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Former NFL Running Back Leonard Fournette Shares Praise for Nebraska Quarterback Dylan Raiola

Fournette called the Huskers' freshman signal caller a "future first rounder" in a photo he posted Tuesday on social media.

Austin Jacobsen

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola throws a pass during the Huskers' game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Nov 29, 2024.
Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola throws a pass during the Huskers' game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Nov 29, 2024. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
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Add a former Super Bowl champion to the long list of celebrities who believe in Dylan Raiola's potential for the Nebraska football program.

Leonard Fournette, the former LSU and NFL running back, shared a photo on social media Tuesday with Nebraska freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, with a caption saying he'd "had the opportunity to meet future first rounder Dylan Raiola."

Fournette also tagged his former Tampa Bay Buccaneer teammate, quarterback Tom Brady, stating that the seven-time Super Bowl champion needs to "let me know what you think about him."

Fournette likely knows that a good quarterback looks like, having shared three seasons in the NFL with the Buccaneers and Brady, spending his first three years in the league with the Jacksonville Jaguars and first-round quarterback Blake Bortles, and finishing his last season in 2023 with the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Josh Allen. In Fournette's seven years, he totaled 4,518 rushing yards with 34 rushing touchdowns.

The LSU running back also understands the enormous pressure of being a highly touted recruit, as Fournette was regarded as the best running back in his class and was one of the most highly recruited players ever to come out of the state of Louisiana. ESPN and Scout.com rated Fournette as the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2014, similar to Raiola's status as a top-rated prospect in the 2024 class. Raiola was rated among the top ten overall recruits nationally and was tabbed as the No. 2 recruit overall by Rivals.

Fournette himself was a top-10 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, being selected by the Jaguars fourth overall. The running back joins a long list of NFL talent that recognizes Raiola's professional football potential, as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has shared his thoughts on the Huskers' quarterback throughout Raiola's freshman campaign. The three-time Super Bowl champion highlighted one of Raiola's first big moments as a Cornhusker, reposting Raiola's touchdown pass in the season opener against UTEP.

Raiola received praise and criticism even before his freshman season began but garnered attention from Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Rich Eisen and others throughout the year. The freshman helped guide Nebraska to a 6-6 record and its first bowl berth since 2016.

The five-star recruit has started every game this season for the Big Red, completing 66 percent of his passes (253 of 380) for 2,595 yards and 12 touchdowns. Raiola finished second among all freshman FBS quarterbacks in completion percentage and passing yards. His passing yardage is good for 10th on Nebraska's all-time single-season list, and he needs just 23 yards in the bowl game to break the single-season record for a Husker freshman.

Raiola was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after the Huskers' season-opening victory over UTEP. Raiola finished his first game in Lincoln going 19-of-27 passing with 238 yards and two scores while playing in only three quarters. He became only the second true freshman quarterback to start a Nebraska season opener in the post-World War II era.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola fires a fourth quarter pass against Wisconsin.
Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola fires a fourth-quarter pass against Wisconsin. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Despite rumors of a potential change of scenery for the freshman through the transfer portal, Raiola posted on social media earlier this month that he was "All in!"

Raiola will look to improve on his first season with the Cornhuskers after the recent additions from the 2025 recruiting class and the recent receiver transfers that have been added by coach Matt Rhule and newly minted offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.

The Huskers begin their trek to 2025 with their Pinstripe Bowl appearance Saturday in New York City.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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