Duke quarterback Darian Mensah will return to the Blue Devils for the 2026 season, according to On3. This is a big move one of the ACC’s most productive offenses heading into next year.
Mensah is widely viewed as one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft. In his first season at Duke after transferring from Tulane, he delivered a breakout campaign under Manny Diaz.
Mensah threw for 3,646 yards and 30 touchdowns, ranking fourth and fifth nationally, respectively. He topped 300 passing yards in five games, including a signature performance Nov. 1 against Clemson, completing 27 of 41 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns in a 46-45 upset win.
Behind Mensah, Duke captured the ACC championship with a 27-20 overtime victory over No. 17 Virginia, the program’s first conference title since 1989. Mensah threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Despite the title, Duke was left out of the College Football Playoff, prompting Diaz to publicly campaign for his team and praise Mensah as “the best damn quarterback in the country.”
Mensah entered the 2025 season as one of the highest-paid players in college football after accepting a reported $3 million NIL package to join Duke. He previously passed for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns as a freshman at Tulane in 2024.
Mensah is expected to enter 2026 as a preseason Heisman Trophy contender, with Duke aiming to build on its championship breakthrough.
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