Could the Hokies Take a Swing at Former Five-Star Quarterback Dylan Raiola?

Raiola, coming off a lackluster sophomore season, is looking for a change of scenerary.

Oct 25, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) arrives before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska's Dylan Raiola will be entering the transfer portal after spending his first two years with the Cornhuskers. The former five-star prospect was the highlight of Matt Rhule's 2024 class.

Raiola was among the top quarterbacks in the nation coming out of high school. He lit up Georgia as one of the best gunslingers in the nation. His arm talent is his number one trait. Not only can he flip the field in a single play, but the arm angles he put on tape enabled him to make pro-level plays. The background he has with baseball instantly earned him comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford.

However, he hasn't reached those expectations yet in his career. Rhule gave Raiola the reins as a true freshman. The adjustment to the collegiate level wasn't pretty, but he still managed to put together some good stretches. Most expected there to be a step forward in Raiola's game in 2025. His sophomore campaign didn't reflect those aspirations.

A Few Steps Back

The first season for Raiola had its fair share of ups and downs. In some games, he would control the pace of the offense. Otherwise,s he would struggle to find his footing. The Buford native finished with 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. This wasn't a great line, but looking through his game logs, you can see where he put together some decent stretches. 2025 was simply not kind to Raiola.

To start with, the positives, he did take some steps forward in efficiency. He improved his touchdown-to-interception ratio, improving to 18 scores and six picks. His completion percentage rose alongside his passer rating. The production of that efficiency wasn't anywhere near where it needed to be. He threw for only 2,000 yards with a QBR of 63.2. Both of those metrics ranked outside the top 50 passers in the nation. The broken fibula he suffered against USC puts an astricts next to his yards, but he wasn't on pace to improve from his freshman season.

Nov 1, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) is helped off the field after being injured against the Southern California Trojans during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Sacks have become a growing theme for this offense. Raiola took 27 sacks in both seasons with Nebraska. Against Minnesota this season, he was brought down an astounding nine times. Some of those sacks are from poor protection. Raiola wasn't clean against the pass rush either. A portion of the sacks he took resulted in poor judgment of when to get rid of the ball. Even though the box score doesn't paint a pretty picture, the mishaps weren't all on him.

What Really Went Wrong

When analyzing Nebraska's roster and overall team management, there is some fair criticism of Rhule. The best thing a team can do for a young quarterback is complement them. Surrounding them with dynamic weapons helps simplify the offense early on. This simplification can ease development and further open up the playbook. This wasn't the approach Rhule took, however. A quote highlighted by Tom Williams of Mike Farrell Sports tells a concerning tale.

After Raiola's freshman campaign, Rhule stated, “He could have taken the easy way out and left and gone into the portal and gone to someplace where he could start over, maybe where he doesn’t have to do as much himself. But he chose to stick it out and fight." Raiola was expected to play hero ball in his first season. That may not have been verbally communicated, but the stats show. The Cornhuskers didn't have a strong run game in 2024. Their line was better at opening up run lanes than defending the pass rush. The commitment to the trenches just wasn't strong enough to take the weight off Raiola's back.

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule stands on the field during a warmup prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

So, how did they respond in 2025? Once again, Rhule became reliant on a single talent to take over games. This time, however, it wasn't Raiola. His attempts drastically decreased in 2025. He was on pace to finish below the 410 attempts he posted in 2024. They improved on the ground, but not in the way they needed to. Emmett Johnson took over as the workhorse for the offense and had an outstanding year. Nebraska improved from 129.8 yards per game to 140.4 as a team. Both of those averages were outside of the top 80 teams in the nation.

This isn't meant to void Raiola's inconsistencies. It would be easy to say these factors paint a picture of a coach losing trust in his quarterback. There isn't a picture. There's only a blank canvas. That was the identity of an uncommitted Cornhuskers team with Raiola under center.

Could Blacksburg Work?

Both parties needed to go in separate directions in this matter. Raiola needs a better supporting cast or a tamer conference to play in. The ACC has been notorious as of late for giving transfer quarterbacks chances to showcase their potential. Louisville has already been linked to Raiola since he entered the portal. James Franklin and the Hokies have a little more dough to play with after a record donation towards the program.

Oct 17, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The big moves were once pipe dreams for Virginia Tech. Franklin changes that reality. Raiola fits the kind of quarterback that the former Nittany Lions' head coach looked for. He can make plays in and outside of the pocket. His arm strength is a sandbox for offensive coordinator Ty Howle. The Hokies have heavily invested in their offensive line during recruitment and will continue to do so through the portal and offseason programs. The acquisition of Raiola could also entice some of the upside hidden in the receiver room to be retained by Virginia Tech.

The vertical threat of Ayden Green mixed with the untapped potential of players like Keylen Adams and Snook Peterkin is a fun prospect to play with. The fit isn't the problem. It's the price he'll be fielding from other programs. With the right offer and pitch, something Franklin has mastered over the years, the Hokies could become a competitor in the Raiola sweepstakes.