Duke star quarterback reverses decision to stay at school, enters transfer portal hours before deadline

Duke prima backmost Darian Mensah changed his caput astatine the past infinitesimal and entered the transportation portal hours earlier it closed.

Mensah, 20, submitted his paperwork to transportation Friday, conscionable earlier the midnight deadline for FBS and FCS players to enter. In December, Mensah said helium would instrumentality to Duke for his redshirt inferior play aft contemplating declaring for the NFL Draft.

Instead of returning for his 2nd play with the Blue Devils, Mensah volition beryllium looking for a caller assemblage team.

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Duke Blue Devils backmost Darian Mensah (10) looks to propulsion successful the 2nd 4th against the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship Game astatine Bank of America Stadium successful Charlotte, North Carolina, connected Dec. 6, 2025. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

"I’m everlastingly grateful for Duke and the coaching staff. Thank you Duke household for everything. This wasn’t an casual decision, but aft talking with my family, I judge it’s successful my champion involvement to participate the transportation portal," Mensah posted to X.

He was reportedly acceptable to participate the 2nd twelvemonth of a two-year woody that would wage him up to $4 million, according to ESPN. Mensah’s determination to permission Duke connected the last time of the transportation portal leaves Duke successful a pugnacious position, arsenic they person small disposable options successful the portal to regenerate him.

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Duke Blue Devils backmost Darian Mensah (10) celebrates aft the Blue Devils people a touchdown successful overtime during the ACC Championship Game astatine Bank of America Stadium successful Charlotte, North Carolina, connected Dec. 6, 2025. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

Duke’s 2025 backup quarterback, Henry Belin IV, already transferred to Missouri State aft entering the transportation portal.

Mensah lone spent 1 play astatine Duke aft transferring from Tulane the anterior offseason. His lone play was successful, arsenic helium helped pb Duke to an ACC title, beating No. 17 Virginia 27-20 successful overtime for Duke’s archetypal outright ACC title triumph since 1962.

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Mensah earned second-team All-ACC honors, completing 66.6% of his passes for 3,973 yards with 35 full touchdowns and six interceptions. His 3,973 passing yards led the ACC.

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