Dylan Raiola lists NFL players he models his game after

The Dylan Raiola era for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football program is underway. The Cornhuskers’ five-star legacy quarterback is in a battle to earn the starting spot as a true freshman and appears to be in a position to do just that.

With his stardom steadily rising, many have been dying to know more about Raiola. He gave the Nebraska faithful a peek into who he is during a recent interview on the Bussin’ with the Boys Podcast. During the sit-down conversation, Raiola revealed the list of NFL players he models his game after.

“Stafford, I grew up around Stafford. He was a gunslinger still is, and my boy Patty — Pat Hahomes,” said Raiola. “It’s cool to watch him play, and I get a train with him and be around him; it’s pretty cool. I try to be my own guy, but I try to take what he does. His Super Bowl run, what he was doing — I watch his feet. Everybody watches all his throws. And we train the same guy; so I can kind of understand what he’s doing, but he’s feeling all that pressure, and he’s kind of just buying time, and he’s so strong in the lower half. He just makes throws.”

Raiola has just two names on his list, but Stafford and Mahomes are two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today. If you can continue to take from their game and add to his, becoming Nebraska’s starting quarterback as a true freshman will be only one of many accomplishments he will add to his name during his time at the collegiate level.

Nebraska’s quarterback battle defined as a ‘tightrope’ for coming summer

Nebraska’s quarterback battle is a “tightrope,” as described by Husker Online’s Sean Callahan following the spring game.

Raiola seemingly has the lead and the better tools to succeed as the starter. Heinrich Haarberg might be falling behind now, based on Callahan’s observations.

Of course, no decision has been made nor does it look like it’s close. But Callahan noted how Nebraska and Matt Rhule have to be careful with the room.

“It’s a tightrope,” Callahan said on Andy Staples On3. “Because Heinrich Haarberg did not walk into that postgame at the spring game with the best body language. You can just sense, I mean, I use this analogy to … it’s kind of like you get your brand new car when you’re 16. It’s a super nice Honda Accord. You’re really proud of it. Then, the neighbor across the street, they pull up in the Ferrari with their son. I mean, that’s Dylan Raiola. No matter how good Haarberg is, he just doesn’t have some of the tools and talents of Raiola. But Haarberg still is a very good athlete. He’s a, you know, high-level guy that has pro skills. 

“Whether it’s a quarterback, an edge, a tight end, a ball carrier, whatever it is. He can do a lot of things. I think that’s Matt Rhule’s job. How do you keep this room together with these three scholarship guys? And will they entertain potentially a transfer just to bring in a fourth scholarship guy to that room?”