Miami Emerges As Favorite For Duke Transfer QB Darian Mensah

Trinton Breeze

Jan 16, 2026 1 min read

Word around college football today is Miami is now the team to beat for former Duke QB Darian Mensah, who recently entered the transfer portal on the last day. This isn’t some long shot, the Hurricanes are getting serious looks and buzz as the favorite to land him according to 247Sports.

He broke out at Tulane in 2024, starting all 13 games and throwing 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions while completing 65.9% of his throws. He also ran for 132 yards and a score.

He then transferred to Manny Diaz’s Duke squad for the 2025 season, and he took off even more piling up nearly 4,000 yards passing with 34 touchdowns and 6 picks and a completion rate around 67%.

Mensah is back in the portal, and Miami fans are hyped about the possibility of adding a proven Power-5 QB.

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Ray52

Jan 22, 2026

Tony4Canes said:
Guess Miami could wait for these two

is nakos guessing here? we taking 3 wr's?

MumbleRap

Jan 22, 2026

Manfred_Cane said:
He said it in an interview leading up to the Natty lol

He’s collecting his reparations, I know Rio a D1 grudge holder

ZeroBeachCane3

Jan 22, 2026

And he can beat man coverage too…

T
Torocane

Jan 22, 2026

AllbouttheU said:
That’s going be a lot of WRs you have try to get the ball to if he comes.

Good problem to have

Jan 22, 2026

Ray52 said:
is nakos guessing here? we taking 3 wr's?

No he is not D$ said so thirty minutes ago

TriStarCane

Jan 22, 2026

ZeroBeachCane3 said:
And he can beat man coverage too…

A white skill player with spats? 16-0

C
canes856

Jan 22, 2026

Really good highlights and only halfway thru play at 1:31 I recall Andre Johnson saying we didn't have a receiver like him to run that route when we played a&m

Manfred_Cane

Jan 22, 2026

Ray52 said:
is nakos guessing here? we taking 3 wr's?

It's been noted on the pod that we weren't done at WR

BALLHAWKU

Jan 22, 2026

canesfan54 said:
Absolutely but if the WRs is gonna be our strength than let’s maximize it until we are in situations where we need to get TEs and extra OL involved. Dawson might finally get a HC job with this offense

Long as the qb does his own plays he’ll make Dawson look good like cam did

Last edited: Jan 22, 2026

ZeroBeachCane3

Jan 22, 2026

Miami Mensah…**** a Blue Devil

C
cowboycane

Jan 22, 2026

LuCane said:
This dude is a specific zone killer. I’ve watched a ton of Mensah and Barkate carved up other teams’ zones from a lot of different spots on the field.

In a bunch set with Jacobs, Toney, and this dude, and Vaughn on the other side holding a safety, there aren’t really coverages to account for the spaces those players will find.

Heck, put him in the championship against Indiana, and he likely helps us win the game bc of their zone gaps.

Reminds me of Keenan Mccardell iin many ways. I wouldn’t call him ‘elite’ in terms of traits and whatnot, but I’d call him a huge value. Am I allowed to compare him to a non-white player, btw?

Elite cross-racial comp.

C
Caniac16

Jan 22, 2026

Now I’m getting greedy. Bring me Seaton and sky is the limit for our offense

Jan 22, 2026

canes856 said:
Really good highlights and only halfway thru play at 1:31 I recall Andre Johnson saying we didn't have a receiver like him to run that route when we played a&m

Was he on acc network commentating?

k9cane

Jan 22, 2026

WeBallinBoyz said:
Pull the Mensah stunt, we take your WR1 too

Reminds me of the Cam Ward offense of 2024, think we’ll transition to that for 2026. Toney, Barake, Jacobs, Vaughn (assuming he sticks) + young guys. Fletcher takes the Damien Martinez role.

**** Duke.

and please, add just a bit of tempo with that...

ZeroBeachCane3

Jan 22, 2026

RVACane

Jan 22, 2026

Caniac16 said:
Is this friendly or threatening…

lol friendly. I’m only psychotic when I’m not medicated.

FrancisSawyer

Jan 22, 2026

TexasCane90 said:
This kid getting sued too?

Jokes aside kids a good player and obviously has chemistry with mensah who he wants to play with definitely helps elevate the WR room

Josh Moore
Malachi Toney
Daylin Upshaw
Jojo Trader
Vandrevius Jacobs
Cam Vaughn
Cooper Barkate
Somourian Wingo
Milan Paris
Tyran Evans
Vance Spafford

Adding Cooper Barkate would give us the WR group above. Barkate would provide an experienced, reliable and very productive WR to a deep talented room that was missing exactly that. Would be a phenomenal get.