Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah earned valuable praise for his NFL Draft prospects from the College GameDay panel ahead of Week 9 this weekend.
Mensah is going through the fourth season of his collegiate career, his first with the Hurricanes. He has put together incredible performances to lead Miami to a perfect start in 2026, rising up to No. 1 in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
ESPN did its latest College GameDay show on Saturday. Desmond Howard appeared on the panel, giving a bright outlook on Mensah's talents in the Miami offense.
“We knew he was going to be a special talent, but I didn't know he was going to be this good. I mean, Darian Mensah right now is playing such a high level. He may compete for that number one quarterback spot when this is all said and done. What I love about Mensah has a high football IQ. He throws a very catchable ball,” Howard said.
“Mensah is the guy who makes this offense work. Very smart throws, very good passes…and the thing that I'm really impressed by is the way he won the team over. I went to practices early down there in Coral Gables and you talk to Mario. He was like, ‘the kids just love this guy.' As soon as he stepped on campus, they gravitated towards Mensah. Talks about his leadership abilities.”
The desk breaks down what makes Miami QB Darian Mensah a name to watch out for in the upcoming NFL draft 👀
Watch Mensah and the Hurricanes take on North Carolina at 7:30 ET on ABC 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Q0lxc4Vo0R
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 31, 2026
What lies ahead for Darian Mensah, Miami
Article Continues BelowDarian Mensah certainly has a lot to prove as an aspiring professional player. For him to succeed in the NFL, he needs to perform at a high level for Miami before declaring for the draft.
Mensah is perfect with a 7-0 record halfway through the regular season. He completed 166 out of 204 passes for 2,151 yards and 22 touchdowns and one interception while adding 20 rushes for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
The No. 1 Hurricanes will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in Week 9 as kickoff commences on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET.