Cooper Barkate is on the move. The standout wide receiver has officially entered the NCAA transfer portal, marking a significant shift not just for his career, but for a Duke football program already reeling from a wave of high-profile departures.
Barkate’s decision comes after a breakout 2025 season that saw him lead both Duke and the ACC with 72 receptions for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns. Those numbers didn’t just put him atop the conference leaderboard-they etched his name into Duke’s record books.
He became the first Blue Devil to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2014, and just the sixth in program history to do it. That kind of production doesn’t go unnoticed, and now Barkate enters the portal as one of the most coveted offensive weapons available.
His exit adds to an already tumultuous offseason for Duke. Just days earlier, starting quarterback Darian Mensah entered the portal under far more complicated circumstances.
The school has filed a lawsuit against Mensah, alleging breach of a multi-year contract he signed in July 2025. A Durham County Superior Court Judge granted Duke a temporary restraining order that bars Mensah from enrolling at another school, playing football, or profiting from NIL deals-at least until a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for Feb.
- The order doesn’t prevent him from entering the portal, which he did late on Jan. 16, just before the window closed.
Barkate’s departure, however, hits differently. This is a player who reportedly turned down a $1 million NIL offer from Notre Dame to stay at Duke for 2026.
That speaks volumes about his commitment-until now. The Newport Beach, California native originally transferred to Duke from Harvard in December 2024, and in just one season, transformed into one of the ACC’s most dangerous offensive threats.
Now, with one year of eligibility remaining, he’ll look to make an impact elsewhere. Miami has been floated as a potential landing spot, which is also where Mensah is reportedly headed.
For Duke, the losses are piling up at wide receiver. Barkate is the latest to leave a room that’s been gutted this offseason.
Second-leading receiver Que’Sean Brown is gone, now committed to Virginia Tech. Third-leading receiver Sahmir Hagans and veteran Andrel Anthony have both exhausted their eligibility.
Chase Tyler also hit the portal and has committed to Wake Forest.
That’s five of Duke’s top receivers from 2025 no longer in the building.
There’s been some movement in the other direction. Duke has added Jared Richardson from Penn and Javen Nicholas from Charlotte via the portal.
And while the portal window officially closed Jan. 16, players can still commit and take official visits through Feb. 2.
The Blue Devils also signed two high school receivers-three-star prospects Brody Keefe and Kavon Conciauro-as part of their 2026 recruiting class.
Still, replacing the kind of production Barkate delivered won’t be easy. He was more than just a reliable target-he was a go-to playmaker, a chain-mover, and a deep threat all rolled into one. His ability to stretch the field and consistently beat coverage gave Duke’s offense a dynamic edge that will be tough to replicate.
As the Blue Devils regroup, the focus now shifts to how they’ll rebuild their receiving corps-and who steps up to fill the massive void Barkate leaves behind.