One of Clemson’s 2026 conference opponents got some huge news on Friday.

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah announced Friday that he will be returning to Duke for his redshirt junior season in 2026.

Mensah, the No. 5 quarterback in ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft, had considered entering the draft next spring.

This season, Mensah completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,646 yards and 30 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He led the ACC in both passing yards and passing touchdowns while helping the Blue Devils (8-5) win the 2025 ACC Championship. He also ranks fourth nationally in passing yards and fifth in passing touchdowns.

Mensah earned ACC Championship Game MVP honors and was named the AP ACC Newcomer Transfer of the Year, as well as a second-team All-ACC selection.

Mensah joined the Duke program following two years at Tulane from 2023-24. He was touted as the No. 3 overall player in ESPN’s transfer portal rankings this past offseason.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Mensah “decided to return to Duke to develop another year in college and set himself up for long term success in the NFL. Mensah likes the idea of being a clear team leader at Duke in his second season, as he transferred in from Tulane after the 2024 season.”

A former two- and three-star prospect from California according to various recruiting services, Mensah had a breakout 2024 campaign after redshirting in 2023.

Heading into the 2024 season, the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder was slated to be a third-string QB before emerging as the starter for Tulane. He completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns with six interceptions while leading Tulane to a 9-4 record and appearance in the American Conference Championship Game.

Duke, which defeated Clemson 46-45 at Memorial Stadium this season, is scheduled to play at Clemson in Durham next season.