Will the Huskers Land Dylan Raiola?
Top Quarterback in the 2024 Recruiting Class
As the No. 1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals, Arizona quarterback Dylan Raiola is in a class of his own. Because of this, his skills are in high demand around the country. But which major programs has he shown interest in? In this article, we will take a look at the recruitment of the Arizona prospect through each program he has visited. Then, we will address where his current relationship stands with them.
2024 FIVE-STAR 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 COUNTDOWN
At NUMBER ONE is Arizona QB Dylan Raiola (@RaiolaDylan)
Nebraska, Georgia, Ohio State and several others are in the mix for Raiola.
See the list of updating five-stars here: https://t.co/9S4apBuzU9 pic.twitter.com/xi1zb9wsND
— Rivals (@Rivals) February 13, 2023
Georgia is a Contender
As the National Champions in both 2021 and 2022, the Georgia Bulldogs are creating a dynasty in the SEC. Stetson Bennett has departed from the program. As a result of this, head coach Kirby Smart is on the hunt for another quarterback that will replace him. Raiola was in attendance at the National Championship Game this January. At this visit, he claimed that the “way that they do things in Athens is just different.” However, it is possible that Georgia is moving on from the signal caller. On February 6th, the Bulldogs showed interest in Savannah quarterback Jake Merklinger. This offer shows that Georgia potentially wants to go in a local direction in its pursuit of adding quarterbacks to its roster. This bodes well for Nebraska.
Another Contender is USC
The USC Trojans shot to the top of the Pac-12 last season when junior quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 4,357 yards along with five interceptions. Williams was also awarded the Heisman Trophy over Bennett, TCU’s Max Duggan, and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud. Looking at this from Raiola’s point of view, it could be the perfect spot for his services. In an interview with On3 last month, he raved about the room saying that USC’s offense excites him from a “quarterback and play calling standpoint.” However, it may be challenging for Raiola as head coach Lincoln Riley is likely to name Williams as the starter going into next season. Adding to Raiola’s decision is the addition of 5-star Malachi Nelson into the program. Raiola is expected to visit the program again in March. Two high-profile quarterbacks on the roster could be enough to sway Raiola in a different direction.
Could Oregon Land Him?
The Oregon Ducks had a great season in 2022. The catalyst to this domination was led by junior Bo Nix. He led the program to a 9-3 record as well as a spot in the College Football Playoff rankings. Furthermore, the Ducks were also capable of making big moves off the field too. On December 9, 2022, head coach Dan Lanning made a significant staff change when he chose to hire Will Stein away from UTSA to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. According to 247 Sports, this bodes well for Raiola because it allows him to get to know “Coach Stein and what kind of offense he runs.” As for the plans surrounding his future with the program, he knows that he wants to return for another visit because “Oregon has a bunch of great people in their building.”
Can Nebraska Get Raiola?
Once considered one of the longshots to land him, Nebraska has skyrocketed into a contender for Raiola’s services. This is demonstrated through his family connections. Raiola is the son of former Cornhusker center and 14-year NFL veteran for the Detroit Lions Dominic Raiola. This is a connection to Nebraska that Matt Rhule and his staff can use as a tool to recruit him into the program.
Further, his uncle Donovan Raiola was named the offensive line coach last season under former head coach Scott Frost. While the narrative around the offensive line is concerning due to the unit’s struggles last season during Nebraska’s 4-8 campaign, Rhule chose to retain the offensive line coach. If he does end up choosing the Cornhuskers, it will be interesting to see how he develops under the offensive line recruits that his uncle lands. For now, he is focused on another official visit to Lincoln’s campus that will take place on March 25th.
Nebraska did not sign a freshman quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class which proves positive for Raiola to enter the program in 2024. Rhule did grab a transfer from Georgia Tech. However, Jeff Sims will be a Junior for the Cornhuskers next season. He is a former four-star recruit according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking from the 2020 recruiting class. The dual-threat quarterback from Jacksonville, FL appeared in 25 games over the last three seasons, retaining his freshman year of eligibility due to Covid-19. Sims will be in his senior season by the time Raiola comes around in 2024. In addition, 2022 starter Casey Thompson will return for his senior season in 2023. Therefore, barring injury, he will likely be gone for Raiola to come in in 2024.
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