The Duke Blue Devils received brutal news at the eleventh hour of the transfer portal window — news that would have been impossible to process had it arrived even a few hours later.
In a stunning last-second move, quarterback Darian Mensah entered the NCAA transfer portal just before it closed. First reported by Yahoo Sports and later confirmed by CBS Sports, concerns about a possible entry began circulating early Tuesday afternoon, with momentum building rapidly as the deadline approached.
Mensah, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound signal caller, is coming off a breakout 2025 season. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards with 34 touchdowns against just six interceptions, completing 67% of his passes. With Mensah under center, Duke finished 9-5 and captured the ACC championship — a historic achievement for the program.
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The timing of the move puts Duke in a precarious position. While late portal entries often signal a destination already in mind for the player, the same luxury does not apply to the team left scrambling for a replacement. With the window essentially closed, Duke has limited options to pivot.
As of now, Duke’s quarterback room includes graduate transfer Michael Appel Jr. And Dan Mahan. North Alabama transfer Ari Patu was added earlier this month, but Mensah remains the most coveted quarterback available in the portal. His 96 transfer rating places him well above the remaining options, which are largely Group of Five or lower-level prospects.
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According to 247Sports, a crystal ball projection currently favors the Miami Hurricanes as Mensah’s likely destination.
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