Darian Mensah, a top-ranked transfer player, completed his move to Miami after making a deal with Duke University. This agreement follows his brief departure from the Blue Devils to enter the transfer portal.
Mensah initially signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Duke in late 2024, marking one of the largest agreements since the introduction of the new name, image, and likeness rules.
Duke University filed a lawsuit on January 20, alleging Mensah broke the revenue-sharing agreement by going into the transfer process without completing the required arbitration. His official commitment to Miami was announced Tuesday night.
The Miami Hurricanes announced that Mensah will take over from Carson Beck as the starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Last season, Mensah led Duke's team to its first outright ACC title in over sixty years.
Darian Mensah is known for impressive statistics, completing 66.8% of his passes with 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns compared to six interceptions. His performance ranks him second in the nation for passing yards.
In the ACC Championship, Mensah completed 19 of 25 passes for 196 yards, leading his team with two touchdowns in overtime against Virginia.
The agreement reached by Mensah's agency, Young Money APAA Sports, was the result of dedicated teamwork and negotiation. "Through tight collaboration and principled negotiation, we have successfully charted an unprecedented course, one that has now reached a fair and mutually agreeable outcome," said Young Money APAA Sports in a statement to CBS Sports. The statement also expressed Mensah's appreciation and best wishes to Duke University and its fans.
At Duke, Darian Mensah set new single-season records for passing yards and total offensive yards. He received MVP honors in the Sun Bowl win over Arizona State.
The addition of Mensah strengthens Miami's lineup, following their recent second-place College Football Playoff ranking. Cooper Barkate, Duke's top receiver from last season, also plans to join Mensah at Miami.
Mensah, before joining Duke, transferred from Tulane after his redshirt freshman year. His two-year tenure at Duke featured guiding the team to their most successful season in recent times.
This move to Miami marks a new beginning for Mensah following his success with Duke. His presence in the ACC ensures continued top-tier competition next season.
