SHOCK TRANSFER: Nation’s No. 1 Safety Stuns College Basketball World by Committing to Duke Hoops Over Michigan, Auburn, and Tennessee
In one of the most unprecedented moves in recent college sports memory, the nation’s top-ranked high school football safety, Jalen “Jet” Ricks, has turned the sports world on its head by announcing his transfer—not to another football powerhouse—but to Duke University’s basketball program.
Yes, basketball.
Ricks, a 6’3” 200-pound dual-sport phenom from Atlanta, Georgia, had been the consensus No. 1 safety in the country. With 4.3 speed, punishing hits, and a nose for the ball, he had long been penciled in as a future first-round NFL pick. However, in a shocking turn during a live-streamed commitment on ESPN, Ricks traded cleats for sneakers.
“I’ve loved football my whole life,” Ricks said, draped in a Duke basketball hoodie. “But my heart’s been on the hardwood just as much. Coach Scheyer believed in me—not as a football player playing basketball, but as a pure hooper. That belief changed everything.”
The announcement sent shockwaves through both the football and basketball worlds. Ricks was heavily pursued by top football programs including Michigan, Auburn, and Tennessee, each offering seven-figure NIL packages and promises of instant stardom. But it wasn’t enough to sway him.
Basketball insiders were quick to note that Ricks wasn’t just a football player moonlighting on the court—he averaged 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists per game as a senior, leading his high school to a state title and earning a McDonald’s All-American alternate nod. Still, few believed he would walk away from football altogether, especially with the NFL practically waiting at his doorstep.
“It’s a unicorn move,” said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. “We haven’t seen something like this since Charlie Ward, and even that was the other way around. Ricks is betting on himself—and on Duke—to develop him into a pro-level basketball player.”
Ricks’ decision immediately bolsters a Duke roster already ranked top-five nationally for 2025. Coaches around the ACC are scrambling to adjust scouting reports, and several analysts predict his defensive mindset and physicality will add a unique edge to the Blue Devils’ perimeter defense.
As for the football world? It’s still reeling.
“He’s the one that got away,” said Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel. “We threw the kitchen sink at him—he just followed a different dream.”
Ricks’ move also reignites the conversation around multi-sport athletes and NIL freedom. With money less of an obstacle, young stars are now more empowered to follow passion over pressure.
When asked if he’d ever return to football, Ricks grinned.
“Never say never. But right now? I’m here to break ankles, not wrap them.”
One thing’s for sure—Duke Basketball just added more than a player. They added a movement.
