Darian Mensah has not played a snap for Miami yet, but the NFL conversation around the Hurricanes' new quarterback is already starting.
FanDuel Sportsbook lists Mensah at +2200 to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, placing him inside the early top 10 of the market and tying him with Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons and South Carolina LB Dylan Stewart.
FanDuel gives Darian Mensah early 2027 NFL Draft No. 1 pick odds
Texas quarterback Arch Manning is the early favorite at +165 on FanDuel Sportsbook, well ahead of Oregon quarterback Dante Moore at +500, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr at +600 and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith at +600. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is next at +1200, along with South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers at +1200, Indiana quarterback Drew Mestemaker at +1200, followed by USC quarterback Jayden Maiava at +2000.Â
Mensah sits in the next group at +2000, alongside Simmons and Maiava.
Quarterbacks have gone No. 1 in four straight drafts, eight of the last nine and 10 of the last 12 after Fernando Mendoza went first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mensah threw for an ACC-best 3,973 yards with 34 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2025, earned second-team All-ACC honors. He transferred to Miami after settling a legal dispute with Duke, giving HC Mario Cristobal another high-profile portal quarterback after Cam Ward in 2024 and Carson Beck in 2025.Â
Mensah was excellent at Duke, but quarterbacks get evaluated differently when they produce inside a national-title expectation machine.
Miami is coming off a College Football Playoff championship game appearance with Beck, who transferred in from Georgia and became a third-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals. Before Beck, Cam Ward transferred from Washington State, had a huge season at Miami and became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Mensah is next in that line. He brings better recent production than most quarterbacks in the country, and he is stepping into an offense with enough talent to keep him in the No. 1 pick conversation. If he comes close to matching his Duke numbers against Miami's schedule and expectations, he'll have a shot to go No. 1.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Add us as a preferred source on Google