Is Dayton Raiola's Decommitment Foreshadowing a Family Move or Simply Too Much QB Depth?

Nebraska football's 2026 recruiting class took another hit Wednesday, and this time from a big last name.

Dayton Raiola, a three-star quarterback out of Georgia, has decommitted from NU. He's the son of former Husker Dominic Raiola, the brother of current Husker Dylan Raiola, and the nephew of Nebraska's offensive line coach Donovan Raiola.

Dayton had been committed to Nebraska for more than a year. According to 247Sports, his only other offers are Appalachian State and Charlotte.

He has led Buford to an 11-0 season and a No. 8 national ranking from MaxPreps. He's completing 63% of his passes for 1,649 yards and 24 touchdowns to just four interceptions.

Foreshadowing a Family Move

The first question many are asking in the wake of this decommitment is what does this mean for Dylan.

Dylan has been the Nebraska starting quarterback since setting foot on campus in 2024. He has completed 69.1% of his passes for 4,819 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

In 22 starts, Nebraska is 13-9 with Dylan as the starting quarterback, including the first bowl win in several years.

Dylan was having a massive year two under offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. His completion percentage was up to 72.4%, while his touchdowns were up and his interceptions were down.

In the ninth game of the season, he suffered a broken fibula in the third quarter against USC. He underwent successful surgery the next week.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is helped off the field after suffering an injury against USC. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

But now questions arise over whether Dylan will stay in Lincoln or if Dayton just wants to go somewhere else. If Dylan were to decide to leave, that would be his fifth school in six years, as he changed high schools multiple times before committing and decommitting to/from Ohio State, doing the same to Georgia, and ultimately picking Nebraska.

Elite Quarterback Depth

This move could also be a practical one that simply comes down to playing time.

Nebraska's current depth includes the older Raiola, a four-star recruit who is now starting in TJ Lateef, and another four-star recruit who transferred in last offseason in Marcos Davila.

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback TJ Lateef. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Those three are older than Dayton and likely to stay in front of him in the pecking order. Coming in after him, though, is another high-level prospect who could bridge the gap with Dylan/TJ/Marcos and skip Dayton altogether.

Trae Taylor has been committed to Nebraska since May. The four-star prospect out of Illinois is one of the top quarterbacks in the 2027 class and likely to find his way onto the field sooner than later once he arrives in Lincoln.

Nebraska's 2026 Class

The 2026 class was already one that looked shaky from the outside, although Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said this week

Nebraska is now down to nine commits in the group. The class is led by four-star cornerback Danny Odem and four-star offensive tackle Claude Mpouma.

Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule with 2026 commits Dayton Raiola (middle) and Claude Mpouma (right). — Husker commit Claude Mpouma and decommit Dayton Raiola pose with Matt Rhule and a bull inside the Nebraska weight room. | @c_pu_ma_/Instagram

The rest of the class is rated as three-stars by the 247Sports Composite. Those commits include wide receiver Nalin Scott, wide receiver Larry Miles, tight end Luke Sorensen, running back Jamal Rule, inside offensive lineman Hayden Ainsworth, offensive tackle Rex Waterman, and linebacker Jase Reynolds.

Where the Class Ranks

The second decommitment in just a few days has pushed the low-ranked class even lower.

The 247Sports Composite has Nebraska at No. 100 in the nation. The Rivals Industry Ranking is kinder, with the Big Red at 71. Both list NU as last in the Big Ten.

The 2027 Class is Making Up the Difference

Fortunately for Rhule and company, the 2027 class is full of heavy hitters already.

Omaha Central athlete Tory Pittman III leads the way as a five-star prospect. The top player in the state of Nebraska, Pittman committed last month.

2027 safety prospect Tory Pittman III. | @domonationalteam/Instagram

A couple of months ago, another Omaha product made his commitment. Three-star Matt Erickson out of Millard South is set to follow in his father's footsteps in playing for Nebraska.

The first commit for the class came back in May. Four-star quarterback Trae Taylor has been the face of the class for several months, aiding the coaching staff in peer recruiting.

Earlier this month, four-star wide receiver Antayvious Ellis from Texas committed to the Huskers. The latest commit before Ellis was four-star wide receiver Jabari Watkins in September.

2027 Class Rankings

Where the 2026 class is near the bottom of the Big Ten and way down the list nationally, the 2027 group is among the best in the country.

The 247Sports Composite ranks Nebraska No. 5, behind Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. The Rivals Industry Ranks places NU in that same spot, trailing Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Texas A&M.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

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