Not only did Miami land QB1 tonight, the 'Canes continue to add at the wide receiver position through the portal, securing the commitment of Duke wideout Cooper Barkate.
A 6-foot-1,195-pounder from Calif., Barkate spent three seasons at Harvard before spending his 2025 season at Duke.
Last year he reeled in 72 catches for 1,106 yards for the Blue Devils which included seven touchdowns. Barkate’s yard total only came second in the ACC to Miami’s own Malachi Toney, and was good for ninth in the country.
Adding on to his All-FCS resume at Harvard, Barkate was awarded second-team all-ACC honors for his efforts last season.
A sure handed receiver who only dropped six passes on the year, he averaged 15.2 yards per catch, and shined in the intermediate game. That’s because he pairs his smooth routes with impressive YAC ability, turning chain-moving catches into game-changing plays.
His standout games included 13 catches for 172 yards against Georgia Tech, and 6 catches for 127 yards during a 46-45 shootout versus Clemson.
And in the ACC Championship game versus Virginia, Barkate totaled 91 yards on 5 catches.
On top of being one of the most productive receivers in the country, the most important factor in this transfer is his connection with expected Miami QB Darian Mensah. Barkate was Mensah’s leading receiver who had visible chemistry as he would consistently find his way open on broken plays for Mensah.
Both visited earlier today and announced their commitments following the visit.
It’s safe to say Mensah will have plenty of options to air the ball out as Barkate joins incoming transfers Cam Vaughn and Vandrevious Jacobs as Miami’s portal additions, complementing a current wide receiver room of Toney, Josh Moore, Daylyn Upshaw and UM’s incoming freshman class.
