Darian Mensah’s entry into the transfer portal turned controversial, violating his NIL deal with Duke University. While the University filed a lawsuit against the QB on January 20, requesting a temporary restraining order, Mensah’s attorney spoke publicly for the first time about the proceedings.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Darian Mensah’s attorney, Darren Heitner, told them that Durham County Superior Court Judge Michael O’Foghludha ruled from the bench, pending a written ruling, denying Duke’s request to enjoin Mensah from entering the transfer portal.

It is reported that Mensah informed Duke HC Manny Diaz of his intention to transfer on January 16, the last day of the transfer portal window. However, the university claims that, under the terms of the NIL contract, Mensah agreed not to enroll at another college.

At the same time, it is also agreed that Mensah would not involve his representatives or family members in initiating contact with admission or athletics staff at other institutions. The university now claims that any disputes must be settled by arbitration, requesting that the court issue relief until the end of that process.

Mensah is currently on a two-year NIL deal with Duke that pays him $4 million per year, running through December 31, 2026. Based on how it worked in Xavier Lucas’ case, the university must add a player to the portal within 48 hours of receiving the paperwork.

However, Heitner kindly pointed out that Mensah still hasn’t been included in the portal yet. This caused the judge to decide whether Duke should have him, despite their request being rejected.

Hopefully, Mensah will be in the portal by Wednesday unless Duke decides to appeal successfully.

Darian Mensah’s Miami transfer rumors

Darian Mensah’s links to Miami keep growing, as they look for Carson Beck’s successor on the transfer portal, who exhausted eligibility after the national championship game. Miami has January 24 as the deadline to enter the transfer portal, and they’re likely to be searching for a QB, giving a strong look at Mensah.

With the Duke’s request to prevent Mensah’s transfer from being denied, he’s now free to transfer to any school. However, he would have to pay back the NIL money he owes Duke for failing to meet the terms of the contract.

If this move actually happens, Miami would be getting one of the best players in the country. In 2025, Mensah was unstoppable, throwing for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns, the second-best totals in the country. He had six games with three or more touchdowns this season, which gives an idea of his skill set.

His most notable performances came against Clemson and in the bowl game vs. Arizona State, where he threw for 300+ yards. His season high came against Elon, where he threw for around 389 passing yards.

Before arriving at Duke, Darian started 13 games for Tulane and completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,723 yards with 22 TDs and six INTs, adding 132 yards rushing and a touchdown.

He’s currently the hottest commodity in the transfer portal and would be the most valuable replacement for Beck.