Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 17-3vs Tulane | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#43
Semaj Turner
Sophomore defensive end on Duke's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 255 lb · Winston-Salem, NC · Ronald Wilson Reagan
Returning to Duke for 2026
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
2 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Tulane
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 defensive end on Duke's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Duke in 2023.
Semaj Turner
Semaj Turner has been at Duke through two head coaches in three seasons. The receipt: 2 tackles against Tulane — Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Duke3-star out of Reagan
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Duke
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
Trooper Taylor
Duke
Coaching transition mid-career: Trooper Taylor → Manny Diaz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Duke8-5HC: Trooper Taylor · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Duke9-5HC: Manny Diaz · Balanced
2026Duke2-0HC: Manny Diaz · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Manny Diaz
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Duke
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · Duke
Returning around him
- 3 Duke players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (19 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Duke · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #69 · 2026 recruiting class #71
Background
2026: Returning defensive end … 2025 Academic All-ACC selection … in 16 career games, has recorded nine tackles and one QB pressure … compiled a career-high three tackles against NC State in 2025 … recorded first QB pressure versus Arizona State in the 2025 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl … has played 18...
The defensive line · Duke
- #10Tyshon Reed3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Preston Watson3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #12Bryce Davis2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #15Kevin O'Connor1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #43Semaj Turner0 tackles for loss · 2025
12 more on the roster · Duke team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology