Could Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah win the Heisman Trophy next season?
The Duke Blue Devils won their first outright ACC championship since 1962 and also captured a win over Arizona State in the Sun Bowl for one of their most exciting seasons in recent memory, and it was thanks much in part to quarterback Darian Mensah.
Duke landed Mensah via the transfer portal heading into 2025, with the former Tulane signal-caller signing a two-year, $8 million NIL deal with the Blue Devils.
While Mensah certainly hit some bumps during the second half of his debut campaign in Durham, he was, for the most part, brilliant.
The 20-year-old led the ACC in both passing yards (3,973) and passing touchdowns (34) while tossing just six interceptions and completing 66.8 percent of his throws.
He racked up four touchdown passes in Duke's bowl victory against Arizona State, right on the heels of Mensah announcing that he would be returning for his redshirt junior season.
Mensah could have entered the NFL Draft, but he opted to stay for the back end of his contract with the Blue Devils, which was probably a sound decision both from a financial and a development standpoint.
Now, Mensah will enter 2026 on a national radar, and the 6-foot-3 star is already beginning to generate Heisman Trophy buzz for next season.
Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah. Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images.It's entirely understandable, too.
Duke had an explosive offense this year due to Mensah's brilliance, and with weapons like running back Nate Sheppard and wide receiver Cooper Barkate at his disposal, he could uplift the offense even more next fall.
Mensah will immediately be tabbed as a potential first-round draft pick for 2027 thanks to his impressive arm talent, fantastic pocket presence and his processing speed. His athleticism is not exactly elite, but it's certainly good enough.
It would be almost unheard of to see a Blue Devils player actually contending for the Heisman, but based on how well Mensah played in 2025, you can certainly see the youngster making a strong push for the honor in 2026.
Remember: Duke could still add some pieces in the transfer portal to further boost the offense, and with the Blue Devils reigning ACC champions, they are finally beginning to draw some attention as a football program.
And really, outside of Miami, who is genuinely threatening in the ACC right now? Clemson has fallen off, and Duke just beat Virginia for the conference title.
The Blue Devils could be a force next season, and Mensah will be at the forefront.