Duckett attended Richard J. Reynolds High School, where he was diagnosed with diabetes in the tenth grade. He continued to play football despite warnings from his doctors, problems maintaining weight and his healing capacity being affected by his illness. As a senior running back, he rushed for over 900 yards and scored 20 touchdowns, receiving All-state, All-American and Winston-Salem Player of the Year honors. He finished his high school career with over 2,000 total yards and 20 touchdowns. He also practiced baseball and basketball. As a senior in baseball, he received All-conference, All-American, Player of the Year honors and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
College career
Duckett accepted a football scholarship from Wake Forest University. He broke his ankle returning a kickoff in the third game of his true freshman season and was redshirted. As a redshirt freshman, he was switched from running back to wide receiver, but again broke the same ankle the week before the start of the season and missed 5 weeks. The injury affected his speed and he had to work to regain his previous form. He became the team's kickoff returner, making 25 returns for 495 yards As a sophomore in 1979, he became a starter at wide receiver, posting 19 receptions for 370 yards, a 19.5-yard average and 16 kickoff returns for 339 yards. As a junior he had a breakout season, registering 50 receptions, 656 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. He also had 11 kickoff returns for 182 yards. As a senior, he was limited with a knee injury, recording 37 receptions for 457 yards, 7 touchdowns and 3 kickoff returns for 57 yards. He finished his college career third on school's All-time receiving list with 108 receptions for 1,507 yards and 19 touchdowns, 62 kick-offs returns for 1,251 yards and 27 punt returns for 212 yards. At the time he set school records for most kickoff returns, most touchdown receptions in a season and most career touchdown receptions.
Professional career
New Orleans Saints
Duckett was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 1982 NFL Draft, after dropping because of his diabetes condition. He was mainly used as a kickoff returner and backup wide receiver. As a rookie, he had 12 catches for 196 yards and averaged 16.3 yards per reception. In 1983, he tallied 19 receptions for 283 yards and averaged 21.8-yards on 33 kickoff returns. In 1984, he missed 5 games with a diabetic condition. He appeared in 11 games, finishing with 3 receptions for 24 yards and a 20-yard average on 29 kickoff returns. On August 27, 1985, he was placed on injured reserve list with a hand injury and was later waived on October 15. He left the team with 64 kickoff returns for 1,338 yards, 503 receiving yards and 4 receiving touchdowns.
