Meet KJ Duff: The most underrated player in the class of 2024

From being in a Nike commercial in middle school, making varsity as a freshman and having a famous YouTuber drive to watch him play, Korey Duff Jr. is becoming one of the nation's brightest stars.

Duff was exposed to football at a young age by watching his dad play semi-professional, and he followed in his father’s footsteps.

He currently ranks as a three-star athlete, the No. 432 player in the country and the fourth-best prospect from New York, according to 247Sports.

When Duff was 10-years-old, he became a viral sensation by making an improbable one-handed catch leaving NFL stars asking one question.

“How?”

The video of his incredible snag was shared across social media on ESPN and was featured in a Nike commercial.

Duff mentioned it was a surreal experience, but at the time, he didn’t know Nike was the company using the video.

“It was crazy with news reporters always coming to my school,” Duff said. “When I got the contract, there was no name given, so when the commercial finally came out, it was pretty crazy.”

In eighth grade, the young phenom decided to play high school football at St. Anthony’s on Long Island.

The Friars have consistently been one of the top programs in the state, producing collegiate products Mario Escobar Jr, Nick Alvarado and Gavin Miller.

However, none made an impact as quickly as Duff did, being the first player under coach Joe Minucci to make varsity as a freshman.

Due to the pandemic, St. Anthony’s played five games, but the wide receivers' skill was apparent.

Standing at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, Duff has the ability to soar above defenders to make highlight reel catches.

Due to his height, many believe he is destined to play tight end at the next level, but he doesn’t favor one position over the other, mentioning the more he moves around on the field, the more useful he is.

Quarterback Dante Torres is one of the top signal-callers in the state, and he mentioned Duff makes his job a lot easier.

“The things he does on the field really speak for themselves, and there's not a lot of receivers at his height that can do what he does,” Torres said. “You can throw it anywhere near him, and he's going to catch it, knowing that makes it a lot easier for me.”

The duo of Duff and Torres went into the 2021 season with heightened expectations, and they delivered.

The Long Island, New York, native finished the season with 51 catches for 912 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading the Friars to a 6-4 record.

In just the third week of the season, Duff had one of the best games of his young high school career against Cardinal Hayes.

In the Friars' first home game since the pandemic, with the stands full of people, Duff put on a show, recording six catches for 193 yards and three touchdowns, leading his team to a 48-28 victory.

Over the summer, Duff and Torres spent a great deal of time training and hanging out together, so their chemistry helped lead them to success.

“Him and I workout, hang out at the beach, play football, and it just gets us closer and closer, making us more comfortable with each other,” Torres said. “You need to trust your teammates and know they’re going to do their job just how you need to do yours. He and I have a great connection.”

The contest was a statement game for him, and ever since then, he’s been regarded as one of the best players in the 2024 class from New York.

Three weeks later, St. Anthony’s faced off against one of the top teams in the state in Iona Prep, with a special guest on the sideline.

YouTuber A.J. Greene drove to watch the matchup between Duff and the second-best cornerback in the nation Ellis Robinson IV.

“It was crazy. We talked on Instagram and then got each other's numbers, and I had to get him out to the game,” Duff said. “With him being from Long Island, I just had to put on for him.”

The battle between two of the nation's top talents lived up to the billing, with Duff tallying six catches, 124 yards and a touchdown.

However, Robinson had the last laugh as Iona pulled off a huge comeback capturing a 35-34 victory.

Despite coming up just short, the St. Anthony’s star claimed it was awesome playing against another top talent.

“It was definitely good for both of us competition-wise,” Duff said. “He’s quick, fast and twitchy, so it was hard at times, but I had to make do.”

St. Anthony’s and Iona Prep squared off in the NYCHSFL semifinals, and once again, the Gaels defeated the Friars 35-28 in double overtime.

The loss was a bad ending to a breakout season for the pass-catcher, and Minucci was extremely impressed with his play.

“You can’t teach size, and that’s something that works to his advantage,” Minucci said. “He has a great way of getting the ball when it's in the air, and his hands and ball skills are second to none.”

Duff’s skills caught the eyes of some college programs, and in early January, he took an unofficial visit to Rutgers.

After touring the facilities and meeting with coach Greg Schiano, he came away with his first offer.

“It meant a lot they offered me,” Duff said.

The offers continued to roll in during the month, with the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia extending offers to him.

As the year has progressed, the versatile star has gained more attention, receiving offers from Maryland, Temple and the University of Massachusetts.

The 2021 All-state member set lofty goals heading into his junior campaign, mentioning he wants to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards and over 15 touchdowns and win a championship.

With lofty goals set heading into 2022, Minucci believes his star will have a great junior season.

“He knew what he needed to work, and he's done it,” Minucci said. “He got stronger, faster and became a better route-runner, so all those things combined with his ability to go get the ball, I expect him to have a great year.”