Appearing on ACC PM, ESPN football analyst Louis Riddick stated that new Miami quarterback "Darian Mensah goes into the 2026 season as the Heisman Trophy favorite." Mensah finished second nationally with 3,973 passing yards in 2025.
Mensah is currently tied for sixth with Gunnar Stockton of Georgia, Sam Leavitt of LSU and Dante Moore of Oregon at +1500 on the 2026 FanDuel Sportsbook Heisman Trophy odds. Leavitt was one of the top transfer targets for Miami before deciding to transfer to LSU from Arizona State.
Leading Duke to the ACC Championship, Mensah completed 66.8 percent of his pass attempts, had a 153.59 passer rating with 34 touchdown passes and six interceptions. Mensah thrived against ACC opponents in 2025.
In eight regular-season games against conference opponents and the ACC Championship Game, Mensah completed 67.9 percent of his pass attempts for 2,388 yards, a 155.28 passer rating with 19 TDs and one interception.
“Darian Mensah, if it all goes the way it’s supposed to go, he will be the Heisman Trophy favorite.”@LRiddickESPN says the sky is the limit for Miami's new QB1 📈 pic.twitter.com/47ZEjSjDMt
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) January 29, 2026
"Darian Mensah goes into the 2026 season as the Heisman Trophy favorite...looks like Jordan Love. He's not as big as Jordan Love. He moves like it. He's that smooth, confident rhythmic passer...subtle movement in the pocket. Always calm, cool and collected. Has a ton of horsepower in his arm, accuracy, great football IQ...He will be a top 10, top five selection in the 2027 NFL Draft. "ESPN football analyst Louis Riddick
Targeting the Transfer Portal
Mensah will be the third consecutive transfer starting QB for Miami. Cam Ward finished fourth in the 2024 Heisman Trophy voting. Carson Beck led Miami to a runner-up finish in the College Football Playoffs after the 2025 season.
Mensah is the 16th-ranked transfer and sixth QB in the 2026 portal by 247Sports. As a high school prospect, Mensah was the 135th-ranked QB in the 2023 class by 247Sports out of San Luis Obispo, California, St. Joseph.
After redshirting as a freshman in 2023, Mensah completed 65.9 percent of his pass attempts for 2723 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions as the starting QB for Tulane. Mensah has become one of the fastest-developing QBs in college football over the past two seasons.
Mensah will have a stacked Miami roster to work with in 2026. Miami returns all of its running backs from 2025 and has a deep and talented wide receiver group made up of returnees and transfers. Mensah will be joined in Miami by his leading receiver at Duke, Cooper Barkate.