Darian Mensah QB Miami |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #10 PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.75 seconds (67%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #10 | |
| PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 11/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.75 seconds (67%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
89.7 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
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87% |
| Short Passing: |
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85% |
| Medium Passing: |
|
96% |
| Long Passing: |
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96% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
|
64% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Top 5
Overall Rank:
#5
Position rank:
#2 (QB)
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| College Games: 35 College Snaps: 2234 | ||
247 RATING: 82/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.2 (85%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| C.J. Stroud - Ohio State |
|
86% |
| Michael Penix Jr. - Washington |
|
86% |
| Mac Jones - Alabama |
|
83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Tulane was Darian Mensah's only FBS offer coming out of St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria, California, where he was the Mountain League player of the year. He redshirted in 2023, then threw for 2,722 yards and 22 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2024, leading the AAC in completion percentage and passer rating as the Green Wave went 9-4.Mensah moved to Duke on a reported two-year, $8 million NIL deal and threw for 3,951 yards and 34 touchdowns against six interceptions in 2025, setting school records for passing yards and touchdowns. He led Duke to its first outright ACC title since 1962 with an overtime win over Virginia and was the Sun Bowl MVP after 327 yards and four touchdowns against Arizona State. He said in December that he would stay at Duke, then entered the portal in January; Duke sued him for breach of contract, the two sides settled, and he signed with Miami on 27 January.
In 2026 Mensah completed 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns in the 45-6 win at Stanford, set an ACC record with 24 straight completions at Wake Forest and threw for 387 yards and four scores in the 52-23 win over Pitt, Miami's first game at No. 1 since 2002. His eight-game line reads 2,429 yards, 25 touchdowns and one interception, with 81 percent of his passes completed for an unbeaten team. Mario Cristobal has called him a complete professional.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Accurate, high-volume passer completing 81 percent of his throws in 2026
- Touch passer who varies arm speed and drops the deep ball with placement
- Processes with timing and anticipation from a clean, balanced platform
- Set an ACC record with 24 straight completions at Wake Forest
- Threw 25 touchdowns against one interception through eight games
- Won an ACC title at Duke and was the Sun Bowl MVP
- Has thrown for more than 300 yards four times this season
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Slight build that raises durability questions against NFL rushers
- Average arm strength, with longer outside throws losing pace late
- Forces throws into coverage under pressure more than the interception total shows
Scouting Report: Summary
Mensah is an accurate, quick-processing passer who wins with timing rather than physical tools. He varies his arm speed, drops the deep ball with placement and reads the field from a clean platform with the patience to rarely beat himself. His touch and short-to-intermediate placement are among the most advanced in the class, and he has now done it at three schools.The 2026 season has been the best of his career. He opened with 401 yards and five touchdowns at Stanford, set an ACC record with 24 straight completions at Wake Forest and carved up Pitt for 387 yards in Miami's first game at No. 1 since 2002. Through eight games he has completed 81 percent of his passes with 25 touchdowns and one interception, and he has kept an unbeaten team on schedule every week. That follows a 2025 season at Duke with 34 touchdowns, six interceptions and an ACC title.
However, the physical questions have not gone away. He has a slight build, which raises durability concerns once NFL rushers start landing on him, and his arm strength is only average, so longer throws to the outside lose pace late. Under pressure he will force throws into coverage more than his tidy interception totals suggest, as the Clemson game showed, and ball security was a problem at Tulane, where he fumbled seven times in 2024. His exit from Duke, which ended in a lawsuit and a settlement, is something teams will ask about, and he has already been sacked 10 times this season.
Overall, Mensah has the placement and process of an NFL starter, and his 2026 tape has strengthened the case, leaving arm strength and durability as the main questions. He projects as a first-round passer who fits a rhythm offense, with a quality starter's upside and a reliable backup's floor.
How other scouting services rate Darian Mensah (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
22.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
4.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.