Nebraska has landed a game-changing dedication from quarterback Dylan Raiola, the No. 1 signal-caller within the Top247 rankings. Raiola flipped from Georgia after a late cost from the Cornhuskers, he informed ESPN on Monday. Raiola turns into the highest-rated recruit in program historical past.
Raiola had a whirlwind recruitment that includes three commitments and 4 excessive faculties throughout the nation. He initially dedicated to Ryan Day and Ohio State in Might 2022. After one 12 months, nonetheless, he flipped his dedication to Georgia.
Matt Rhule made Raiola a excessive precedence from the the primary second he was employed as Nebraska coach. He’s the son of Nebraska consensus All-American Dominic Raiola, whose No. 54 is retired by this system. Dylan’s uncle, Donovan Raiola, is the offensive line coach beneath Rhule at Nebraska and was retained after Scott Frost was fired in 2022. Even after Raiola dedicated to Georgia, Nebraska stayed in his ear and managed to schedule an official go to.
Raiola moved to state powerhouse Buford Excessive College in Georgia for his senior season in an effort to be nearer to the Bulldogs program. He threw for two,819 yards, 34 touchdowns and only one interception as a senior throughout an 11-2 marketing campaign that ended within the state quarterfinals. He beforehand enrolled at excessive faculties in Arizona and Texas. He performed for former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna at Burleson (Texas) as a sophomore.
“An enormous-armed passer that has what it takes to be the centerpiee of an offense given how he can sling it across the yard from the pocket or on the transfer,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote of Raiola. “Capacity to drop the elbow and use baseball-like angles to work round visitors is actually tantalizing, however common launch is simply as spectacular as he mirrors his higher and decrease halves with a fluid, repeatable movement.”
Nebraska holds a dedication from in-state quarterback Daniel Kaelin, a three-star recruit out of Bellevue (Nebraska) West. The Cornhuskers would nonetheless take Kaelin in the event that they landed Raiola, in keeping with ESPN. Raiola’s addition pushes Nebraska to the No. 19 highschool class within the nation, one spot forward of Texas A&M. Nebraska’s class ranks No. 6 within the 18-team Large Ten.
Rapid impression
Quarterback was Nebraska’s most troubling place throughout the 2023 marketing campaign, and has been a constant difficulty for almost a decade. Three totally different signal-callers began video games for Nebraska in 2023: Heinrich Haarberg, Chubba Purdy and Jeff Sims. The trio mixed to finish simply 52% of passes with 10 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Nebraska’s passing offense ranked No. 126 nationally at simply 135.9 yards per sport.
Raiola will instantly compete with the returning Purdy and Haarberg for the beginning job with a robust likelihood to win it outright. Whereas he lacks expertise, Raiola’s expertise and resolution making ought to solely pay dividends. Maybe most significantly, Raiola averaged one interception each 80 throws in his last three years of highschool. Nebraska’s quarterbacks averaged a decide each 16 throws in 2023.
Sport-changing commit
Touchdown a star quarterback does a lot for Nebraska’s on-field product, however the off-field impression may be even better. The Cornhuskers instantly place themselves as a program to look at in faculty soccer and sends a message out to recruits across the nation: Nebraska is a vacation spot program.
For a comparability, Texas landed a dedication from No. 1 quarterback Arch Manning within the Class of 2023. Quickly, top-40 receiver Johntay Cook dinner joined to spur a top-three class nationally — one of the best at Texas in 5 years. Tennessee jumped from the No. 17 highschool class in 2022 to prime 10 in 2023 after including No. 2 recruit Nico Iamaleava to the combination.
Granted, Nebraska now has to carry out. The Cornhuskers have the longest bowl drought within the Energy 5. Nonetheless, a manageable schedule stuffed with legacy Large Ten West opponents provides Rhule an opportunity to capitalize in 2024.
