Mensah, Duke settle dispute as QB eyes Miami

Darian Mensah and Duke have agreed to a settlement of their dispute that will clear the way for the quarterback to transfer to another school, his agency announced Tuesday.

Mensah is expected to transfer to Miami now that his dispute with Duke has been resolved, sources tell ESPN.

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

Duke entered Mensah's name in the NCAA transfer portal Jan. 21, but he was not permitted to enroll at another school until a North Carolina judge ruled on the school's injunction request. A preliminary injunction hearing was scheduled for Thursday.

"Through close collaboration and principled negotiation, we have successfully navigated an unprecedented path, one that has now reached a fair and mutually agreeable resolution," Mensah's agency, Young Money APAA Sports, said in a statement.

A source close to the situation told ESPN that Duke's lawsuit was "always about upholding a contract," adding that the school was also eager to move forward and not engage in a protracted legal battle with a student-athlete. Duke did not release terms of the settlement but communicated that it felt the agreement suitably addressed the school's primary concerns.

Mensah, the No. 5 overall player in ESPN's transfer rankings, will join the College Football Playoff runner-up Hurricanes after pacing 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 promises and obligations 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 those agreements is a necessary element of ensuring predictability and structure for athletic programs. It is nonetheless a difficult choice to pursue legal action against a student and teammate; for this reason we sought to resolve the matter fairly and quickly.

"Duke remains dedicated to the welfare of all student-athletes, and we appreciate them for the talent, dedication, and commitment to excellence they demonstrate both on and off the field. We also remain committed to upholding the integrity of our athletics programs and institutional guidelines. We thank Darian for his contributions to Duke University."

Mensah had previously announced on Dec. 19 that he intended to return to Duke in 2026 after considering entering the NFL draft. Mensah's multiyear NIL deal with Duke, which expires Dec. 31, was believed to be worth up to $4 million for the upcoming year.

Mensah reversed course and informed Duke coach Manny Diaz on Jan. 16, the final day of the January transfer portal window, that he intended to transfer.

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

Miami had long been considered the expected destination for Mensah and can now move forward with signing him. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound passer began his career at Tulane in 2023 and has two more years of eligibility remaining.

Mensah will take over for 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 Jan. 19.

Duke's leading receiver, Cooper Barkate, also opted to enter the transfer portal at the Jan. 16 transfer window deadline. Barkate, who ranked second in the ACC in receiving yards with 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025, is expected to transfer to Miami with Mensah, sources tell ESPN.

Duke plays at Miami on Nov. 14.

ESPN's David Hale contributed to this report.