yards and a touchdown while also catching five passes for 41 yards and two scores. It follows his performance in the opener against Tulane, in which he set a career high in carries (35) and rush yards (227) while scoring twice on the ground.
Del Grande was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after being part of a unit that helped pave the way for Sheppard's 147 yards on the ground and gave time to quarterback Walker Eget, who completed 15-of-21 passes for 206 yards and a score.
Despite playing in a hostile environment, the Duke offensive line kept the Fighting Illini to just one sack.
Sheppard understands how crucial the offensive line and other blockers were for Duke’s success on the ground.
“It feels great, obviously, to go out there and be able to produce these good games, but it's credit to them guys up front, the o-line, the tight ends, wide receivers blocking out wide,” he said.
Duke returns home on Saturday to host Stanford in its ACC opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Nate Sheppard, Nick Del Grande earn ACC Player of the Week honors
