The Nebraska Cornhuskers suffered a major loss recently when young quarterback Dylan Raiola made the decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Following the team’s decision to fire his uncle, Donovan Raiola, it was widely expected that the younger Raiola would follow his uncle out of town. That is exactly what ended up happening.
Raiola has quickly become a big name in the transfer portal. With so many teams around the nation looking for help at the quarterback position, he has become a top-tier option. There are a few teams who could target him within the Big Ten.
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While he has yet to develop to his full potential, the talent is clear. Raiola has a chance to become a special quarterback if he develops fully.
All of that being said, where could Raiola land? A few potential teams have been brought up like the Oregon Ducks, Arizona State Sun Devils, and Louisville Cardinals. However, there’s another top-tier program in the Big Ten who could come calling.
Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers are likely going to lose star quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza to the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Assuming he does make the decision to leave Indiana, the Hoosiers will be looking for quarterback help.
It’s quite possible that Raiola could be of interest to Cignetti.
During the 2025 college football season with the Cornhuskers, Raiola played in nine games before going down with a season-ending broken fibula against the USC Trojans. He completed 72.4 percent of his pass attempts for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions. As a freshman in 2024, he threw for 2,819 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Since becoming a college quarterback, Raiola has gone viral for looking and acting similar to Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He may not have that level of talent, but he has been able to make plays for Nebraska.
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Whether or not Indiana will actually pursue Raiola in the portal remains to be seen. However, the Hoosiers should be viewed as a very legitimate threat should they choose to get involved.
Having an opportunity to join a true national championship contender would have to be of interest to Raiola in the portal.
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