$10 Million College Football QB Named ACC Preseason Player of the Year

A major honor for one of the top quarterbacks in the country.

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A general view of a 2026 logo before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The ACC sent a single team to the 12-team College Football Playoff last season, and it wasn't even the conference champion.

Following a heated deliberation, the Miami Hurricanes were the final program to make it in, pushing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to the sideline in the process.

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While there was much debate about whether Miami deserved the bid, the Hurricanes put all of that talk to rest by advancing to the championship game, defeating Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Ole Miss before falling short to Indiana.

Head coach Mario Cristobal is looking for another push, this time with the goal of winning it all. The Hurricanes brought in a slew of highly-regarded players this offseason, including the 2026 ACC Preseason Player of the Year.

Miami QB Darian Mensah Named ACC Preseason Player of the Year

Jul 15, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami quarterback Darian Mensah speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Wednesday, the ACC announced more of its preseason honors.

According to the conference, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah was selected as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, receiving 97 votes, more than the next eight players combined.

Mensah came in ahead of names such as SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings, Louisville running back Isaac Brown, NC State quarterback CJ Bailey, and Florida State wide receiver Duce Robinson.

In what was a highly-scrutinized scenario a few months ago, Mensah departed from Duke on the final day the NCAA Transfer Portal was open, landing at Miami a short time later.

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The Hurricanes will host the Blue Devils on November 14 in what should be a heated affair with plenty of storylines.

There are rumors that Miami put together a package worth around $10 million to acquire Mensah's services.

Mensah transferred from Tulane to Duke in 2025, and had a breakout campaign. He earned second-team All-ACC honors after completing 334/500 passes for 3,973 yards with 34 touchdowns to 6 interceptions.

He was named a Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist for his performance.

The star quarterback will be the forefront of Miami's championship hopes in 2026.

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