Duke Football’s Transfer QB Eligibility Shocker Could Change Everything This Season

Duke fans, brace yourselves—after the whirlwind departure of Darian Mensah to Miami, the Blue Devils have officially found their next quarterback to take the helm in 2026. Enter Walker Eget, a gritty San Jose State transfer who’s not just bringing years of experience under his belt, but also an NCAA-approved sixth year of eligibility to prove his mettle on the ACC stage. Now, here’s the spicy part: Eget isn’t an automatic lock, and that signals a compelling quarterback battle ahead, featuring newcomers and seasoned transfers alike. Can Duke’s offense withstand such a massive shakeup after losing key players like Mensah, Barkate, and Brown? Or is this the start of a rebuilding chapter that tests the limits of Manny Diaz’s coaching brilliance? As the Blue Devils gear up from a 9-5 campaign to defend their crown, depth and resilience will be their new playbook. Curious for the full scoop and the numbers behind Eget’s journey? LEARN MORE.

Duke officially has its next quarterback to replace Darian Mensah in 2026. With the messy Mensah situation ending with his transfer to Miami, the Blue Devils will be led by former San Jose State star Walker Eget in the fall.

Eget committed to Duke from the college football transfer portal in January, but he had to apply for a sixth year of eligibility. The NCAA approved his waiver on Thursday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported, allowing Eget to play in 2026.

Eget transferred to Duke after five years at San Jose State, the last two as its starting quarterback. He threw for 5,555 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and 19 interceptions from 2024 to 2025. Eget’s 3,051-yard season in 2025 was the ninth-most in school history.

Although Eget is not a shoo-in to replace Mensah, he will be the favorite heading into spring practices and fall camp. He will compete with another sixth-year quarterback, North Alabama transfer Ari Patu, a pair of redshirt freshmen, Dan Mahan and Lawrence Gardner, and true freshman Terry Walker III. Neither Mahan, Gardner nor Walker was highly-touted coming out of high school.

Duke completely rebuilding after Darian Mensah transfer

Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz celebrates defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. — Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

By transferring to Duke, Eget goes from a 3-9 San Jose State team to joining the defending ACC Champions. But while the Blue Devils are coming off their first-ever conference championship victory, Manny Diaz has been forced to overhaul the entire program in the 2026 offseason.

Mensah’s transfer was the biggest loss, but Duke’s offense will look almost entirely different in 2026, following the subsequent departures of Cooper Barkate, Que’Sean Brown, Sahmir Hagans and Anderson Castle. The losses leave Diaz without his leading passer, second-leading rusher and his top three receivers from the 2025 season.

Duke received moderate returns in the college football transfer portal, but none sufficient enough to offset its losses. Even with Eget, it will be difficult for the Blue Devils to improve on their 9-5 record.

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