Five-Star Plus+ QB Dylan Raiola invited to Elite 11 Finals
Phoenix (Ariz.) Pinnacle Five-Star Plus+ QB Dylan Raiola has received an invitation to the 2023 Elite 11 Finals. He earned it after his performance at today’s Elite 11 Regional in Eugene, Oregon.
Raiola is the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, Georgia is leading for his commitment at 59.8%.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound signal-caller is one of five players to clinch spots in the Elite 11’s showcase event in California. Carlsbad (Calif.) five-star Julian Sayin (Alabama commit), Saline (Mich.) four-star quarterback CJ Carr (Notre Dame commit), Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military School four-star Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State commit) and Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange three-star Trever Jackson are the others.
One of the highest honors for a high school quarterback is being invited to the Elite 11 Finals. The event, which will celebrate its 24rd year in 2023, brings together the country’s elite signal-callers for three days of competition and training in Los Angeles.
Elite 11 alumni include Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck, Matthew Stafford, Tim Tebow, and more recently Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young and more. Last year’s Elite 11 Finals featured more than a dozen of the top 20 quarterbacks in the final On3 Industry Rankings, including three of the top five players at the position.
Raiola is currently the top uncommitted player in the country
Raiola has visited multiple schools this spring, including USC (March 4), Georgia (March 18) and Nebraska (March 25). He is currently scheduled to take an official visit to the Bulldogs on June 2.
At the moment, Raiola is not rushing his commitment. He was previously pledged to Ohio State.
“When I’m ready, that opportunity will present itself,” Raiola told On3’s Chad Simmons on March 17. “I’m really trusting God, trusting my family and really just going with the school that best fits me and makes me the best man and player I can be.”
Raiola also spoke with Simmons about his interest in Georgia, Nebraska and USC.
Georgia: “I think you start top down with coach (Kirby) Smart and his leadership and what he’s done for that program. Coming from Alabama, he knows how to win. He knows how to develop young men and get all of his coaches around him as great people, which reflects on his leadership. The coaches are super genuine and the relationships are very real.”
Nebraska: “Coach (Matt) Rhule is always texting me that, ‘It only takes one.’ If you win at a place like Nebraska, you get your statue built out there. Really envisioning myself trying to change a program is pretty special, having them think of me like that, to be a culture-changer. It’s a consistent message every time I talk to them.”
USC: “I really like what they do out there with their quarterbacks. I’ve been able to create a pretty close relationship with Caleb Williams and learn how he’s gone through coach Riley’s system, all the dudes they have there to throw to. Obviously, being L.A., the education is second-to-none. Just everything about L.A. from the networking and all that, there’s just a lot to love about L.A. and USC.”