Darian Mensah, Duke settle; QB commits to Miami

Darian Mensah and Duke agreed to a settlement that allowed the quarterback to commit to Miami.

Mensah confirmed his commitment to the Hurricanes on social media Tuesday, and he will be joined by wide receiver Cooper Barkate, his top target with the Blue Devils.

Both committed Tuesday night, after the duo dined at a steakhouse in Miami Beach alongside current and former Miami players.

Duke officials had sued Mensah in Durham County Superior Court on Jan. 20 to try to stop him from transferring and enforce the multiyear NIL contract he signed with the school.

The Blue Devils entered Mensah’s name into the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 21, but he was not allowed to enroll at another school until a North Carolina judge ruled on the school’s request for an injunction. A preliminary injunction hearing was scheduled for Thursday.

“Through close collaboration and principled negotiations, we have successfully traveled an unprecedented path, one that has now resulted in a fair and mutually acceptable resolution,” Mensah’s agency, Young Money APAA Sports, said in a statement.

A source familiar with the matter told ESPN that Duke’s lawsuit “is still about honoring a contract,” adding that the school is eager to move forward and not engage in a protracted legal battle with a student-athlete. Duke did not disclose terms of the agreement but said the deal appropriately addressed the school’s primary concerns.

Mensah, the No. 5 overall player in ESPN’s transfer rankings, will join the College Football Playoff finalist Hurricanes after leading the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns this season while leading the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC title since 1962.

“We are committed to fulfilling all of the promises and obligations that Duke makes to our student-athletes when we enter into contractual agreements with them, and we expect the same in return,” Duke said in a statement Tuesday. “Enforcing these agreements is a necessary part of ensuring predictability and structure in athletic programs. However, pursuing legal action against a student and teammate is difficult, so we sought to resolve the issue fairly and quickly.

“Duke remains committed to the well-being of all student-athletes, and we appreciate them for the talent, dedication and commitment to excellence they demonstrate on and off the field. We also remain committed to maintaining the integrity of our athletic programs and institutional guidelines. We thank Darian for his contributions to Duke University.”

Mensah previously announced on Dec. 19 that he intended to return to Duke in 2026 after considering entering the NFL draft. Mensah’s multi-year NIL deal with Duke, which expires Dec. 31, is expected to be worth up to $4 million for the coming year.

On January 16, the last day of the January transfer window, Mensah reversed course and informed Duke coach Manny Diaz that he intended to transfer.

Duke’s attorneys wrote in their lawsuit that Mensah violated the terms of his NIL agreement by “disclosing his monetary terms, seeking to license NIL in football and another collegiate institution, seeking his enrollment at another institution, initiating contact with admissions or athletics personnel at another institution, failing to notify Duke University if he is contacted by another institution or its representatives, and/or acting in an improper manner.” manner that has now damaged his image and that of Duke University by ignoring the terms and conditions of his contract.”

Miami has long been considered Mensah’s expected destination. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound passer began his career at Tulane in 2023 and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Mensah will replace Carson Beck, who led the Hurricanes to their first national championship game since the 2002 season. Indiana defeated Miami 27-21 in the CFP title game on January 19.

Barkate, joining his third team in three seasons, ranked second in the ACC in receiving yards with 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.

Duke plays in Miami on November 14.

David Hale of ESPN and the Associated Press contributed to this report.