Former Tulane Green Wave Quarterback Darian Mensah Reveals Why He Chose Duke
The Tulane Green Wave were dealt a brutal blow early almost immediately after the transfer portal opened.
Starting quarterback Darian Mensah put his name in the portal when it opened on Dec. 9, which didn’t necessarily mean he was going to leave the program, just that he was exploring different options.
Alas, Tulane must not have done enough to convince him to stay, as he was taking visits immediately. The redshirt freshman ended up taking only one, to the Duke Blue Devils, where he committed days later.
This is a huge addition for Duke, who had a strong first season under head coach Manny Diaz by going 9-3. With their starting quarterback Maalik Murphy also hitting the transfer portal, they were looking for a long-term answer at the position.
Mensah certainly provides that since he has three years of eligibility remaining.
With him in the fold, the Blue Devils outlook has improved immensely in what looks to be a pretty wide-open ACC based on the 2024 results.
What drew him to the program that led to such a quick commitment?
Max Olson of ESPN shared there were a few factors that won him over quickly.
“... he was drawn to Duke's academic prestige and the pieces already in place to win big next season. Mensah probably could've gone just about anywhere but preferred a quick recruitment and committed on his first visit. He's trusting that Diaz and OC Jonathan Brewer can take his game to the next level.”
The No. 1 ranked player in the transfer portal by multiple outlets, Mensah probably could have had his pick of the litter. But he essentially insta-committed to Diaz and the Blue Devils, as they sold him on the school as a whole, not just the football program.
It has been quite a ride for the San Luis Obispo, California native, who was a two-star recruit coming out of high school. The Green Wave were one of only a handful of schools to even offer him, as he began his career as a scout team quarterback.
Entering offseason practices, he was No. 3 behind former five-star prospect and Oregon Ducks transfer Ty Thompson and veteran Kai Horton. But, Mensah beat them out, earning the starting job in Jon Sumrall’s first season with the program.
It turned out to be the correct decision as Mensah played at an incredibly high level.
His 65.9% completion percentage led the AAC, along with his 9.5 yards gained per pass attempt, 10.08 adjusted yards gained per pass attempt and 166.7 rating.
He threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns with only six interceptions, so the Duke offense is going to be in good hands for years to come.
Tulane is now left scouring the market for a quarterback, as Thompson and Horton both joined Mensah in the transfer portal.