When Dylan Raiola arrived at Nebraska’s fall camp last year, he immediately went viral. The 5-star QB rolled in with sunglasses, Mohawks curls, and a striking resemblance to 2x Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes. Naturally, both fans and analysts couldn’t help themselves from creating stories not just about their physical similarity but even their playing mechanics. But that uncanny look came with a baggage.
Specifically, it’s a 230-pound weight. Social media trolls joked Dylan Raiola looked like a tight end in a QB jersey. For all the praise his arm earned, the whispers about his frame never stopped. Until now. Hopefully. Because this offseason, the Huskers QB didn’t just hear the criticisms. He literally ran with it. From dad bod jokes to QB1 glow-up, his transformation now has NFL style polish. And it’s Mahome-motivation.
Dylan Raiola has always welcomed the Patrick Mahomes’ comparison, hair, game, and even the nickname. “Lil cuzzo,” the Kansas City Chiefs star once called him when the freshman QB went viral last season at fall camp. But for him, it’s not just flattery, it’s inspiration. On July 22’s episode on the Cover 3 Podcast, Dylan Raiola joined the three hosts to drop an honest confession. “I’m not comparing myself to Kobe or anything, but like Kobe did to Mike, that’s kind of what it is for me to Patrick,” he said. “And so for him, like you said, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now, if not the best. And just for me to be able to have someone to look up to, talk, call, whatever and kind of the comparisons is kind of everything outside, right?” But what did he mean with the NBA greats comparison?
Just like Kobe Bryant watched Micheal Jordan’s every move, Dylan Raiola is doing the same with Patrick Mahomes. He trains with Jeff Christensen, the NFL star’s trainer. As Wilson Dittman Sports reported, he had a training session this offseason with the QB whisperer in Texas along with five of Nebraska’s top receivers. “I try to be my own guy, but I try to take what he does,” Raiola previously admitted. “The Super Bowl run, what he was doing — I watch his feet. Everybody watches all his throws. We train with the same guy so I can kind of understand what he’s doing.” And now, he’s doing big things about the offseason weight chatter.
Dylan Raiola doesn’t run away from all the criticism coming in because of his gaining weight. “After the season, I looked at the man in the mirror and I knew I had to make some changes because you know, when you want different results, you got to change up what wasn’t working,” he said. So what did he do? He shed 20-25 pounds, dropped 5% of body fat, and swapped flab for muscle. Conditioning, cardio, and three-mile runs every few days became his new playbook. As you can see, he’s not just copying Patrick Mahomes’ highlight throws. He’s replicating his mindset, body, and leadership and the result is showing.
Dylan Raiola gives fans something to look forward to
Nebraska HC Matt Rhule noticed. “He’s done a great job with his body, his knowledge of the offense, his command of the roster and team,” he said at Big Ten Media Days. “He now embraces when he is frustrated, when things aren’t going well, and he puts it on himself to fix.” The guy who once looked like he needed a treadmill now looks like he owns the huddle. And the national media is also catching on.
On The Ultimate CFB Show, Bud Crawford didn’t blink when Dylan Raiola cracked the top 5 on Clint Brewster’s Top 10 Breakthrough QBs for 2025. “I’m going Dylan Raiola, the Nebraska quarterback, at number one as my most improved player at that position in 2025.” His three-point case is a changed body, increased mobility, and real escapability. The days of him being a statue in the pocket could be over. And the QB’s out there spreading hope too.
“I know fans will love this,” he said. “But running. I’m going to be excited to run a lot more this year.” For a guy once pegged as slow-footed, that’s a bold pivot. But he’s betting on himself, just like Patrick Mahomes did early on. From viral camp arrival to the face of Nebraska football, Dylan Raiola’s transformation isn’t just physical. It’s mental, emotional, and dangerous. As 2025 rolls in, don’t be surprised if “Lil cuzzo” starts making plays that feel a little too familiar.
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