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Mensah Earns Spot on Maxwell Award Watch List
7/28/2025 12:05:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke redshirt sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah has been selected to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, an honor presented to the top player in the country by the Maxwell Football Club.
Mensah is set for his first year as a Blue Devil after transferring from Tulane in January. He is ranked at No. 28 on the College Sports Network top-100 returning player list and No. 44 on the CBSSports top-150 players chart for 2025. The San Luis Obispo, Calif., product is also the No. 3 transfer decision heading into 2025, according to ESPN.com. In 13 career games (13 starts), Mensah has completed 189-of-287 passes for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also rushed 60 times for 132 yards (2.20) and one score.
Last fall, Mensah led all American Athletic Conference (AAC) starters in yards per attempt (9.49) and completion percentage. He led a Green Wave offense that ranked among the top 10 nationally in third down conversion percentage (2nd/.525), yards per completion (6th/14.32), team passing efficiency (7th/166.86) and points per game (9th/37.15).
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced November 11, 2025, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 25, 2025. The winner of the 89th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 11, 2025. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday March 13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Season tickets for the upcoming season may be purchased online at goduke.com/footballtix or by calling the Duke Athletics Ticket Office at 919-681-BLUE (2583).
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Duke 2025 NCFAA Watch Lists Selections
Maxwell Award: Darian Mensah
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