Now more than ever, college athletes have the opportunity to capitalize on a career campaign or momentous run. Many have been wondering if Darian Mensah will enter the transfer portal after leading Duke to a conference championship this season, but he may be setting his sights much higher. The Second-Team All-ACC selection is thinking about entering the NFL Draft, according to John Talty of CBS Sports.
The Blue Devils invested a significant amount of money in Mensah last year, reeling in the former Tulane star on a deal that is reportedly believed to be around $8 million. Duke did not gain entry into the College Football Playoff despite upsetting Virginia for the league title on Dec. 6 — a black mark on Power Four member ACC, but Mensah still dazzled talent evaluators with his impressive pocket presence.
The 20-year-old is rising up the QB ranks, leaving his future in Durham, North Carolina in a state of uncertainty. An answer may come soon, though.
“Mensah has gotten very good NFL feedback and projects as an early round draft pick,” Talty reports. “While other schools have inquired, Mensah is only considering the NFL or a return to Duke.”
The 6-foot-3 native of San Luis Obispo, California completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,646 yards and 30 touchdowns (top-five in country for both categories), while tossing only five interceptions in 2025. He demonstrated excellent chemistry with game-changing wide receiver Cooper Barkate (68 receptions for 1,069 yards and six TDs) and took a big step forward under head coach Manny Diaz. Darian Mensah is now in position to make a potentially life-altering decision.
He is expected to reveal his choice later in the week, per John Talty.
