Making The Case For Why Dylan Raiola Would Be A Fit For Virginia

Dylan Raiola would be a great potential replacement for Chandler Morris. This past season, he threw for 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. The only tough part is that Raiola is coming off an injury where he suffered a broken right fibula, an injury he suffered against USC. Before he went down with an injury, he led the Cornhuskers to a 6-3 record. Raiola will be one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the portal and is rated as a four-star prospect via 247Sports and On3.

It is an injury that usually takes 8-10 weeks to recover. He should be back in plenty of time for spring practice and training. The reason why it is a concern is if it will affect his running the football. Now, Raiola has never been an elite runner of the football, but part of what makes him special is his ability to escape and make plays while improvising. He can get out of the pocket and keep plays alive. Will his mobility deter him from his highlight reel throws and big plays down the field?

According to PFF, Dylan Raiola finished with a 63.2 offensive grade and a 63.7 passing grade in 2025. When you break down his numbers even more, you see a really elite passer, especially with throws that are 10+ yards down the field. Of his 25 deep passing attempts (throws over 20+), Raiola has an 86.7 passing grade. Five of them were big-time throws (a pass with excellent ball location and time), and he threw for 353 yards and two touchdowns on his type of throws down the field.

In the medium area of the field (10-19), Raiola was also very good, completing 60.4% of his throws. He threw for 596 yards and eight touchdowns in the intermediate area of the field. He also finished with an 85.4 passing grade while completing throws in this area of the field.

Raiola has struggled when being pressured in his career, and this past season, we saw some of those struggles. When under pressure, Riola only completed 48.9% of his passes, averaged 6.5 yards per attempt, threw for 305 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Perhaps the most concerning part was that his passing grade was just 36.7, according to PFF. When he is kept clean, Raiola picks apart a defense and makes them pay. He finished with a 73.8 passing grade when kept clean.

Raiola is a good option for the Cavaliers because he has played in big-time games and has performed well. With any quarterback, there are things to clean up, but he has allowed for the resurgence of the Nebraska program that was dormant until he got there. He has a bright future and could easily find himself being one of the top prospects in the NFL draft if he is able to go to the right environment. The Hoos could provide that.

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