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Dylan Raiola lands NIL deal with premier brand ahead of sophomore season
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Dylan Raiola is gearing up for his sophomore season and looking to make a big-time jump for Nebraska. Now, the former 5-star recruit and the son of Husker legend Dominic Raiola has a big-time NIL deal with Adidas.
“Same last name. His own legacy,” wrote Adidas in a social media post to announce the signing of Raiola on Tuesday.
Adidas is already the main athletics sponsor for Nebraska athletics. Now, Raiola joins the Adidas family with his own deal.
“Heading into my second season, the goal remains the same: help build the next era of Nebraska football and leave a legacy that makes our fans proud,” Raiola said in a statement. “Joining the elite family of athletes at Adidas is a tremendous honor, and their support strengthens the journey as we continue building something special in Lincoln.”
While the deal is undoubtedly in part a recognition of what Raiola accomplished as a true freshman starter, it’s undeniably more about the ceiling he has leading the Huskers this fall. All signs point toward Nebraska building to a potential Year 3 breakthrough under Matt Rhule after a bowl game appearance and win last season.
As a true freshman starter, Raiola completed 67% of his passes for just over 2,800 yards with 13 touchdowns. After a hot start to the season, Raiola threw just 4 touchdowns with 8 interceptions across his final 8 Big Ten games to finish the season.
However, if the QB has developed to the level Matt Rhule has raved about this offseason, Raiola has a chance to make a serious splash in 2025. Combined with some key wide receiver reinforcements via the portal and a full year with Dana Holgorsen, something special could finally be brewing in Lincoln.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.