"Heisman caliber season loading": Nebraska fans hopeful about 6' 3" Patrick Mahomes lookalike Dylan Raiola as Matt Rhule's QB1

Former five-star freshman Dylan Raiola is gearing up for his second stint with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The 6'3" youngster was the QB1 of the team during his true freshman campaign and led them to a 7-6 record. He also helped the Cornhuskers to a Pinstripe Bowl victory over Boston College.

Since joining Nebraska, Dylan Raiola has earned a reputation as a Patrick Mahomes lookalike. He has imitated the Chiefs star's looks and mannerisms, even wearing the same jersey number as the 3x Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

On Friday, Raiola shared a post of his offseason training on Instagram. The snippets showed him getting ready for a day of practice on the field. Raiola's haircut and side profile made him look eerily similar to Patrick Mahomes.

Fans shared their expectations for the quarterback in his second year with the Cornhuskers in the comments.

"Heisman caliber season loading," one fan commented.

"Proud to have you as our QB Dylan. Keep grinding, God has big plans for you," another fan said.

"Breakout season," this fan wrote.

"My brudda it's go time," another fan stated.

"Sniper mindset," this fan said.

"Laser focused," one fan commented.

In September, ESPN's Adam Teicher reported on Patrick Mahomes sharing his thoughts on Dylan Raiola. The Chiefs quarterback talked about having his style imitated while sharing stories from his own journey in the league.

"It's cool, honestly," Mahomes said. "I was that guy. I grew up watching players. I remember when I would grow up, I loved Alex Rodriguez playing shortstop and I tried to make plays just like him and do stuff like that, and it helped me become the athlete that I am."

Mahomes also revealed that he knew Raiola personally and the two have trained together on numerous occasions.

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Dylan Raiola opens up about offseason grind to get into shape

Dylan Raiola has been using the offseason to get his body in shape. Apart from football practice, he also included boxing in his regimen while focusing on having a nutritious and balanced diet.

During an interview in March, Raiola talked about putting in the work to improve his physique and athleticism. He also revealed that he lost 9 to 10 pounds of weight since the end of the 2024 campaign.

"It's a constant grind everyday," Raiola said. "Sometimes you don't see change right away....There is just the consistency of staying on it and keep going."

"I'm just grateful for our strength staff, our nutrition staff, even my dad....It's been a team effort...I feel amazing right now. Probably the best shape I've been in."

The Cornhuskers begin their 2025 campaign with a season opener against the Cincinnati Bearcats on August 28. It will be interesting to see how Dylan Raiola performs this upcoming season for the team.