Dylan Raiola lit up the CFB scene with his breakout performance with the Cornhuskers. But his debut campaign was not one without flaws. Yet, for a freshman, what he produced in 2024 was worth commending. Given the potential he holds, brands did not waste time in trying to rope him in as an ambassador. Going into his second season, Raiola will do the talking for a sporting juggernaut worth a colossal $15 billion.

Yup, you can read that again. Raiola will be stepping into 2025 with a major NIL deal. Last year, he had partnerships with Panini America, EA Sports, and Campus Ink. This year, sporting giant Adidas will be sponsoring him, the brand announced on its social media. Though the brand already has a deal with the program, frontlining Raiola will be a major boost for both parties. The exact valuation of the deal is not known, but he is currently valued at $2.3 million.

Raiola, in his debut season, produced an impressive 2,819 yards, which is a freshman record at Nebraska. Also, a program high for a freshman was his pass completion percentage (67.1%). Naturally, the stakes are high for him this season. With Adidas backing him, Raiola gets a significant boost in his career. And sister Taylor Raiola couldn’t be happier. “So proud of you buddy ❤️,” she commented under the announcement post on Instagram.

Taylor is a graduate manager for recruiting at Nebraska. She played volleyball for TCU, where she also earned her degree in youth advocacy and educational studies. The whole Raiola family has links to the school. Their father, Dominic Raiola, played center with the Cornhuskers. Dylan will lead the Huskers for the second time this season. Their uncle, Donovan Raiola, serves as the Huskers’ O-line coach. It’s a family affair for the QB at Nebraska, and his family will be proud of him, with a major sports brand backing Raiola.

Raiola coming up as an ambassador for Adidas solidifies his future stakes at Nebraska. The brand will sponsor the school till 2028, in a deal that will cover 11 years. This NIL addition will put Dylan Raiola in the spotlight and will help draw some serious attention to the program. With a budding start, Raiola has the chance to come off his problems from last season as he steps into this one. “Playing quarterback as a freshman in the Big Ten is not easy,” Matt Rhule remarked. “[He’ll] have a great off-season, and he’ll make another huge jump. Really, the sky’s the limit for him,” the HC said. And it looks like Raiola is truly headed to be the star of NU as a whole.

Dylan Raiola growing into more than just a Nebraska star

Raiola is taking on a leadership role at Nebraska. He attended the school’s women’s flag football event during the hybrid Husker Games. “Raiola is perhaps even more of a face of the program than Matt Rhule,” wrote Sports Illustrated. And it’s true. From last season, expectations were piled upon the rookie’s shoulders from the get-go. This year, he seems better-poised to handle them.

New OC Dana Holgerson is all praise about Raiola’s second stint as a Husker. “He’s really working on his leadership skills, taking charge. I noticed that he was kind of in the shadows when I got here. He didn’t really want that because so much was put on him,” he said. Also at throwing drills, Dylan Raiola went viral for throwing a 40-yarder… through a basketball hoop. Trick shots aside, Raiola is all set to lead the Huskers to a stronger season in 2025.

“It’s a lot of work being a leader, you gotta earn a lot of trust from guys,” Raiola said. “Obviously having coach Rhule at the helm of the program leading and guiding me through it all, I’m grateful to have him,” the star QB added. Raiola is an absolute phenomenon who can unleash some havoc once he’s fine-tuned by the coaches. And with time, Dylan Raiola stands to transcend into a bigger entity, rather than just the Nebraska quarterback.