Dayton Raiola, a three-star quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class and the younger sibling of Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola, has decided to decommit from the Cornhuskers. His announcement came on Wednesday morning, just weeks before the early signing period set for December 3-5, subsequently reopening his recruitment.
Currently ranked as the 76th pocket passer by ESPN in the 2026 cycle, Raiola has been a two-year starter at Buford High School in Georgia and initially committed to Nebraska back in September 2024, choosing the Huskers over offers from Appalachian State and Charlotte. His decommitment now positions him as the seventh-ranked uncommitted pocket passer in this recruiting class.
This news adds to the challenges faced by Nebraska’s recruiting efforts, as Raiola’s departure is the fourth decommitment for the Huskers this cycle. The program now finds itself with only nine commitments left in one of the smallest recruiting classes across the FBS. Notably, it includes promising players like offensive tackle Claude Mpouma and cornerback Danny Odem, both ranked in the SC NEXT 300.
Dylan Raiola returned for a second year as Nebraska’s starting quarterback but faced a setback when a broken fibula sustained during the team’s November 1 loss to USC sidelined him for the season. True freshman quarterback TJ Lateef stepped in effectively, leading the team to a victory against UCLA with a remarkable performance.
With Dayton Raiola’s exit, Nebraska is currently without a quarterback commit for the 2026 class. However, they do maintain a commitment from Trae Taylor, the 2027 quarterback prospect who is ranked as the fourth-best pocket passer overall in the ESPN Junior 300. Despite the recent challenges in their recruiting efforts, the Huskers continue to build for the future with promising talent on the horizon.