Duke Shelley

K-State's Duke Shelley intercepts a pass against Oklahoma State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas.

Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics

Position:
Defensive Back
Height:
5-9
Weight:
180
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Tucker, Ga.
High School:
Tucker

CAREER HONORS
• 2018 Second Team All-Big 12 (Coaches)
• 2018 First Team All-Big 12 (Pro Football Focus)
• 2018 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Oklahoma State)
• 2017 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (Coaches)
• 2017 Third Team All-Big 12 (Phil Steele)
• 2017 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Texas Tech)
• 2016-18 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list

CAREER: A mainstay at cornerback, starting 37 games over his four-year career... Concluded his career tied for fourth in school history in career interception-return touchdowns (2).

2018: Started the first seven games of the year before an injury cut his season, and thus his career, short... Named a Second Team All-Big 12 performer by the league’s coaches and was on the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Award... Had at least one pass defended in six of his seven games, including a season-high three against both South Dakota and Oklahoma State... Carded two intercepitons against the Cowboys to tie for seventh in school history for single-game interceptions... Set a season high with eight tackles in the season opener against South Dakota.

2017: Started all 12 of his games played, ranking fourth in the Big 12 with 13 passes defended en route to Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades from the league’s coaches and third-team accolades from Phil Steele... Finished fifth on the team with 56 tackles to go along with 4.0 tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions and a forced fumble... Tallied the second pick-six of his career and carded three total passes defended at Texas Tech as he earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades... Recorded a season-high seven tackles at both Texas and Kansas... Also had two pass breakups against the Jayhawks... Registered his first-career sack in the season opener against Central Arkansas... On the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

2016: Played in 11 games with 10 starts, totaling 48 tackles, three interceptions and four pass breakups... Ranked seventh in the Big 12 in interceptions, while he was fourth in conference-only games as all three picks came against Big 12 foes...Tallied a 29-yard pick-six against Oklahoma State... Had an interception the week prior at Iowa State in addition to one at Oklahoma... Set a career high with nine tackles against Texas Tech, while he had eight at Baylor and seven – including a tackle for loss – against Florida Atlantic... Recorded a breakup on a deep pass into the end zone against Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl... On the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

2015: Played in each of the final eight regular-season games, starting each contest... Became the first K-State true freshman to start at cornerback since 2006... Totaled 28 tackles – all solo stops – with 1.0 tackle for loss, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble... His seven breakups were the most by a Wildcat freshman since Jerametrius Butler in 1998... Had four passes defended against West Virginia, the most nationally by a freshman during the 2015 season and the most by a Wildcat freshman since at least 1990... Set a career high with seven tackles at Texas Tech, while he had six tackles and his first two pass breakups against Oklahoma.

HIGH SCHOOL: A three-year letterwinner at Tucker under head coach Bryan Lamar... Helped lead the Tigers to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the state playoffs... Viewed as the 22nd-best cornerback nationally by Rivals and ranked 33rd by ESPN... Also named one of the top 250 recruits in the class of 2015 by Rivals... An honorable mention all-state selection by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2014... Named to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) All-Region 2-AAAAAA... Recorded two interceptions and scored three touchdowns on special teams returns as a senior... Also had six interceptions as a junior... Invited to play in the Florida vs. Georgia High School All-Star Game... Prepped with fellow Wildcat defenders Justin Hughes and Elijah Sullivan.

PERSONAL: YaQuis Bertron Shelley was born October 8, 1996, in DeKalb, Georgia... Son of YaQuis and Cameika Shelley... Has four siblings, Jeremiah, Blessings, Justin and Jessica... Majoring in communication studies.