Dylan Raiola Wears No. 15 Because of Tim Tebow, not Patrick Mahomes

This answer may come as a surprise to most. The young Husker QB looks up to another college football legend.

Sep 7, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) passes against the Colorado Buffaloes during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola is a national phenomenon.

He has received significant national media attention since his high school career. He was a consensus five-star prospect who was committed to Georgia before he decided to change course and head to Lincoln, Nebraska as the crown jewel of head coach Matt Rhule's 2024 recruiting class.

His flip from Georgia to Nebraska was highly publicized, but lately so are Raiola's fashion choices and gameday traditions. He has garnered even more attention due to his similarities to current NFL star Patrick Mahomes. He has a similar haircut, on-field accessories, pre-game ritual, and he wears the same jersey number.

But on Tuesday, Railoa revealed the inspiration for his jersey number, and it is not Mahomes.

"No, I wore 15 in my first year of football, actually Tim Tebow," Raiola said. "A strong Christian person. He played football at Florida and I look up to people who have good character and are a good person. He was that guy at the time. I kind of went away from it and went to 1, and it felt better to be at 15 honestly."

Tebow was even more of a college football legend than Mahomes. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and two BCS National Championships with Florida. Raiola was very young when Tebow played at Florida, but it is clear he still remembers his career fondly.

Now the tables have turned. Raiola is the one who is playing elite college football while Tebow watches him play. Here is what Tebow had to say about Raiola before the Colorado game was played.

“Dylan Raiola, Week 1, stepping up and dropping dimes all over,” Tebow said. “Everybody wants to make the Patrick Mahomes comparison because of their throwing motion, and you know, there are some similarities there. I know he wears the number, I know he looks like it, but you know what? Sometimes we throw those comparisons too soon, but the way this kid maneuvers in the pocket and his accuracy from different angles — he’s got so much talent."

Judging from that quote, it seems that even Tebow himself did not know that Raiola wears 15 because of him.

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