Duke Adds Two Transfers After Star Quarterback and Receiver Commit to Return

Duke brought in two transfers after quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Cooper Barkate announced they'd return for 2026. The squad picked up wide receiver Jared Richardson from Penn and offensive tackle Nick Del Grande from Coastal Carolina on January 5.

Mensah led the ACC as a redshirt sophomore with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdown throws. Barkate topped the conference with 1,106 receiving yards and grabbed seven touchdown catches, finishing second in that category. The former Harvard player became the first Blue Devils receiver to crack 1,000 receiving yards since Jamison Crowder did it in 2014.

The team finished 9-5 in 2025. Head coach Manny Diaz and his staff now work to rebuild after losing much of their defensive core.

Richardson earned All-American honors at Penn after catching 80 passes for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound receiver led the Ivy League in catches and touchdown receptions while ranking second in yards. The Blakeslee, Pennsylvania native has piled up 2,505 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns across his career, averaging 13.0 yards per catch. He became the first Penn player to earn First Team All-American honors since Justin Watson in 2017.

Del Grande earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors in 2025. He received All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention in both 2023 and 2024. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound tackle allowed zero sacks in 2025 and just 10 pressures.

All-ACC safety Terry Moore, who redshirted this past season after tearing his ACL in the 2024 bowl game, announced he'll enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Duke sits with the No. 9 transfer portal class, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Industry Rankings.