Coach Cutcliffe arrived at Duke with a reputation for his ability to develop quarterbacks, thanks largely to his success with the Manning brothers and others at Tennessee and Ole Miss. Since his time in Durham, the Blue Devils' Head Coach has already placed two quarterbacks in the NFL in Thaddeus Lewis and Sean Renfree, with Anthony Boone also hoping to find himself a NFL home this fall. On Tuesday afternoon, Coach Cutcliffe secured a commitment from top dual-threat in-state QB Chazz Surratt, whom Duke hopes will eventually join those ranks, after leading their program to new heights.

The 6'3" 210 pound junior selected the Blue Devils over fellow finalists North Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest. He announced his decision at East Lincoln High School on Tuesday afternoon. He most recently visited Duke earlier this month, a visit that ultimately helped to secure his commitment. Surratt quickly rose to the top of the Blue Devils' recruiting board this offseason, and has already developed close relationships with both Coach Cutcliffe and Offensive Coordinator Scottie Montgomery through his recruitment.

Surratt showcased his dual-threat ability as a junior, amassing over 4,300 passing yards and 1,200 rushing yards last fall; he accounted for 73 touchdowns en route to a 2AA state championship and undefeated season. In addition to his prowess under center, Surratt is a star on the hardwood, where he averaged 20 points, 6.7 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals per game for an East Lincoln squad that finished 24-1, losing only in the state title game. His performance earned him Southern District 7 Athletic 2A Conference Player of the Year honors in both football and basketball. He is a consensus top-15 dual-threat quarterback in his class in the country, and the top-rated dual-threat prospect in the state.

Coach Cutcliffe has spoken often regarding the advantages of recruiting star student-athletes to Duke. "Most people have this belief there aren't smart football players in today's world. That's just not right... You have to go find them."

And find one he did in Surratt, who has proven himself as a leader on championship-caliber basketball and football programs, while also compiling a 4.6 GPA in the classroom. He played his entire junior football and basketball seasons with a torn meniscus suffered at a UNC recruiting camp last summer. He underwent arthroscopic surgery in March of this year and has missed a few spring combine events as a result of his rehab. His younger brother, Sage, is also a star WR and basketball player at East Lincoln. The Blue Devils will remain in active pursuit of the younger Surratt as his recruitment unfolds.

After 3 straight bowl appearances and 19 wins over the past 2 seasons, the Duke staff continues to make a splash with their 2016 recruiting class, headlined by the early commitments from ESPN300 prospects Scott Bracey and Mark Birmingham. The addition of Surratt brings the 2016 class to ten verbal commitments, with early rankings placing them among the top 10 classes in the country.