Dylan Raiola on USC hiring Kliff Kingsbury: 'It gives me something to think about even more'

"Coach (Lincoln) Riley, him hiring Kingsbury who coached (Patrick Mahomes) back at Texas Tech, I think that's pretty cool"

Earlier this year, USC was the trendy pick of recruiting insiders to land 2024 Pinnacle (Arizona) quarterback Dylan Raiola, the consensus No. 1 prospect in the country. 

In the past few weeks, Georgia has overtaken USC as the favorite to sign Raiola, but he insisted after Saturday's Elite 11 Regional in Oregon that his recruitment is still very much open. 

"I try to go into each visit with an open mind," Raiola said. "Not trying to have a set decision, letting schools have their fair shot and just enjoying my time with my family, how they like the visits ... we all come back home, talk about it and it's a great time."

Raiola has taken multiple visits to USC and he said that the Kliff Kingsbury offensive analyst hire will definitely play a role in his decision. 

"Coach (Lincoln) Riley, him hiring Kliff Kingsbury, who coached (Patrick Mahomes) back at Texas Tech, I think that's pretty cool, "Raiola said. "It gives me something to think about even more. I think Coach Riley just thinks for himself. He does what he does. He's got three Heismans. He changed OU, he's doing great things at SC, so it's exciting what he's doing."

Other than Georgia and USC, Nebraska is the third school Raiola is strongly considering. 

ELITE 11 FINALS INVITE

Raiola was the top quarterback of the more than 50 invited and was the only signal-caller to earn an invite to the prestigious Elite 11 Finals at the conclusion of the regional. 

The other quarterbacks that have been invited to Finals so far are Carlsbad (Calif.) QB Julian Sayin, Saline (Mich.) signal-caller CJ Carr, Benedictine Military School (Savannah, Ga.) quarterback Luke Kromenhoek and West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.) QB Trever Jackson.