Duke has plenty of questions heading into the 2026 college football season, but none are bigger than that at quarterback.
It seemed all was settled this past offseason when Darian Mensah announced his intention to come back for his junior season, but he decided to enter the transfer portal at the last second, ultimately signing with ACC rival Miami. That put Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils in a tough spot, as they had to find a replacement when most players were already settled elsewhere.
Now it comes down to San Jose State transfer Walker Eget and redshirt freshman Dan Mahan.
Walker Eget
Eget arrives in Durham after spending the past two seasons as the Spartans' starter, during which he threw for 5,555 yards and 30 touchdowns but also threw 19 interceptions.
He also completed just 58 percent of his passes during those 23 games.
Reports indicate Walker Eget is transferring to Duke.
— Duke Football Reddit (@DukeFootballrdt) January 26, 2026
Seems like he’ll be QB1, barring Dan Mahan winning a battle or the impossibility of a Mensah return. pic.twitter.com/jwCT2jAsCg
He won’t be asked to win games like Mensah was, but someone who can keep the chains moving and be consistent. If he can do that while improving his completion percentage, he should be a capable replacement.
Dan Mahan
A 3-star signee out of Burlington, NC, Mahan has potential but has yet to play in a college game. Still, he is giving Diaz and his staff something to think about this fall as he battles with Eget for the starting job.
“I think the team believes in both guys,” Diaz said. “I think they both have enough evidence of what they've done in the first 11 practices to show that they can quarterback the team.”
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke football position previews: Quarterback
