Miami Hurricanes junior quarterback Darian Mensah can’t waste time in a pivotal season. Good thing, he should have no problem keeping track of it.
On Tuesday, On3’s Pete Nakos reported the QB signed an NIL (name, image and likeness) deal with Derby Watch Supply to promote the new Rolex Datejust. It’s one of the first luxury watch NIL partnerships.
That may be a well-timed investment for the luxury watch dealer. Mensah could be poised to be one of the biggest risers in the 2027 NFL Draft (scheduled April 29-May 1 in Washington).
Why NFL Draft fanatics should keep an eye on Darian Mensah during 2026 college football season
After starring for the Duke Blue Devils last season, Mensah transferred to Miami this past offseason to play under offensive coordinator/QBs coach Shannon Dawson, an offensive wizard. Former Hurricanes QB Cam Ward praised Dawson at his pro day in March 2025, saying, “You should throw at least 30 touchdowns a year” in his system.
Ward, whom the Tennessee Titans selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, threw an FBS-leading 39 TD passes in 13 games for Miami during the 2024 season. Last season, QB Carson Beck (now with the Arizona Cardinals) threw a career-high 30 TD passes in 16 games for Miami. Don’t be stunned if Mensah — who threw 34 TD passes in 14 games for Duke last season — matches or surpasses the totals of Ward and Beck.
“He’s a special, special passer,” The Ringer’s Todd McShay said of Mensah in a Tuesday clip posted to his YouTube channel. “He and [Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore] are in a different class in terms of pure passing of the football.”
Mensah (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) bests Moore (6-foot-3, 206 pounds), a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft, in some areas of the passing game. He’s less interception-prone than the Oregon star. Mensah posted a stellar 1.2 interception percentage last season (six interceptions on 500 passing attempts). Moore, meanwhile, posted a solid 2.4 interception percentage (10 on 412 attempts).
Moore (71.8 completion percentage) was more accurate than Mensah (66.8 percent), but don’t overlook their supporting casts. Oregon finished the regular season 11-1 and reached the College Football Playoff. Duke, meanwhile, finished the regular season 7-5 but beat the Virginia Cavaliers 27-20 in the ACC Championship Game and topped the Arizona State Sun Devils 42-39 in the Sun Bowl.
Now that he’s playing for talent-rich Miami, which also made the CFP last season, Mensah should showcase more skills. The Hurricanes feature wide receiver Malachi Toney, who donned the cover for the video game “EA Sports College Football 27” after leading the FBS in receptions (109) as a freshman. On3’s J.D. PicKell listed Mensah and Toney as his No. 2 QB-WR duo heading into this upcoming season.
Tankathon tabs Mensah as its QB5 on its updated big board. He may rank higher than that at the end of the season. It seems his time is now.
