Darian Mensah Arrives in Miami as a Heisman Favorite - and a Whole Lot More
Miami has a new QB1, and he’s not just here to manage games - he’s here to chase greatness. Darian Mensah, the electric transfer from Duke, enters the 2026 college football season with a spotlight as bright as any in the country.
According to ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, Mensah isn’t just a name to watch - he’s the name to watch. “If it all goes the way it’s supposed to go,” Riddick said on ACC PM, “he will be the Heisman Trophy favorite.”
That’s not just hype. It’s grounded in production - and a whole lot of promise.
From Duke Star to Miami Savior?
Mensah lit up the ACC last season, guiding Duke to a conference title while putting together one of the most efficient campaigns in the country. He completed 66.8% of his passes, threw for 3,973 yards (second-most nationally), and posted a sterling 34-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Against ACC opponents, he was even better - 67.9% completions, 2,388 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just one pick across nine games, including the title game. That’s not just consistency - that’s dominance.
Riddick didn’t hold back in his praise, comparing Mensah’s style to NFL quarterback Jordan Love. “He moves like it.
He’s that smooth, confident, rhythmic passer... subtle movement in the pocket. Always calm, cool and collected,” Riddick said.
“He has a ton of horsepower in his arm, accuracy, great football IQ... He will be a top 10, top five selection in the 2027 NFL Draft.”
That kind of projection doesn’t come lightly. But Mensah’s trajectory suggests he’s just getting started.
Climbing the Ranks - Fast
Mensah’s rise hasn’t been linear - it’s been meteoric. A three-star recruit out of St.
Joseph in San Luis Obispo, California, he entered college football as the 135th-ranked quarterback in the 2023 class. After redshirting at Tulane, he took over as starter in 2024 and immediately showed flashes, completing nearly 66% of his passes for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Then came the transfer to Duke - and the breakout. Now, after just two seasons as a starter, he’s one of the most coveted players in the country.
247Sports ranks him as the No. 16 overall transfer and the sixth-best quarterback in the 2026 portal. That’s elite company, and it speaks to just how far Mensah has come in a short time.
Miami’s QB Transfer Pipeline Rolls On
Mensah becomes the third straight transfer quarterback to lead the Hurricanes - and the expectations are sky-high. Cam Ward finished fourth in the Heisman race in 2024.
Carson Beck took Miami to the doorstep of a national title in 2025. Now, it’s Mensah’s turn to carry the torch.
And he won’t be doing it alone.
Miami returns its entire running back corps from last season, giving Mensah a reliable ground game to lean on. The Hurricanes also boast a deep, dynamic receiving group - a mix of returning talent and new faces from the portal.
One of those new faces? Cooper Barkate, Mensah’s top target from Duke, who followed him to Coral Gables.
That kind of continuity is rare in the transfer era - and it could be a game-changer.
Betting on a Big Year
Oddsmakers are already taking notice. Mensah is currently tied for sixth in the 2026 Heisman Trophy odds at +1500, alongside Georgia’s Gunnar Stockton, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, and Oregon’s Dante Moore.
Interestingly, Leavitt was once a top transfer target for Miami before choosing LSU. Now, both quarterbacks will be trying to prove their move was the right one.
But for Mensah, the path is clear: win games, put up numbers, and lead Miami back to the College Football Playoff. If he does that, the Heisman talk won’t just be speculation - it’ll be reality.
The Bottom Line
Darian Mensah has the tools, the track record, and the talent around him to make 2026 a special year - for himself and for the Hurricanes. He’s already shown he can thrive in big moments, and now he steps onto one of the biggest stages in college football with the weight of expectations on his shoulders.
Miami’s recent quarterback lineage has set a high bar. But Mensah might just be the one to raise it even higher.