The much-anticipated debut of Nebraska Cornhuskers freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola got off to a fast start.
Raiola, the nation’s No. 7 overall prospect in the class of 2024 coming out of Buford (Georgia), arrived in Lincoln as a Patrick Mahomes look-alike who was the highest-rated quarterback commit in program history – and the No. 2 pledge of all-time (behind only running back Marlon Lucky; 2005).
P̶a̶t̶ ̶M̶a̶h̶o̶m̶e̶s̶ Dylan Raiola in the house 🌽@HuskerFootball pic.twitter.com/lH5Kz1i1ul
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2024
After winning the starting job, Saturday marked Raiola’s first official action.
And he didn’t disappoint early, throwing a 59-yard strike for his first-ever collegiate touchdown.
Check it out:
Dylan Raiola with a DEEP pass to Isaiah Neyor for the TD 🎯🎯🎯@HuskerFootball extends the lead! pic.twitter.com/hpXKReRxNA
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2024
It’s too early to say how Raiola’s career will play out, but he sure looks comfortable, poised and immensely talented early – just as 247Sports projected, as they comp’ed him to Matthew Stafford ahead of a detailed scouting report:
“Ballyhooed quarterback with an NFL-caliber arm and an imposing frame that has what it takes to be the centerpiece of an offense. Owns one of the best, if not the best, deep balls in the cycle and can touch all different corners of the field. Lethal when operating off of play-action and has taken valuable snaps under center. Moves better than expected for someone that’s hovering around 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, and will frequently buy himself time as the pocket collapses. Ability to drop the elbow and use baseball-like angles to work around traffic is certainly tantalizing, but normal release is just as impressive as he mirrors his upper and lower halves together with a fluid, repeatable motion. Can generate tons of velocity, but has also shown that he can change speeds and layer the football. Tossed just one interception on 250 pass attempts as a senior, but got a little too conservative at times, which led to deflating sacks. From a pure talent standpoint, should be viewed as a blue-chip pocket passer that can be a true difference-maker on Saturdays and potentially even Sundays. However, has to block out the noise and buy into the process while remaining self-confident in his abilities after attending four different high schools in three years. Tape frequently shows someone that’s ahead of the curve, but will likely need some time to get adjusted to the speed of the college game. Still, has the size and tools to play early at the next level, especially if he quickly progresses as a full-field reader.”
