Any hopes of Darian Mensah joining Miami without a serious legal battle took a major turn for the worse Tuesday afternoon when the details of the filed temporary restraining order were disclosed.
If there was any good news out of this, it’s that Mensah is allowed to stay in the portal, but everything else fell into Duke’s favor to the point of where it feels like they have total control over Mensah’s future in college football to where the decision may simply be to return to Durham or declare for the NFL Draft.
The TRO is out. There is no question Duke won—and won big—round one. The court enjoined Mensah from enrolling anywhere, playing anywhere, or licensing his NIL anywhere. The court did not enjoin Mensah from entering the portal, but so what?The portal carve-out is meaningless… pic.twitter.com/mNKw545ynL
— David McKenzie (@mckenzielaw) January 21, 2026
Mensah’s path to Miami faces many legal hurdles
So, in plain terms, Mensah can enter the portal, but he can’t enroll or play anywhere else for the calendar year of 2026 unless Duke releases him from this legal agreement. It’s doubtful that will happen and, given how far this has gone over the past week, it’s equally doubtful that Mensah will take another snap for the Blue Devils…