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Breakouts from Cam Ward, Carson Beck Led Darian Mensah to Miami
Speaking at ACC Media Days, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah said breakout seasons from former Hurricanes quarterbacks Cam Ward and Carson Beck were among the reasons he decided to join the program heading into his junior campaign. "That was a huge factor, deciding to transfer, seeing what those guys did," Mensah said. "My OC (Shannon) Dawson will form the offense around the quarterback, around the stuff he likes to do. That also made it something I wanted to be a part of." Both Ward and Beck joined Mario Cristobal's program in the final seasons of their collegiate careers. Ward went from a zero-star recruit with mild NFL interest to a No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick, while Beck went from flaming out at Georgia to becoming the first player selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Now at Miami, Mensah will look to follow suit, and he'll be throwing to one of the best wide receiver tandems in the nation in Malachi Toney and Cooper Barkate. He'll also have Mark Fletcher Jr. flanking him in the backfield behind the most talented offensive line he has worked with in his career. The potential for Mensah to develop into a clear top quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft class is strong. In 27 career games with Tulane (2024) and Duke (2025), Mensah has tallied 6,696 passing yards, 56 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He led the Blue Devils to an ACC Championship victory last season, something Miami has yet to accomplish.
Source: Brett McMurphy
Source: Brett McMurphy
