A handful of major programs are on the hunt for their 2026 starting quarterback, and Dylan Raiola is now one of the top options.
Raiola is entering the transfer portal after two seasons at Nebraska, moving on from Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers following a season-ending broken fibula.
The writing had been on the wall for Raiola to leave Lincoln, as his brother decommitted from the program and his uncle, OL coach Donovan Raiola, was fired at the end of the season. Now, a fresh start awaits in what will be a pivotal year for Raiola's NFL Draft stock.
Here are the top potential landing spots for Raiola in the transfer portal.
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Dylan Raiola landing spots
LSU
Garrett Nussmeier is out of eligibility, and Lane Kiffin is sniffing around for quarterbacks. If Trinidad Chambliss either doesn't see his waiver for eligibility approved or decides to stick with Ole Miss, Raiola could be a target for the Tigers.
There is no doubt LSU is loaded with resources, as LSU's promise to give Kiffin what he needs to win was a major factor in his decision to leave Ole Miss, and the prospect of playing for an offensive mind like Kiffin could intrigue Raiola as he tries to morph from a solid collegiate starter into a legitimate first-round draft prospect.
Texas Tech
This would be too perfect, wouldn't it? After all of the mockery regarding the similarities between Raiola and Patrick Mahomes, what if Raiola just leaned into the memes and spent 2026 at Mahomes' alma mater?
The thought may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. The Red Raiders are loaded with resources to compete in this era and proved it on the field in 2025, earning a bye in the College Football Playoff. Behren Morton is out of eligibility after this season, so coach Joey McGuire should have plenty of money to throw at a quarterback of Raiola's caliber.
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Miami
Miami's routine under Mario Cristobal is pretty straightforward: dump money on a talented, experienced quarterback in the portal, then go 10-2. While the latter part might not be part of Cristobal's plan, he has proven he has no problem turning to the portal each winter, bringing in Cam Ward in 2024 and Carson Beck in 2025 with plenty of success between them. Miami helped make Ward the No. 1 pick in the draft, and the Hurricanes managed to find their way into the College Football Playoff by the narrowest of margins this season, which should prove to Raiola that both winning and developing his NFL stock are possible in Coral Gables.
Alabama
Alabama has generally avoided transfer quarterbacks in this era, staying internal with Bryce Young, Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson, but Kalen DeBoer has had success with a transfer quarterback before and may have to start thinking big if Simpson heads to the NFL Draft. The Crimson Tide are resource-rich, and Raiola has to know the combination of DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb could work wonders for his draft stock while affording him the chance to win at the highest level.
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Florida State
Florida State QB Tommy Castellanos saw his waiver for a fifth year of eligibility denied, and it might be best for the Seminoles to start fresh at quarterback regardless. While Mike Norvell struck out on D.J. Uiagalelei in the portal two years ago and saw mixed results from Castellanos, Raiola could be one way to bring some relevance back to the program and compete with the ACC's best. For Raiola, though, jumping into a hot seat situation surrounding Norvell might not be his preferred option.