Was Dayton Raiola the Right Call for Nebraska's 2026 QB Class?

Did Nebraska prioritize the right 2026 QB? With Dayton Raiola committed, some wonder if family ties played a bigger role than performance. Are the Huskers wrong for not going a different direction at the position?

2026 QB Commit Dayton Raiola at private workout. / @dayton.raiola/Instagram

As many Nebraska fans have been wondering why Nebraska wasn't recruiting an in-state quarterback committed to Iowa State, that player has flipped to mighty Alabama.

Jett Thomalla of Millard South in the Omaha metro made the flip officially known Tuesday. The 2026 in-state prospect held, and still holds, a scholarship offer from a dozen programs across the country, but not one from NU.

The news, surprising to say the least, has restoked the flames of an ongoing conversation: Is Nebraska making the right call by locking in Dayton Raiola as their 2026 quarterback?

While ultimately time will tell, I wanted to dive into the debate by comparing both quarterbacks, looking at their stats, accolades, and overall projections as they head into their senior seasons and prepare for Power Four football in the coming years.

Dayton Raiola Recruiting Profile / via 247Sports Composite Rankings

Starting with current Nebraska commit and three-star quarterback Dayton Raiola, there's plenty to unpack about what he brings to the table. As the younger brother of former five-star and current Husker starting quarterback Dylan Raiola, the nephew of Nebraska offensive line coach Donovan Raiola, and son of former Husker Dominic Raiola, Dayton's ties to the program run deep. But beyond his family name, Dayton has begun carving out his own identity as a prospect in the 2026 class.

Though currently listed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds on 247Sports, Raiola visited Lincoln during the June 6–8 weekend and joined the HuskerOnline podcast, where he said, “Right now, I’m about 6-2, 6-3, and I’m staying between 210–215 (pounds).”

As Raiola continues to grow into a Division I athlete and potential starting quarterback at the next level, his strong work ethic and deep football ties, whether through his family's legacy in college and pro football or his own development as a prospect, have opened doors that many high school players don’t typically have access to.

Just two weeks ago, Raiola shared on his Instagram that he and his older brother were training with former NFL quarterback and now private QB coach Drew Stanton, a 13-year league veteran. What began as a private session between the Raiola brothers and Stanton eventually expanded to include several current Nebraska wide receivers and tight ends, who joined in to catch passes under Stanton’s guidance.

While Raiola has just one year of starting experience at the high school level, his strong arm and offseason work are evident on film. In 2024, he threw for 1,953 yards with 19 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions, demonstrating both precision and poise. Raiola consistently showed the ability to throw receivers open and protect the football. As he gears up for an even stronger 2025 season, he’ll have another chance to prove he belongs at the Power Four level and quiet the doubts surrounding his recruitment.

Jett Thomalla Recruiting Profile / via 247Sports Composite Rankings

Introducing in-state 2026 prospect and Alabama’s newest quarterback commit: Jett Thomalla of Millard South. The nearly 6-foot-4, 205-pound signal caller made headlines this morning when he officially flipped his commitment from Iowa State to the Alabama, marking a major recruiting win for the Crimson Tide and a notable moment for Nebraska prep football.

Stirring up both local and national media, Thomalla's commitment has made Husker fans even more intrigued by the idea that Nebraska may be missing something that other high-level programs like Alabama are seeing.

While I’m not here to speculate on who the “right” choice is, or even whether Thomalla was seriously interested in Nebraska, one thing is clear: the kid can flat-out play.

The 2024 MaxPreps Nebraska High School Football Player of the Year put up jaw-dropping numbers last season, throwing for a state-record 3,664 yards with 47 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions. With 6,769 passing yards and 67 touchdowns already in his career, Thomalla is within striking distance of becoming the first player in Nebraska high school history to reach 10,000 passing yards and 100 touchdown passes.

After leading Millard South to its first state championship in over 15 years, Thomalla enters his senior season with a strong chance to defend the title. If he succeeds, he’ll cement himself as one of the most accomplished high school quarterbacks in Nebraska history.

Nebraska 2026 Football Class Rank / via 247Sports Composite Rankings

With this in mind, it leads me to the debate of the articles title: was Dayton Raiola the right call for Nebraska's 2026 recruiting class?

When you compare the two quarterbacks, it’s important to acknowledge that their paths to national recognition are vastly different. Raiola plays at Buford High School in Georgia, a nationally ranked powerhouse that routinely produces Power Four talent and competes against some of the toughest high school programs in the country. The speed, complexity, and caliber of football Raiola faces on a weekly basis is inarguably ahead of what Nebraska high school football offers, even for a standout like Thomalla.

That said, Thomalla’s dominance over in-state competition shouldn’t be dismissed. His numbers are historic, and his production speaks volumes, but context matters when projecting success at the next level. Raiola may not have lit up the stat sheet in the same way last season, but the defenses he faced and the competition he played against paint a different picture of growth, readiness, and development opportunity.

Another layer to this conversation is the Raiola family’s deep connection to Nebraska. With Dylan Raiola, Dayton’s older brother, currently starting at quarterback for the Huskers in 2025, and their uncle Donovan serving as Nebraska’s offensive line coach, Dayton’s commitment comes with familiarity, trust, and built-in alignment with the current staff and system. That kind of continuity and relationship-building matters in college football recruiting, especially for quarterbacks.

As for Thomalla, there’s been no clear indication that Nebraska was ever at the top of his list, despite being an in-state talent. His flip from Iowa State to Alabama shows just how quickly his recruitment evolved and perhaps signals that he always had eyes on programs with a broader national brand. Whether Nebraska could have or should have pushed harder is up for debate, but there’s a real possibility that the Huskers were simply never a realistic option.

At the end of the day, we won’t truly know the answer to this debate for years to come. Quarterback development is a long game, and both players still have plenty of football ahead of them. What we do know is that Nebraska is in a much better place today than it was a few years ago, and much of that credit belongs to Matt Rhule and his staff. Their track record, both in terms of talent evaluation and building a strong developmental culture, has already begun to pay off. Whether it’s Dayton Raiola, Trae Taylor, or future signal-callers still to come, Husker fans should trust that this staff is doing everything in its power to bring Nebraska back to national relevance, one recruit at a time.

Next. Husker Recruiting Central: 2026. Husker Recruiting Central: 2026. dark

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