Photos have surfaced of Darian Mensah on the Miami campus just hours after the quarterback and Duke University reached a settlement that will allow Mensah to play for another program in the 2026 season.
All indications are that Mensah will sign with the Hurricanes and immediately be positioned as their starting quarterback for next season. Mensah threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns in leading the Blue Devils to their first outright football conference championship in over 60 years. He started his career at Tulane, playing the 2024 season as a redshirt freshman under Jon Sumrall, who is now coaching the Florida Gators.
NEW: Duke transfer QB Darian Mensah has arrived at Miami on a visit, via @CaneSport🙌https://t.co/4BoCRneNOA https://t.co/sA9pE4U4dZ pic.twitter.com/6Gjl9JBOe4
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) January 27, 2026
Darian Mensah is reportedly on a visit to Miami
If Mensah signs with Miami, it will be the third consecutive season that the Hurricanes have brought in a high-profile quarterback from the transfer portal. Last season, Miami signed Carson Beck, who spent his first five seasons at Georgia before helping the Hurricanes reach the CFP Championship Game.
Mensah was a second-team All-ACC quarterback this season and his addition to the offense is one of the final pieces for Miami to complete their haul out of the transfer portal. He will have a talented group of players around him, including a full running back room that features Mark Fletcher Jr., Cha'Mar Brown and Griard Pringle. Hurricane fans are already excited thinking about the plays that Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney will make, but the Hurricanes also have added experience to that group with Vandrevius Jacobs (South Carolina) and Cam Vaughn (West Virginia) joining the roster from the transfer portal. Both players had over 500 yards receiving last year at their respective programs.
Miami was already expected to be a preseason top ten team and the favorites to win the ACC, but with Mensah the Hurricanes should be considered one of the favorites to win a national championship.
Mario Cristobal and his staff now want to put the finishing touches on a roster that will attempt to run the table in 2026. The Hurricanes received a commitment from safety Conrad Hussey, who played at Florida State and Oregon State. They are also rumored to be the favorites to land Cooper Barkate, who had over 1,000 yards receiving for Duke last season.