$2 million QB urged to make 'business decision' after entering transfer portal

A coveted quarterback prospect in the transfer portal is faced with a "business" decision following the departure from his previous school.

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 NCAA transfer portal is officially open for all college football players with hopes of new beginnings to their careers in 2026. The portal opened on Friday and will not close until Jan. 16.

Bevies of players around the college football landscape have chosen to transfer following the end of the 2025 season. Some of the biggest storylines in the 2026 portal cycle revolve around the shifting of quarterbacks across the Power Four ranks.

One of these quarterbacks on the move is former Nebraska starter Dylan Raiola. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his second school.

Moving around is nothing new for Raiola in his football career. He began his high school football career at Burleson High School just south of Fort Worth, Texas.

Following his sophomore season, he moved to Chandler High School in Arizona. After spending his junior season at Chandler, he transferred to Pinnacle High School on the other side of Phoenix. He played his senior season at Buford High School in Georgia.

While Nebraska chose a different direction at quarterback than Raiola in 2026, he faces questions about his future and a potential path to the NFL. Cooper Petagna of CBS Sports addressed some of these questions when discussing where Raiola could land out of the portal.

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

"He needs to figure out his value system and what's important. Is that quarterback development? Is that playing on the biggest stage of college football? Is that developing into a No.1 draft pick?" Petagna said.

"He has the talent that a lot of NFL teams are going to be intrigued with in terms of the arm talent and the way he plays the game, but this needs to be a strict business decision for him and he needs to go to an environment that's going to be tough on him and challenge him to be the best version of himself."

The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder arrived at Nebraska in 2024 and immediately won the starting job. Raiola passed for 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while leading the Cornhuskers to a 7-6 season-ending in a Pinstripe Bowl victory.

A season-ending fibula fracture ended Raiola's 2025 season after nine games. Raiola passed for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions for the Cornhuskers.

Raiola was a five-star recruit when he arrived at Nebraska, ranking as a top-three quarterback nationally. His rank as a transfer is not nearly as high, but he is still considered one of the five best quarterbacks in the portal.