Duke star QB Darian Mensah, one of the most coveted passers in the sport, has been the subject of late-cycle portal chatter as the winter window nears its midnight Jan. 16 shutdown.
If Mensah actually does hit the portal, reports suggest his current NIL contract structure could make any outside pursuit, including a potential Miami swing, far more complicated than the usual recruiting race.
Duke has concerns that star quarterback Darian Mensah could enter the transfer portal, multiple sources tell @mzenitz and I for @CBSSports.
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) January 16, 2026
Mensah finished 2nd in the FBS this season with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns. https://t.co/mkxQThnHvv pic.twitter.com/56lNEQkt7S
Miami is preparing for the College Football Playoff national championship game against Indiana on Monday night. But roster building does not stop for the title game anymore, not in the portal era, and Miami is widely expected to be active again at quarterback.
Duke QB Darian Mensah could enter the transfer portal
Sources: If quarterback Darian Mensah were to leave Duke, it’s the school’s understanding that his contract calls for them to have his exclusive NIL rights and only Duke has the ability to cancel that. pic.twitter.com/yBpITWkrn8
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 16, 2026
CBS Sports reported Friday that Duke officials have "growing concerns" Mensah could enter the portal in the closing hours, and noted he signed a multiyear deal last offseason that pays him $4 million annually. On the field, he was an all-ACC selection who finished the 2025 season second nationally with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns.
But, the potential roadblock for any team interested in Mensah comes from how the money and rights are reportedly structured. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Duke's understanding is Mensah's contract gives the school exclusive NIL rights, and that only Duke has the ability to cancel the deal. Thamel also reported that Mensah would only be able to access revenue-sharing money through Duke unless the contract is terminated, and that any effort by another school to compensate him outside of revenue sharing would be scrutinized.
This is happening as college sports shifts deeper into the revenue-sharing era. The House settlement framework has created a system where schools can share up to roughly $20.5 million annually with athletes, while also installing new enforcement and a clearinghouse process for third-party NIL deals, including fair-market-value standards.
If Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes want to push hard for a proven, high-end quarterback like Mensah, a contract setup that allegedly ties NIL rights and revenue-share access to the current school could require Duke to cooperate, or at minimum, require the parties to sort out termination terms before anything could happen.
Duke is still trying to keep Mensah and losing him so close to the portal's midnight deadline would be a devastating blow. But, for Miami, it is something they will still likely look into.