2026 Miami Hurricanes Position Preview: Quarterbacks

Three years, three transfer quarterbacks. Cam Ward was a Heisman Finalist and the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Carson Beck led the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship game and was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Now the Hurricanes have Darian Mensah. He is the perfect mix between Ward and Beck, which also highlights how well the Canes have been in quarterback evaluation over the past several seasons. But there is more than meets the eye with the Canes Heisman hopeful and the rest of the quarterback room.

Starter: Darian Mensah

Darian Mensah Miami | Miami Hurricanes Athletics

What else is there to say about Miami's new star quarterback that hasn't already been said?

Mensah is one of the best quarterbacks in the country entering this season and is arguably the best in the ACC. The conference-championship-winning quarterback provides more than Carson Beck did last season, though less than what Ward did.

It is the perfect mix between the two former Canes quarterbacks: the natural arm talent of Ward mixed with the game management of Beck.

On paper, Mensah is the best quarterback talent that the program has ever seen. If he can bring in his two years' worth of starting experience with 56 touchdowns, only 12 interceptions, and over 6600 passing yards, he could break the single-season records set over the past two seasons.

Projected Depth

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Luke Nickel (16) looks on prior to during the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2. Luke Nickel — RS Freshman

3. Judd Anderson — RS Sophomore

4. Dereon Coleman — Freshman

The Hurricanes' depth is all on the younger side compared to years past. Coleman has the most hype coming out of this room thanks to his final year in high school and the work that he did with Ward while he was in South Florida.

Moreover, with Emory Williams exiting the program on a new venture, the path is clear for Nickel to be the No. 2 quarterback this season and likely the starter next year. The former four-star talent shined in his limited time on the field last season and will get some chances this year if Mensah averages the 40-point game most expect him to lead this Canes team to.

Furthermore, while the two rising freshmen have all eyes pointed to them, it doesn't change the fact that others have forgotten about the super athlete, Anderson.

Anderson has been in the system for two years, learning under Ward and Beck, and will have the chance to learn under Mensah. If he finds himself in a position to make the most out of his opportunity, what he has learned and his talent could shine the most with the depth in the room.