Duckett attended Richard J. Reynolds High School, where he was diagnosed with diabetes during tenth grade.
He continued to play football despite warnings from his doctors, while having problems maintaining weight and his illness affecting his healing capacity.
As a senior in baseball, he received All-conference, All-American, Player of the Year honors and was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He broke his ankle returning a kickoff in the third game of his true freshman season and was redshirted.
Duckett was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round (68th overall) of the 1982 NFL draft, after dropping because of his diabetes condition.
He had 5 receptions for 53 yards, one receiving touchdown and a 61-yard kickoff return, in his only start against the Chicago Bears.
On December 5, 1985, he was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys, to replace an injured Robert Lavette and be the team's kickoff returner.
[6] Duckett contributed extensively to the Forsyth Chapter of the American Diabetes Association.