The Duke football program secured a gem in last year's Transfer Portal cycle, as the Blue Devils landed redshirt sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah from Tulane. The deal Mensah signed with Duke was reported to be for two years and about $7.5 million, one of the biggest NIL contracts in the history of college football. After Mensah completed his lone season in Durham in 2025, it's safe to say head coach Manny Diaz and the rest of the program made the right call.
Mensah led the Blue Devils to an 8-5 overall record and their first ACC Championship victory since 1989.