Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is one-of-one. Teams are still seeking out the “next” version to take their team to the promised land as he has for the Chiefs. That may not be the case for Nebraska and incoming quarterback Dylan Raiola. Raiola is the No. 8 recruit for the 2024 class, per ESPN.
Still, Raiola drew plenty of reactions when a picture of him reporting for training camp made the rounds on social media. Raiola, as was pointed out, bears a striking resemblance to the Chiefs’ superstar QB.
Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes Reacts to College Doppelganger
Chiefs Patrick Mahomes: Dylan Raiola ‘My Lil Cuzzo’
“boy ain’t no way,” former Chiefs receiver and Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill said in a quoted post of the picture, tagging Mahomes.
“That’s my lil cuzzo,” Mahomes said in response.
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) July 30, 2024
“Man trying to steal his flow,” Hill said in a subsequent post.
Raiola is the son of longtime Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola. The younger Raiola was ESPN’s top-ranked pocket passer, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel in December 2023.
DraftKings Sportsbook ranked him second in the preseason Heisman rankings as of July 12, ranking behind only Georgia’s Carson Beck. Raiola flipped his commitment from the Bulldogs to the Cornhuskers in December.
Raiola is already on a different path than Mahomes took.
Dylan Raiola on Different Path Than Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes
“Coming out of Whitehouse High School in the class of 2014, Mahomes was rated by Rivals as a three-star recruit and the No. 49-ranked recruit in the state of Texas. Rivals ranked 11 quarterbacks in the class higher than him,” Yahoo Sports’ Daniel Fair wrote in February. “247Sports also ranked him a three-star recruit, the No. 82 player in the state of Texas and No. 29 pro-style quarterback in the country.
“ESPN ranked Mahomes as a three-star prospect, the No. 99 player in Texas and the No. 22 quarterback in the country.”
Mahomes won the Sammy Baugh Award as the nation’s Most Oustanding Passer in 2016.
He was still not among the Heisman trophy finalists that season. That further underscores how different of a path Raiola is already on. Living up to his own hype is the latter’s greatest challenge given the expectations placed upon him. Mahomes is now a three-time champion, two-time MVP, six-time Pro Bowler, and two-time All-Pro, so he makes for an admirable target.
Patrick Mahomes Was Not Patrick Mahomes to Start
This is also a reminder that Mahomes was not the version of himself that is today. He has a legitimate claim as the best player in the NFL. He could make himself a legitimate threat for the G.O.A.T. title if he continues his title-winning ways.
That took time. Hill said in an interview with “Inside The NFL” in 2020 that he thought Mahomes was “trash” during their first practice. Mahomes quickly eliminated all doubters, but the lesson remains the same.
Wherever Raiola’s journey takes him, the version that steps onto the field in 2024 will not be the one that enters the NFL if and when he does. It is also important to factor in the situation he will find himself in. It is no secret the impact that landing under Andy Reid has had on Mahomes.
With all of that in mind, Raiola’s story will be his own, not Mahomes’. At least he has the look down, though.
Main Photo: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
