Projecting Duke's 2015-16 Rotation After 5-Star PG Derryck Thornton Commits

The Duke Blue Devils received a massive boost to their 2015 recruiting class on Tuesday, as Derryck Thornton reclassified and committed to the program.

The addition of Thornton to the Blue Devils' roster for next season helped fill the void left open by the departing Tyus Jones. 

Jones is one of four key contributors to the title-winning team that will not return in the fall. Quinn Cook's eligibility is up, while Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow have declared for the NBA draft. 

Since the 2015-16 Duke starting lineup will look different from the side that went to the national championship, we wanted to take a look at who Mike Krzyzewski will be putting out on the floor in six months. 

Here's a look at our updated projection of Duke's roster after the Thornton commitment. 

PG: Derryck Thornton

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Thornton will be handed a ton of responsibility during his freshman season in Durham, as he will have to replace the production of Tyus Jones. 

"Once Tyus declared, Duke came after me hard," Thornton said, per ESPN's Paul Biancardi. 

Luckily for Thornton, he may not be relied on to shine in the clutch like the outgoing freshman did in many key games last season. 

Thornton's main worry while on the court will be controlling the pace of play and distributing the ball to the plethora of solid shooters on the roster. 

SG: Grayson Allen

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When the 2015-16 season begins, Grayson Allen will the most-hated player outside of the Triangle. 

Allen showcased his talent on the biggest stage at the end of his freshman season, as he sparked the Blue Devils' second-half run against the Wisconsin Badgers. 

The rising sophomore will be thrust into a starting role after spending most of his time on the bench behind the likes of Tyus Jones and Cook throughout the 2014-15 campaign. 

Based off what we witnessed in Indianapolis a few weeks ago, Allen will bring a ton of hustle to the court, as well as the ability to hit the big shot, much like many Duke guards before him. 

Allen also has a ridiculous vertical, which could lead to a few spots on Duke's end-of-season highlight reel. 

G: Luke Kennard

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With so much depth at the guard position, it would come as a shock to some if Krzyzewski didn't begin the season with three guards in the starting five. 

Five-star recruit Luke Kennard will present the Blue Devils with another strong option from the beyond the arc and will be a terrific asset to have as the schedule moves into conference play. 

Kennard, who is No. 24 in the ESPN 100, will face competition from rising junior Matt Jones for the third starting guard position, but he should be able to overtake Jones.

With Allen and Thornton already in the fold, Kennard will not face a ton of pressure to be the team's top scorer during nonconference play. 

All that was said above could be thrown out the window if the Blue Devils acquire the signature of Brandon Ingram, who will choose between Duke and five other schools on April 27, per SNY's Chip Miller.

PF: Amile Jefferson

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Every young roster needs an experienced head in the starting lineup when the season begins. 

That is exactly what Amile Jefferson's role will be when the 2015-16 season opens up in November. The rising senior has primarily been a contributor off the bench in his first three seasons, but he could be relied on to fill space down low while the younger players get acclimated to the game. 

One stat category in which Jefferson can be trusted is rebounds. Jefferson pulled down 6.9 boards per game in his sophomore season and 5.8 in his junior year. 

The decline in numbers from his sophomore to junior season should not carry much weight, because Okafor and Winslow took over in the rebounding department last season. 

Jefferson will compete with Marshall Plumlee and Chase Jeter for a starting position, but he should earn an early nod. And he might keep the starting role if he thrives during nonconference action. 

C: Marshall Plumlee

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We know what you're thinking, and yes there is still a member of the Plumlee family on the Duke roster. 

The rising senior from Indiana should earn a chance to compete for the starting center job, and he has an upper hand against Jeter, who is listed a power forward. 

There may come a time when the youngest Plumlee brother hands his starting role over to the impressive freshman, but playing center at the collegiate level does require some level of expertise. 

For Plumlee to hold onto his major role on the court, he has to elevate his numbers from the 2014-15 season, in which he earned 2.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in 9.6 minutes. 

As of right now, Plumlee is the better option at the position because of his experience. But if Jeter impresses Krzyzewski and the rest of the coaching staff during the preseason, he could easily earn this role on the team.

Major Contributors off the Bench: Matt Jones & Chase Jeter

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With Thornton now in the fold, the Blue Devils possess a dangerous seven-man rotation that could rival any team in the country. 

Matt Jones and Jeter are projected to start on the bench in this lineup, but they have the talent to start if everything goes right in the preseason. 

Jones was a key X-factor throughout his sophomore season by doing a little bit of everything on the court in his 21.7 minutes per game. The competition for playing time on the wing will only increase if the Blue Devils earn the commitment of Ingram. 

As for Jeter, he has potential to be a force in the frontcourt once he adapts to the next level. The standards of Duke fans may have been set too high for incoming big men by Okafor, which is why Jeter may face some criticism if he starts slow in Durham. 

The ideal scenario for Jeter would see him permanently take away Jefferson's or Plumlee's starting role before ACC play starts. 

If he gets into a rhythm before the calendar flips over to 2016, Jeter could turn himself into the ACC's top freshman. 

Rest of Bench

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Rice transfer Sean Obi should hand the Blue Devils an extra boost off the bench if any of the paint players struggle in certain games. 

Recent commit Antonio Vrankovic will face the same situation as Obi. If he can turn in some quality minutes early in the season, he might earn a growing role in the paint as the season progresses. 

The list of contributors off the bench will grow if the Blue Devils bring in Ingram and if they get ahold of some more transfers and incoming freshman. 

Duke's 2015-16 roster is far from complete at the moment, but we do have a good idea of who the key faces will be. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.