Let's just hope that Darian Mensah is allowed to transfer away from Duke and play for the Miami Hurricanes next fall. The former Blue Devils starter and Tulane Green Wave transfer is currently being sued by Duke University over a breach of contract. To spare us all from the mind-numbing legalese of it all, Duke believes Mensah cannot be allowed to transfer, based on a recently-signed NIL agreement.
While Mensah is still allowed to switch schools, enroll at the University of Miami, and take classes, his rights on the football field still belong to Duke?! Make it make sense! Since nothing has really been all that enforceable throughout the NIL era of college athletics, there is not much room for Duke to stand on. In the event that Mensah is forbidden from transferring to Duke, that puts Miami in an awful spot...
With Carson Beck turning pro, as well as his backup from last year in Emory Williams hitting the transfer portal, that leaves Miami with only Luke Nickel and Judd Anderson on the depth chart at quarterback. Nickel was a true freshman, while Anderson was a redshirt freshman this past season. When looking at the best available quarterbacks still in the portal, after Mensah it is ... Parker Navarro.
While the former starter at Ohio U could be a nice fit for someone in the Power Four, it is a downgrade.
Miami cannot afford to miss out on Darian Mensah in the transfer portal
For a team that just played for a national championship, one that came up one possession short of winning it all for the first time since 2001, Mario Cristobal and his staff should not tolerate any backsliding. Yes, there could be some regression to the mean, but getting to 10 wins annually in an ACC that is still trying to find itself amid Clemson and Florida State's downturn is definitely doable.
By poaching Mensah away from Duke, Miami would be taking one of the best players in the conference away from the ... reigning conference champions, if you can believe that... Miami will have other challengers in the league besides Duke. Maybe Alberto Mendoza's new team in Georgia Tech could get to Charlotte next year? Maybe Virginia will not throw up all over itself in the title bout again?
In the end, there are not really any good options for Miami in a post-Beck world if Mensah is not allowed to come to Coral Gables. If that is the case, then do whatever you can to get Navarro to Miami. Let's be perfectly honest here. If Mensah is allowed to go to Miami, where do you think Navarro is going? He would make a ton of sense at Duke. Otherwise, we will have to see what else is out there.
At this time, Miami should still expect to land Mensah, but if it cannot, then maybe go after Navarro?