Every program in The Triangle has had to watch key talent walk out the door through the transfer portal, but a few departures sting more than others. Looking ahead to 2026, Duke, North Carolina, and NC State each have one player they would love to have back in the fold.
For Duke, the answer is Darian Mensah, and it hardly takes any debate. The Blue Devils lost their star quarterback to ACC rival Miami after a season in which Mensah led Duke to an ACC title.
He was supposed to be the centerpiece of a huge follow-up year on campus, and the numbers back up why the loss is so painful: 3,973 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and only six interceptions on 500 attempts. Star quarterbacks are hard to find, and when a team has one, bigger programs are always going to come calling.
In this case, the Hurricanes did exactly that, and Duke is left trying to replace a player who would have kept them in the mix for another ACC crown.
North Carolina’s most regrettable loss is Khmori House, a linebacker who arrived last offseason and made an immediate impact. House followed Steve Belichick from Washington to Chapel Hill, and even if his time with the Tar Heels did not end the way anyone hoped, his production was impossible to ignore.
He finished with 81 tackles, leading the team, and stood out as one of the few consistent bright spots on a defense that struggled through the 2025 season. Now headed to his third team in as many seasons, House is moving on to the SEC, while North Carolina is once again left to rebuild at linebacker.
NC State’s answer is Hollywood Smothers, and this one carries a little extra weight because he is an in-state player. The Wolfpack not only lost production, they lost a North Carolina product they wanted to keep close to home.
Smothers was expected to be a key part of the offense again this season, and his departure leaves a real hole as NC State tries to shape its attack for 2026. Like Mensah, he was taken by a College Football Playoff contender, with Texas bringing him in from the portal.
If the Longhorns make a national title push and Smothers is a major piece of it, this one could end up hurting even more for Wolfpack fans.
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UNC Legend Just Sent Caleb Wilson's NBA Hype Soaring
Caleb Wilsons first taste of NBA Summer League did more than give scouts a look at the former North Carolina forward. It also drew praise from a familiar Tar Heel voice, with Danny Green pointing to the way Wilson has already started to round out his game and look more comfortable against pro competition.
Greens comments are the kind of early buzz that can send expectations climbing fast, especially for a young player whose offensive value may grow as he stretches the floor beyond the mid-range work he was known for. Still, the bigger lesson for UNC fans is patience: Wilson has the tools to make noise, but the jump to the league is rarely clean, and the next step will be proving that Summer League promise carries over once the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Landed A Late Addition Rob Koll Really Needed
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For UNC, the timing matters as much as the talent. The Tar Heels now have 10 newcomers lined up, a group that includes seven freshmen and two transfers with NCAA tournament experience, and the latest addition helps fill out a roster that still has room to grow. The expectation is that he lands at 149 pounds, which gives the staff another option in a weight class where long-term stability is always valuable. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Added A Veteran Guard Tar Heel Fans Will Debate
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For Tar Heel fans, the appeal is obvious, even if the fit still comes with some debate. Brizzi has moved through multiple college programs and brings the kind of mileage that usually translates into steadiness, but UNC is still sorting out exactly how he will be used. What is clear is that the staff sees him as another option for shooting and backcourt depth, with the rest of the picture to come once he gets on campus. [Read more 🡒]