The University of Nebraska has reason to celebrate, as they have secured a commitment from consensus five-star quarterback recruit Dylan Raiola. This marks the first time since Marlon Lucky that the Huskers have landed such a highly rated prospect. While Lucky did not quite live up to the hype, he did become the team’s all-time leader for receptions in a season. Fans are hopeful that the Husker legacy will meet expectations and attract other top-tier players to Lincoln. While success for these elite signal callers is not immediate or guaranteed, this represents a huge step in the right direction for Huskers football.
Between 2011 and 2023, 37 five-star QBs (per 247 Sports) went to college, with powerhouse programs like Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, and Ohio State dominating the recruitment landscape. It is no surprise that half of these elite quarterbacks joined teams with double-digit wins the year before their commitment. Only Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma, 2022) and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan, 2021) signed with a school with a losing record the year prior. Drew Allar and Max Browne were the only other two players to sign with teams winning fewr than 60% of its games the year before. The family ties to Nebraska may have been the difference maker since the on-field performance was lacking in 2023.
The elite pedigree of these players does not always translate to on-field results. Historically, five-star QBs have had mixed results in their true freshman year. Nine of the thirty-seven led their team in passing, while six did not attempt a single pass. Only two of these players, Max Browne, and Hunter Johnson, finished their careers with under 2000 yards passing (Sam Huard, however, dropped down to FCS football).
One interesting trend among these top recruits is their propensity to transfer. A staggering sixteen of these elite QBs, like JT Daniels’ four-school odyssey, have chosen to wander the gridiron. DJ Uiagelelei will join Blake Barnett at three stops in his college career once he selects a school. Hunter Johnson started and ended his career at Clemson with a stop at Northwestern in between. With Brock Vandagriff, Kyle McCord, Dante Moore and Malalchi Nelson in the current portal cycle, a total of twenty quarterbacks will play at multiple schools in their careers.
As of now, almost a third of these five-star QBs have been drafted into the NFL, with eleven being drafted as QBs and Braxton Miller converting to a wide receiver. Five have been taken in the top ten, and four went as the #1 overall pick. Caleb Williams will likely join the ranks of #1 overall picks this spring.
Dylan Raiola’s commitment to Nebraska is a significant achievement for the program, giving Huskers fans hope for a brighter future. The young quarterback will face the challenge of living up to the hype and revitalizing a storied program. If Raiola can excel on the field and attract more top talent to Lincoln, Nebraska may once again become a force to be reckoned with in college football. In an era of NIL and the transfer portal, there is still plenty of work to do to ensure he lives up to the potential.
Edit: corrected the number of QB’s in the portal to account for players currently in the portal.