Cooper Barkate Is Entering His Name Into Transfer Portal Following Playing Graduate Transfer Season For Duke, Head Coach Manny Diaz In 2025 Season
The landscape in college athletics today allows players to enter their name into transfer portal!
Cooper Barkate who is a wide receiver who was a graduate transfer from Harvard for Duke, Head Coach Manny Diaz in 2025 season is entering his name into transfer portal!
In Cooper Barkate’s only season playing for Duke, Head Coach Manny Diaz Cooper Barkate had 72 receptions for 1,106 yards 7 touchdowns after playing at Harvard where Three-year member (2022-23-24) of the Harvard program ... in 23 games (19 starts) with the Crimson, totaled 113 receptions for 1,742 yards (15.42) and 14 TDs ... added 12 rushes for 80 yards (6.67) and five punt returns for 38 yards (7.60) ... capped Crimson career with one of the most decorated seasons in program history by being selected to the FCS Coaches All-America Second Team, FCS Football Central All-America Second Team, Phil Steele All-America Second Team, Stats Perform All-America Third Team, Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention Team, NEFW All-New England Team, All-Ivy League First Team and Phil Steele All-Ivy League First Team ... earned All-Ivy League Honorable Mention accolades in 2023 ... an Academic All-District pick in 2024 ... registered 2+ catches 20 times, 5+ 12 times and 10+ twice ... caught a career-high 11 passes against Penn in 2024 ... tallied 30+ receiving yards in 16 contests, 60+ 15 times and 100+ eight times ... in last season at Harvard, finished all 10 games with at least 75 receiving yards and reached the 100-yard plateau in five contests ... registered a career-high 169 receiving yards against Yale in 2024 ... made a career-long 51-yard catch versus New Hampshire in 2024 ... tallied 2+ TDs four times, versus Brown, Cornell, Princeton and Yale in 2024 ... credited with 30 receptions that covered 20+ yards, including 20 during 2024 campaign ... owns 90 total points from 15 TDs (14 receiving and one rush) ... helped the Crimson to Ivy League crowns in 2023 and 2024 ... attended St. Margaret’s Episcopal School before enrolling at Mater Dei High School … started all four years across both schools … guided Mater Dei to an undefeated season in 2021, en route to the state and national titles … named to the All-Trinity League First Team Offense at Mater Dei in 2021 … rated as the No. 3 athlete in California by 247Sports.com and the No. 10 wide receiver in the state by Rivals.com … the league defensive player of the year in 2019 while at St. Margaret’s … recognized in 2019 as the Gatorade Outstanding Player and Orange County Register Athlete of the Week played one season of lacrosse at St. Margaret’s, helping the team to the CIF Southern Section championship.
According to ESPN App
According to https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article314412076.html
Cooper Barkate becomes the second most recent player to enter his name into transfer portal!
The first?
Darian Mensah who is a quarterback is entering his name into transfer portal following playing sophomore season for Duke, Head Coach Manny Diaz following transferring to Duke from Tulane where he played two seasons.
Following entering his name into transfer portal Friday Darian Mensah shared his thoughts on entering his name into transfer portal by saying This wasn't an easy decision, but after talking with my family, I believe it's in my best interest to enter the transfer portal,"
Accoding to Max Olson article on ESPN https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47633503/duke-qb-darian-mensah-changes-mind-eyes-portal-sources-say
As a sophomore playing for Duke, Head Coach Manny Diaz Darian Mensah threw for 3,973 yards , 34 touchdowns helped Duke win Atlantic Coast Conference Championship defeating 16th ranked Virginia 27-20 in overtime on Saturday December 6, 2025 in Charlotte as well as Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Wednesday December 31, 2025 by a score of 42-39.
Following Darian Mensah entering his name to transfer portal following playing sophomore season for Duke, Head Coach Manny Diaz Duke decided to file lawsuit against Darian Mensah
When?
Tuesday!
A judge denied a request for temporary restraining order that would have prevented Darian Mensah from entering transfer portal.
The judge is a Duke basketball season ticket holder and thus a booster also recused himself from future proceedings. As a result a different judge , Ed Wilson will rule on Duke’s request for relief that would prevent Darian Mensah from enrolling at another school playing at another school and licensing his name , image, likeness to another school. .
Ed Wilson is expected to here the case on February 2, 2026 but Mensah’s team will push to move the date sooner.
According Mark Schlabach ESPN article https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47673543/duke-sues-darian-mensah-tries-stop-trans
Following Duke filing a lawsuit against Darian Mensah Duke Athletics released a statement saying Mr. Mensah has an existing contract with Duke which the university intends to honor , and we expect he will do the same . The court - ordered temporary restraining order yesterday ensures he doesn’t violate his contract the university is committed to supporting all our student athletes while expecting each of them to abide by contractual obligations.
According Pete Thamel post on X (Formally Twitter)