Crazy off-platform side-arm laser of a throw over the middle? Check. Rocket launcher deep ball for your first college touchdown? Check. Filthy, perfectly-placed back-shoulder throw for another score? Check.
Yep. Nebraska true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola was all that and a bag of potato chips, just as he was hyped up to be, in his first collegiate action for the Cornhuskers in a 40-7 rout of UTEP. Not that the Miners are the most formidable foe, but still, you’re looking for signs that Raiola was indeed worthy of the 5-star label he garnered coming out of Georgia’s Buford High School.
Speaking of Georgia, on a day where another hella hyped blue-chip QB recruit Cade Klubnik and Clemson got drubbed 34-3 by the Bulldogs in a woefully underwhelming marquee matchup, Raiola redeemed a rather sleepy Week 1 Saturday with his electrifying performance. I kind of spoiled the biggest highlights, but they go as follows:
Dylan Raiola is the reincarnation of Patrick Mahomes pic.twitter.com/H9iepmnm60
— tik (@twosuh) August 31, 2024
You can see the uncanny resemblance to Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes — and I don’t mean just in their appearance.
Five-star QB Dylan Raiola pulled up to Nebraska camp looking like Patrick Mahomes: pic.twitter.com/imwoJXecvW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 31, 2024
Then there was this dot of a back-shoulder throw, the second TD toss for Raiola on a day where he completed 19 of 28 attempts for 238 yards.
Dylan Raiola’s second touchdown pass as a Husker 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/58ZE6ww9v0
— 🎈Big Red Rant 🎙 (@BigRedRant) August 31, 2024
BANKS TD 💰 @HuskerFootball running it up before half! pic.twitter.com/gJRdpWUsFZ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2024
How cool is it, though, to have Mahomes give a personal shout out? The reigning back-to-back Super Bowl MVP took time from his busy schedule in preparation for Thursday’s NFL season opener against the Ravens?
Pat Mahomes was loving what he was seeing from Dylan Raiola in @HuskerFootball's season opener 🤝🎯 pic.twitter.com/EWAB6fdari
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2024
Raiola’s father Dominic played at Nebraska, and it took Dylan some convincing to follow in his footsteps to Lincoln. In fact, Raiola was committed to Georgia at first, only to flip at the end of last year. The elder Raiola went on to the NFL as a center for the Detroit Lions, where he got close with Matthew Stafford, hence his status as Dylan’s godfather.
In case anyone is curious on how Matthew Stafford became the godfather of #Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola:
Dominic Raiola, Dylan’s father, was a former 2nd round pick out of Nebraska and played in 97 of 98 games (including 2 playoff games) protecting Stafford in Detroit across 6… pic.twitter.com/zVtXcyE5oX
— Rams Bros. (@RamsBrothers) August 31, 2024
Talk about a lot to live up to, though. Raiola has an NFL alum dad, a Super Bowl champion QB as his god father, and is most often compared to the potential GOAT successor to Tom Brady. And yet, he’s handling it all in stride and seems to be mature beyond his years.
"It got heavy on me."@HuskerFootball QB Dylan Raiola shares what it meant to play in his first game as a Husker ❤️ pic.twitter.com/189Bz0Aw3r
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) August 31, 2024
Nebraska football hasn’t been a powerhouse for quite some time. In Matt Rhule’s latest rebuilding project, the Cornhuskers might very well be on their way to returning to that status thanks in large part to the uber-talented X-factor that is Dylan Raiola.
