Dylan Raiola, nation's No. 2 prospect, flips from Georgia to Nebraska Cornhuskers via Christmas carol
Dylan Raiola, the nation's top-rated prospect in the class of 2024, has flipped his commitment and the biggest domino in the 2024 recruiting class has fallen two days before the start of the early signing period.
The Buford (Georgia) 5-star quarterback, flipped his commitment from Georgia to Nebraska, where his father Dominic was a star offensive lineman in the late 1990s.
The move had been rumored leading up to the early signing period, which opens Wednesday and closes Friday. The younger Raiola is set to become the highest rated prospect in the football program's history when he signs. It's Raiola's third verbal commitment.
He confirmed the news with a statement posted to Twitter/X on Monday afternoon that mirrored a popular Christmas carol.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound signal-caller initially committed to Georgia in May, and transferred twice between his junior and senior seasons, and ultimately moved from Arizona to Georgia, some 50 miles west of University of Georgia's campus, to play for national power Buford. He first committed to Ohio State in May 2022, before rescinding it in December 2022.
For Raiola, who 247 Sports and Rivals tab as the No. 1 QB and No. 2 overall prospect in the country, his connection to Nebraska has always been there.
"It was really good getting out there," told SBLive in April after visiting Nebraska. "It was my first time with the new staff, getting to sit down with coach Satt (offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield) and (head coach Matt Rhule) and really see their vision of that program, understand the offense they're running and get familiar with the coaches and everything like that. So it was a very successful visit, and I'm excited for what the program is going to be doing."
Raiola led talent-laden Buford to an 11-2 record and the Georgia Class 7A state quarterfinals, where it lost to Grayson.
He completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,666 yards and 34 touchdowns with just one interception as a senior.
Dive into the Christmas gram for yourself, in full:
In the realm of college dream when purpose takes flight,
Enter Dylan Raiola, crafting his narrative in the night,
Once lured by Georgia, where powerhouse glory gleamed,
Yet Nebraska's purpose in his heart brightly beamed.
In the scarlet and cream, where legacies entwine,
Dylan, like Rodgers, Rozier, and Crouch, a hero in the line.
No longer a cog in some powerhouse machine,
But a quarterback, with an even grander ambition unseen.
So fellow fans await, with hope in the air,
For Dylan to choose, his purpose to declare.
In a weekend's decision, destiny calls,
To fulfill his purpose, where a new dynasty enthralls.-- Dylan Raiola, via Twitter/X
-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com
Lead photo by Colin Hubbard.
