All college athletes grow up wanting to be like the sports heroes they watch on TV. Well, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has taken this to the next level. Raiola looks very similar to and employs some of the same fundamentals as Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which draws nonstop comparisons between the two. […]
All college athletes grow up wanting to be like the sports heroes they watch on TV.
Well, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has taken this to the next level. Raiola looks very similar to and employs some of the same fundamentals as Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which draws nonstop comparisons between the two.
Raiola however shut down any critics who have called him a “fanboy” or says that he copies Mahomes, revealing that it really isn’t his fault that they look so similar.
“So I’m just gonna start with that. It ain’t cap, it’s real love,” Raiola said on CBS Sports ‘Confidential Conversations’. “Everybody is like ‘oh you want to be like him’ and all this stuff. It just so happened that he played baseball and I played baseball. He plays quarterback and I play quarterback AND we look alike. I can’t get mad at God for making me look like him.”
“I’m sure you all grew up watching dudes you loved watching play. I’m still a fan of the game. I’m in college but I’m gonna be a fan of the game always. All that hating stuff can go. I’m good on that. We’re cool. I can reach out. Call and text him whenever.”
Nebraska opens its 2025 season on Aug. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Raiola revealed that Mahomes has their backs in their matchup against Cincinnati, alma mater of Mahomes’ favorite target and fellow future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce.
“He’s on our side,” Raiola said. “Travis Kelce though is talking about ‘our Bearcats are coming roaring in the stadium’. To each his own. To each his own.”
Raiola goes more in-depth on relationship with Mahomes
In 13 games last season, Raiola completed 67% of his passes for 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was a five-star recruit (ranked No. 21 overall in his class) coming out of Buford (Buford, GA) in 2024. He went more into depth on his relationship with Mahomes during a conversation with “Hail Varsity” last week.
“So, we kind of train with the same people,” Raiola said. “We were in Texas at the same time and kind of crossed paths. I had the opportunity to kind of watch him just throw. Talked to him, introduced myself, and like any other person, he’s just a normal guy. Respects and likes to relate to other people. That was kind of the first time we met.”
“Came back to Texas later that month, and I saw him again. He gave me his number. That was kind of like shook me up because I should be asking him for his number,” Raiola said. “But he gave it to me. I’m just so grateful for that, to add to another guy that I can reach out to for advice and I just think ever since, it’s been him supporting and I’ve been supporting him because at the end of the day, I’m still a fan of football.”
“Whether it’s him, whether it’s Matthew [Stafford], whether it’s Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, like, I just like watching good quarterback play, and I think you can learn something from every single guy. It just so happens to be that my guy is three hours down the road.”
If Raiola can perform anything like Mahomes in his second season of college football, Nebraska fans will be very excited for the ceiling of their program.
Category: General Sports
