Dylan Raiola is expected to finally bring the University of Nebraska back to relevance in college football. However, the Cornhuskers’ new five-star quarterback didn’t like his current sport as a kid!
Yes, you read that correctly.
Raiola admitted that football was not his first love, or really any love for quite some time. It wasn’t even on his radar until the latter half of his 19 years on planet earth— within the last five or six years or so.
Nebraska has not made a bowl game since 2016. The Cornhuskers have not won 10 games since 2012.
Matt Rhule took over last season and went 5-7, which was the best record since the only other five-win season of the last seven years in 2019. He is already a fan favorite after changing the culture on Day 1. There is a lot of hope under the former Temple, Baylor and Carolina Panthers head coach.
Although he seemingly got the program trending in the right direction, Rhule’s biggest win thus far actually was not on the field. It was on the recruiting trail.
Nebraska landed the No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2024. Raiola committed to play for his father’s alma mater over major pushes by Ohio State and USC. Rhule got it done.
Now Raiola needs to win. The weight of the world Lincoln is on his shoulders and he arrived to training camp earlier this week and looked identical to Patrick Mahomes. Splitting image.
When asked if his look was intentional, Dylan Raiola said no— because he wasn’t even fully aware of the three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback until high school.
I think a lot of people think I try to be just like him, but honestly I grew up, I played baseball. I never liked football. As a kid I always wore glasses. I’ve had this haircut since sixth, seventh grade maybe and I didn’t really know about Mahomes them.
I have my own little kick to it, so it’s not completely like him. But I guess if that’s what people want to say, I mean that guy’s one of the best. So it’s cool.
— Dylan Raiola
Not often do you hear a five-star, No. 1 overall prospect admit that he didn’t even really like the sport that made him who he is today. Raiola’s father played in the NFL but football didn’t come into his son’s life until the later years. It clearly worked out…