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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Quarterback Darian Mensah, the top-rated player in ESPN’s transfer portal rankings, has committed to Duke, he told ESPN on Wednesday.
Mensah is a redshirt freshman who will have three years remaining. He entered the portal in recent days after leading Tulane to the AAC title game in his first year as the starter.
It marks a distinct transfer portal statement for Duke, which saw starting quarterback Maalik Murphy transfer out after a 9-3 season. Mensah was one of the country’s most sought-after players, and he shut down his recruitment after visiting Duke’s campus Tuesday.
Mensah shined for the Green Wave in 2023, throwing for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns while completing 65.9% of his passes. He led the AAC in both completion percentage and efficiency, leading Tulane to a 9-4 mark.
Mensah said he hung out with Duke’s offensive line during his visit on Tuesday night and came away impressed by the group. He also went to Duke’s basketball game at Cameron Indoor on Tuesday night.
Mensah said Duke coach Manny Diaz has made a strong impression in a short period of time.
“He gets you going; he’s legit,” Mensah said. “They have a legit defensive line. He’ll take this team as far as we want to go.”
Mensah’s rise proved to be one of the most unexpected star turns in college football. He redshirted in 2023 and entered Tulane’s fall camp projected as the No. 3 quarterback behind Oregon transfer Ty Thompson and veteran Kai Horton.
Mensah won the job during camp and kept it, leading Tulane to an eight-game winning streak that ended on Nov. 8 in a loss to Memphis. Tulane lost the AAC title game to Army the following week.
He joins a Duke team that also went 9-3 during the regular season and will play Ole Miss in the Gator Bowl. (Mensah will not be eligible for the Gator Bowl.)
He said the allure of a Duke degree also was a factor in his decision.
“It’s a prestigious university, and a great education is also important to me,” Mensah said. “It’s just a family out here. I wanted to be part of that.”