Miami DB Bryce Fitzgerald gives a Darian Mensah take that has us ready for Week 1

It is not everything, but it most certainly is something. With the Miami Hurricanes expected to do big things once again on the college football gridiron, all eyes will be on their transfer portal quarterback Darian Mensah. The former Tulane and Duke quarterback comes to Coral Gables after one year in Durham. Clearly, he left an indelible impression on his new teammate in Bryce Fitzgerald last season.

Fitzgerald did not beat around the bush when it came to praising what all Mensah brings to the table.

"It's great. He pushes me. He's probably one of the greatest quarterbacks I've ever played against. The little details he does, it's great."

They have only been teammates for a few months, but Fitzgerald has seen Mensah put in the work.

"I'm here eight, nine o'clock, and he's still in here with me. Just seeing him that he's watching film, trying to get better, I like that. So all of us are trying to get better, going against each other in practice, I feel like it's great."

If the immensely talented defensive back of the Hurricanes kicks it up a notch, Miami could win it all.

Of course, Mensah left Duke to come to Miami to do more than just winning the ACC in a down year...

Bryce Fitzgerald champions Darian Mensah to the degree of a champion

Simply put, Miami seems to know a lot about star quarterbacks. Two of them won Heisman Trophies generations ago, but what Cam Ward and Carson Beck have done in one year at Miami has resonated with top-flight recruits and transfer portal prospects like Mensah. Miami may need to win more in its own backyard in terms of recruitment, but it has been a place where transfers star under this regime.

The interesting part in Fitzgerald's praise of Mensah is that he went up against some excellent quarterbacks in their own right last year. Looking at who Miami played in the College Football Playoff, the Canes took on Marcel Reed, Julian Sayin, and Trinidad Chambliss in succession, all before losing to Miami native Fernando Mendoza in the national title bout. Mensah appears to be of that same ilk.

So while it remains to be seen what at Mensah can bring to the table for Miami this season, just know that the pressure is sky-high on him. He has already played for two well-thought-of head coaches in the sport in Jon Sumrall at Tulane and former Miami head coach Manny Diaz at Duke. They might be defensive-minded guys, but they saw the promise in Mensah. Fitzgerald is getting to see it firsthand.

For now, Mensah seems to have the right mindset to take over a juggernaut program like Miami here.