Top-ranked recruit Dylan Raiola commits to Georgia over USC, Nebraska

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Dylan Raiola, a consensus five-star quarterback who is widely considered the No. 1 high school football recruit in the class of 2024, has committed to Georgia over USC and Nebraska, he announced Monday. Raiola was previously committed to Ohio State, but backed off his commitment in December and transferred from Chandler High School to fellow Arizona football powerhouse Pinnacle High School in Phoenix soon after.

Georgia became a front-runner for Raiola soon after his decommitment from Ohio State, especially as the Bulldogs rolled to their second consecutive national title in January.

Raiola made multiple visits to USC's campus, as he was personally recruited by Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley. He also visited Nebraska, where his father, Dominic, was an All-American offensive lineman and has his number retired by the program. His uncle, Donovan, is the offensive line coach at Nebraska under new head coach Matt Rhule.

However, Raiola reportedly could not resist the championship allure of Kirby Smart's program, which suddenly appears set at quarterback for several years to come after the departure of Stetson Bennett. Redshirt sophomore Brock Vandagriff, redshirt junior Carson Beck and redshirt freshman Gunner Stockton are in a competition for the starting quarterback role next season, although Beck is the perceived leader.

The addition of Raiola reinforces Smart's pipeline of blue-chip talent into Georgia after some recent losses, including the flip of five-star 2024 tight end Landen Thomas from the Bulldogs to Florida State and the transfer of defensive lineman Bear Alexander to USC. 

It's also a major win for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who is entering the first season of his second stint in the role. Bobo previously served as Georgia's offensive coordinator for eight seasons under former head coach Mark Richt, and returned to the Bulldogs in 2022 as an analyst before being promoted to replace Todd Monken, who took the offensive coordinator job with the Baltimore Ravens in February.

Raiola is listed at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, and has been praised by recruiting analysts for his size, arm strength, accuracy and versatility.