Duke football QB Darian Mensah's bonkers rumored NIL deal surfaces
12/23/2024 04:07 PM
Acquiring former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah from the transfer portal was apparently not a cheap task for the Duke football team. Weeks after one of the top transfers committed to the Blue Devils, rumors of the NIL deal that brought him to Durham came out.
Though not yet confirmed, Mensah was reportedly offered an $8 million NIL deal from Duke that will be paid out over two years, per CBS Sports. Specifics of the deal were not reported and it appears to have been just a verbal agreement.
If true, Mensah’s deal is very similar to the $10 million offer that lured five-star prospect Bryce Underwood to Michigan in 2025. While reports of Underwood’s deal shook up the college football world, Mensah’s offer will be just $2 million less than his.
The reported two-year clause in Mensah’s deal appears to be an insurance clause for Duke. The agreement should keep Mensah with the team beyond to hopefully end their recent string of inconsistency at quarterback.
Mensah was one of the breakout stars of 2024 with Tulane. The former three-star prospect threw for 2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions as a true freshman while leading the Green Wave to a 9-3 regular season record. He entered the transfer portal after losing to Army in the AAC title game, opting out of the team’s ensuing bowl game.
Duke football looks to build on momentum in 2025
After a successful 9-3 season in 2024, Manny Diaz will look to build on the momentum he created in his first year as Duke’s head football coach. He will have to navigate some turnover, but the Blue Devils’ future is as bright as it has ever been.
The beginning of the Darian Mensah era coincided with the departure of 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy. Murphy, who transferred to the team from Texas, entered the portal at the end of the season and committed to Oregon State.
However, despite losing Murphy, Duke will return its leading rusher and receiver in 2025. Running back Star Thomas and wideout Jordan Moore will both return for their senior seasons, giving Diaz some consistency. The Blue Devils will also return standout freshman Que’Sean Brown, who ranked third on the team with 394 receiving yards.
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