Darian Mensah transfer portal controversy, explained: Why Duke is suing QB trying to leave Blue Devils program

Daniel Mader

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Darian Mensah transfer portal controversy, explained: Why Duke is suing QB trying to leave Blue Devils program image

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For the second time in the college football offseason, there is a controversy surrounding a star quarterback's decision to transfer.

Just weeks after Demond Williams made headlines for attempting to leave Washington despite having a signed contract with the Huskies, now Duke quarterback Darian Mensah is caught up in some legal technicalities for trying to leave the Blue Devils.

Mensah announced his plans to enter the transfer portal earlier in January, but around a month prior, he had already committed to rejoining Duke in 2026, also reportedly owning a contract that took him through next season. 

Now, the Blue Devils will be suing Mensah, per On3, aiming to keep him from leaving the program.

Here's what to know about the transfer portal controversy surrounding Mensah.

MORE: What to know about Demond Williams' transfer portal controversy at Washington

Darian Mensah transfer portal controversy

In December, Mensah, who is set to be one of the top returning quarterbacks across college football, announced his intentions to return to Duke in 2026. But around a month later, he switched up on those plans with the transfer portal window ticking away.

On Jan. 16, the final day where an FBS player is able to enter the portal, Menseh notified Duke that he planned to enter the transfer portal, per The Athletic. The second-team All-ACC quarterback, who led the Blue Devils to an ACC title this past season, then confirmed the news on social media.

"I'm forever grateful for Duke and the coaching staff. Thank you Duke family for everything," Mensah wrote. "This wasn’t an easy decision, but after talking with my family, I believe it's in my best interest to enter the transfer portal."

Immediately, Miami jumped out as the favorite to land Mensah, per The Athletic, with Barry Jackson reporting that Mensah had plans of joining the Hurricanes. However, Mensah's NIL contract situation at Duke meant there wasn't full clarity on if he'd be able to exit from the program. Duke was also left with major quarterback questions, as 2025 backup Henry Belin IV had already transferred to Missouri State before former North Alabama passer Ari Patu transferred to the Blue Devils.

When Mensah landed at Duke in 2024, he landed a two-year revenue-sharing contract worth more than $3 million annually, per The Athletic; immediately, Duke officials began working "to determine the ramifications of Mensah backing out of the two-year contract he signed with the school after the 2024 season."

Mensah's contract was signed before new revenue-sharing rules began in college football, meaning there wasn't much precedent on how to handle the situation. With the news of the quarterback's decision to transfer, it was unclear whether Mensah would reach a contract buyout with Duke, whether or not his new school would factor in financially, or whether or not Duke could maintain exclusivity to Mensah’s NIL rights. There was also a possibility of another school buying Mensah's NIL rights from Duke, if the Blue Devils allowed it.

After a few days of those questions lingering, Duke responded to Mensah's decision by suing the quarterback on Jan. 20, attempting to keep him with the program, per On3. The suit cites Mensah's NIL contract at Duke that gives the university "a number of rights."

Duke's lawsuit is attempting to keep Mensah from entering the portal at all, per Pete Thamel, on top of enrolling at another school, playing football at another school and licensing his NIL to another school.

 

MORE: Indiana starts at No. 1 in way-too-early top 25

Darian Mensah Duke contract

According to Ross Dellenger, Mensah is currently in the second year of a two-year deal with Duke valued at $4 million annually. 

The deal reportedly "prohibits another university from using Mensah's NIL," which is the root of the legal battle between Mensah and Duke. 

MORE: Tracking QB moves in the transfer portal

Darian Mensah NIL deals

Mensah has an NIL valuation of around $1.9 million, per On3. His NIL deal at Duke, which came after he transferred away from Tulane, reportedly paid him around $4 million annually.

"I knew this move would set my family up for financial freedom. Those are some of the things that went into that decision," Mensah told On3 of his decision in June 2025. "Obviously the NIL component was pretty important, but it wasn’t the primary focus."

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