Miami Hurricanes star quarterback Darian Mensah projects to fall to the No. 42 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, landing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner’s latest three-round mock.
That selection would represent a steep slide for the redshirt junior, who has ranked as high as a top-10 prospect on other boards this fall.
Renner’s post-trade deadline mock, released Nov. 11, slots Mensah to Tampa Bay in the second round. The Buccaneers hold the pick in the projection based on reverse Super Bowl odds.
Mensah has produced one of the nation’s most efficient passing seasons. Through nine games he has completed 212 of 276 attempts (76.8%) for 2,694 yards, 28 touchdowns and only two interceptions, with a passer rating near 191.
Pro Football Focus graded him 91.4 overall, ranking seventh among qualified quarterbacks. He has added 137 rushing yards and two scores on 35 carries.
The California native arrived in Coral Gables after a standout 2025 season at Duke, where he threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns while earning second-team All-ACC honors and MVP awards in the ACC Championship Game and Sun Bowl.
He began his career at Tulane, throwing for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2024. Career totals now exceed 9,390 passing yards and 84 touchdowns.
At 6-foot-3 and listed between 205 and 218 pounds, Mensah has drawn praise for accuracy, timing and decision-making. Some evaluators, however, have flagged average arm strength as a factor that could limit his ceiling in the NFL.
Those concerns help explain the range in projections. One September mock had him going as high as fourth overall. Other boards have placed him in the late first round or early second, or outside the first round entirely. Renner’s placement at 42 is among the lower marks.
For Tampa Bay, the selection would add a young passer behind Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers have discussed long-term quarterback depth amid an uneven 2026 season, and Mensah would arrive as a polished developmental option with starting upside.
The mock does not include detailed analysis of the pick, listing only Mensah’s name, position and school in the second-round table. Renner’s exercise incorporated 18 trades and used post-deadline draft order.
Mensah and the Hurricanes return to action Saturday against Duke at Hard Rock Stadium. Continued strong play could still push his stock higher before the draft process intensifies next spring.
A fall to 42 would still make him a high-value second-round selection, but it would be a clear drop from the first-round trajectory many projected earlier in the season.
