Duke QB Darian Mensah could be a top transfer portal target if Penn State hires Manny Diaz as head coach Duke QB Darian Mensah could be a top transfer portal target if Penn State hires Manny Diaz as head coach (Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images)

4 Duke Stars Manny Diaz Could Bring to Penn State if He’s Hired as Head Coach

Originally posted on Nittany Central | By Ian Purdy | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 10:22 PM ET

Manny Diaz, the former Penn State Defensive Coordinator, is in the mix for the Nittany Lions’ job opening. Granted, his stock just took a massive hit following a 37-34 loss to UConn.

All of that being considered, Diaz would bring quite a bit of talent over with him from Duke.

Here are three impact players Manny Diaz could bring with him to Happy Valley, if he emerges as Pat Kraft’s top choice to lead the Nittany Lions‘ next era.

Manny Diaz Could Bring These Duke Stars to Penn State with Him

QB Darian Mensah Could Give Manny Diaz a Proven Leader

Mensah is a legit pill spinner at Quarterback.

Diaz certainly has a very capable quarterback, despite Duke’s recent struggles, Mensah has been balling.

Mensah has accounted for 2,794 passing yards, 24 Touchdowns, and just 4 interceptions.

The Sophomore from California would likely come to Happy Valley for 2 years. Mensah’s name is pretty well kept under wraps among the national Quarterback landscape. He could be a huge boost to a Manny Diaz led offense.

Linebacker Bradley Gompers Would Strengthen Linebacker U

Bradley Gompers would be big for Penn State to pull if Manny Diaz winds up at Penn State.

The Nittany Lions went down to the wire with Gompers on signing day last year. He’s a Pittsburgh kid, so following Diaz back home would make a lot of sense.

The freshman has flashed early in his collegiate career. Gompers has played in four games and logged nine total tackles. He would be a much-welcome addition to “Linebacker U” in an already thin Linebacker room.

Edge Rusher Bryce Davis Could Boost Penn State’s Pass Rush

Another defender that would be really exciting for the Nittany Lions to land is freshman Bryce Davis. Davis is from North Carolina and was rated very highly in the class of 2025. Davis is a talented Edge Rusher.

Throughout his young career, Davis has appeared in five games and made six tackles. With the kind of talent Davis is, he would be very high on Manny Diaz’s transfer list.

WR Que’Sean Brown Brings Needed Playmaking to Nittany Lions’ Offense

Another intriguing Duke player that Manny Diaz would try to bring to Happy Valley with him is wideout Que’Sean Brown.

The returner has shown a lot of good signs and been fairly productive. He would also provide a familiar face to Quarterback, Darian Mensah.

Manny Diaz Duke Head Coach, Penn State Football A Happy Valley return could be coming for Manny Diaz, as a top candidate in the Penn State coaching search. (Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images)

This season, Brown has hauled in 42 catches for 584 yards and 3 touchdowns. For the record, that outpaces Penn State’s leading receiver, Trebor Pena, by about 200 yards.

Brown would be a nice shot of life into a largely dead Penn State Wide Receiver room.

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This article first appeared on Nittany Central and was syndicated with permission.

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