If Miami Lands Darian Mensah, It’s a Power Move - and a Gut Punch for FSU
Florida State’s transfer portal journey this offseason has been anything but smooth, but for a while, Seminoles fans could take comfort in one thing: Miami hadn’t landed a quarterback either. That might be about to change - and in a big way.
After striking out on Brendan Sorsby, Sam Leavitt, and reportedly Demond Williams Jr., and even throwing a hefty $6.5 million offer at Ty Simpson only to be turned down, Miami’s quarterback search looked like a series of swings and misses. But the Hurricanes have kept swinging, and now they might be on the verge of connecting on a game-changing home run.
According to reports, Duke is bracing for the possibility that Darian Mensah - one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country last season - could enter the transfer portal. If that happens, Miami is expected to be in the mix. And if the Hurricanes land him, it would send shockwaves through the ACC.
Let’s be clear: Mensah isn’t just another name in the portal. He finished the 2025 season second in the nation with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns.
That’s elite production, and it’s the kind of résumé that immediately elevates a program’s ceiling. For Miami, it would be another major win at the most important position in the sport.
And for Florida State? It would sting.
Now, to be fair, the Seminoles’ portal work hasn’t been a total loss. They’ve added some solid talent, and a good chunk of their offseason effort has gone into retaining key players who could’ve easily bolted. That’s no small feat in today’s college football landscape, where roster retention is just as important as new acquisitions.
But there’s no denying that quarterback was the crown jewel they were chasing when the portal opened. FSU had early momentum when DJ Lagway and Anthony Colandrea visited Tallahassee.
Neither signed. Eventually, they landed Ashton Daniels from Auburn - a capable player, but the move felt more like a fallback than a headline grabber.
Meanwhile, Miami has been relentless. Every time a door closed, they found another one to knock on.
And that persistence is starting to pay off. This isn’t just about landing a quarterback - it’s about landing the quarterback.
For FSU fans, this has to feel like déjà vu. In 2024, Miami landed a quarterback that Mike Norvell was targeting, watched him become a Heisman finalist and the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and then rode another big-name transfer to a College Football Playoff Championship appearance. That’s a tough pill to swallow - especially when it’s your biggest rival doing the damage.
If the Hurricanes manage to pull Mensah from Duke, it’s not just another win in the portal. It’s a statement.
It says Miami gets who they want, when they want them. And for FSU, it raises uncomfortable questions about whether they’re settling for who’s available - not who’s ideal.
The portal era is ruthless. It rewards aggression, adaptability, and vision.
Miami’s quarterback hunt has shown all three. If they close the deal on Mensah, it won’t just be a win for the Hurricanes - it’ll be another reminder that in this new era of college football, the margin between good and great is often defined by who’s under center.