Miami could make Duke's life worse by adding Darian Mensah's top WR too

Duke wide receiver Cooper Barkate has entered the transfer portal, putting another high-end piece of Duke's ACC title team on the market at the exact moment Miami continues to be linked to Duke quarterback Darian Mensah. 

Barkate was Duke's leading pass catcher and the primary target for Mensah. Barkate finished 2025 with 72 receptions for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games. Multiple reports have already tied Barkate to Miami immediately after he hit the market.

Duke wide receiver Cooper Barkate tied to Miami

Mensah entered the portal last week and Miami has been viewed as a likely landing spot, but the situation has turned into a legal fight. Duke says Mensah is bound by a multiyear NIL contract and obtained a temporary restraining order that keeps him from enrolling at or playing for another school while the case plays out. An injunction hearing is scheduled for Feb. 2.

Miami is shopping for another quarterback after playing for a national title with transfer Carson Beck. If Mensah ultimately leaves, the Blue Devils would be trying to replace not only one of the ACC's most productive quarterbacks, but potentially his most productive target too.

Before Duke, Barkate played at Harvard, where he earned multiple All-America honors in 2024 and finished his Crimson career with 113 receptions for 1,742 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns in 23 games. He hit the ground running in the ACC, averaging 15.4 yards-per-catch.

He also had three 100-yard games in 2025, including a 13-catch, 172-yard day against Georgia Tech. Barkate posted 5 catches for 91 yards in Duke's ACC championship win over Virginia.

The Hurricanes have spent the last two seasons proving you can rebuild a top tier offense through the portal. If Miami ends up winning the Mensah sweepstakes, adding Barkate seems more likely to happen.