Duke star quarterback Darian Mensah plans to enter the transfer portal, multiple sources told CBS Sports. Mensah is one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the country after signing a multiyear deal last offseason that pays him $4 million annually, according to sources.
His name has surfaced repeatedly this cycle as a potentially movable quarterback in conversations with industry sources, and that chatter only intensified in the closing hours of the 2026 portal window as quarterback-needy programs look to add a proven passer.
Mensah emerged as an all-ACC selection in his first year with Duke, finishing the 2025 season second nationally with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound California native transferred to Duke last offseason from Tulane.
Why now for Mensah?
Mensah and Duke were an ideal partnership during the 2025 season. Duke spent big to land him, and it led to an ACC championship. Meanwhile, Mensah emerged as one of the truly elite passers on the Power Four level, finishing in the top 10 nationally in almost every major passing category.
There were even reports last month that Mensah decided to return to Duke for the 2026 season, passing on the NFL Draft to do so.
At that time there were rumors Mensah could consider the portal. He was a popular potential name for several schools, but he seemed to shut all that down midway through December.
But in recent days, Mensah’s name began to pick up steam again talking with industry sources. There are several QB-needy teams without solutions to their quarterback issues, and no real answers to be found in the portal. The top 26 quarterbacks in the 247Sports portal rankings are all accounted for and the only quarterback in the top 50 with starting experience is EJ Colson, who is coming from Incarnate Word.
Mensah instantly becomes the most in-demand prospect in the portal.
Industry sources also consider Mensah’s contract language with Duke to be more stringent than those of other contracts across college football, which will make it more difficult for Mensah to get out of his deal.
Miami interest?
Earlier this week, CBS Sports reported that Miami was aggressively shopping for a quarterback to replace the graduating Carson Beck, and their list of targets might include names not yet in the transfer portal. The Hurricanes pursued Ty Simpson, but the former Alabama quarterback reaffirmed his commitment to the NFL Draft.
Now, sources tell CBS Sports that Miami is an early team to watch as a potential landing spot for Mensah.
No. 10 Miami will face No. 1 Indiana on Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium, a surreal setting that underscores both how quickly the program has risen and how fragile that ascent can be without the right quarterback. Over the past two seasons, the Hurricanes have leaned aggressively on veteran transfers to fuel their climb, pulling off moves few programs can match.
Miami convinced Cam Ward to withdraw from the 2024 NFL Draft, a decision that ultimately led to him becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Hurricanes followed that by landing Carson Beck, who reversed course after initially declaring for the draft following four seasons at Georgia.
Both moves were transfer-portal coups. Both were big gambles. And both worked exactly as intended. Could Mensah be the the next in line? It’d be the third straight year the Hurricanes made the seemingly impossible happen once again.
What would Duke do?
Mensah decision puts the Blue Devils in an extremely difficult position.
There’s only a few hours left in the 2026 transfer portal window and very few starter-quality players left on the board at quarterback. Duke’s room has also experienced so much upheaval during the portal window, with backup QB Henry Belin transferring to Missouri State.
The Blue Devils did add North Alabama QB transfer Ari Patu, and they’re optimistic about the future of true freshman quarterback Dan Mahan.
Still, a starter, let alone an All-American candidate, leaving at the last moment would be devastating for Duke’s hopes of repeating as ACC champions in 2026.