Darian Mensah, Duke settle; QB commits to Miami

Darian Mensah And ruler Agreed to resolve their dispute, clearing the way for the quarterback to commit miami.

Mensah reaffirms his commitment to Hurricanes on social media Tuesday, and he will join wide receiver cooper burkettHis top goal with the Blue Devils.

The two committed Tuesday night after dining with some current and former Miami players at a steakhouse in Miami Beach.

Duke officials filed a lawsuit in Durham County Superior Court on Jan. 20 in an effort to prevent Mensah from transferring and enforce the multiyear, void contract he signed with the school.

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

“Through close collaboration and principled dialogue, we have successfully navigated an unprecedented path forward, now reaching a fair and mutually agreeable solution,” 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 preserving a contract,” adding that the school was eager to move on and did not want to get involved in a lengthy legal battle with a student-athlete. Duke did not release the terms of the settlement but said the agreement appropriately 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 leading the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns this season, while leading the Blue Devils to their first ACC title since 1962.

“We are committed to fulfilling all of the promises and obligations Duke made when entering into contractual agreements with our student-athletes, and we expect the same in return,” Duke said in a statement Tuesday. “Enforcing those agreements is an essential element of ensuring predictability and structure for athletic programs. Yet taking legal action against a student and teammate is a difficult choice; that is why we sought to resolve the matter fairly and quickly.”

“Duke is dedicated to the well-being of all student-athletes, and we appreciate his talent, dedication and commitment to excellence that he demonstrates both on and off the field. We are also committed to maintaining the integrity of our athletics programs and institutional guidelines. We thank Derian for his contributions to Duke University.”

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

On January 16, the last day of the January transfer portal 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 its monetary terms, seeking to license his NIL in football and license to another collegiate institution, seeking enrollment at another institution, initiating contact with or entering athletics staff at another institution, failing to notify Duke University when contacted by another institution or its representatives, and/or in such a manner that Acting which has now harmed his image and the image of Duke University by ignoring the terms and conditions of his contract.”

Miami was long considered the intended destination for Mensa. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound passer began his career tulane There are two more years of eligibility remaining in 2023.

Mensah will take charge carson beckWho led the Hurricanes to their first national championship game since the 2002 season. Indiana Defeated Miami 27–21 in CFP title game on January 19.

Burkett, who is heading to his third team in a span of three seasons, finished second in the ACC in receiving yards with 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.

Duke will play at Miami on Nov. 14.

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