Let’s call it how it is—Dylan Raiola didn’t just walk into Lincoln with a five-star label. He walked in with expectations sky-high and a fanbase ready to crown him Nebraska’s quarterback messiah. But not everyone’s convinced just yet. In fact, some folks around college football have gotten awfully quiet when it comes to talking about Raiola’s upside. Yet one voice isn’t just talking—he’s backing Raiola with conviction. No not Matt Rhule. And that voice belongs to Rivals’ Tim Verghese.

While other analysts are riding the fence, Verghese is firmly in the Raiola corner. Speaking with Hurdat Sports, he made it clear: that Dylan Raiola criticism? He’s not buying it. “There’s a lot of people not even selling—just not talking about Dylan at all.” But silence doesn’t scare Tim. He saw Raiola work the field at Nebraska’s Pro Day, and the impression was undeniable. “I’m buying all the Dylan stuff,” he stated. And for anyone who tried to shrug it off by claiming any quarterback could make those throws? Verghese wasn’t having it. His take was clear: Raiola is different. So much so that it prompted a local Nebraska reporter to jump in and echo the sentiment: this quarterback room is legit, and Dylan Raiola is absolutely the guy to lead it.

Over on Wilson Dittman Sports, the spring buzz was thick—especially around the defense. Dittman gave props to the defensive line’s ability to stuff the run but didn’t mince words about Nebraska’s ability to get to the quarterback. “Just don’t know if we can get to the quarterback consistently,” he said. “That’s a big problem.”

However, when it came to the quarterback on Nebraska’s side? Dittman’s tone changed completely. “We are really well off at quarterback. Not just Dylan Raiola,” he said, pointing to a deeper story unfolding in the QB room. Raiola reportedly got about 30 reps in Nebraska’s scrimmage and looked sharp. But it wasn’t just a one-man show. Jalyn Gramstad and Marcos Davila also showed why Nebraska might have the sneakiest depth chart in the Big Ten.

It’s sure a room with layers…

Jalyn Gramstad might not be a household name, but the NAIA national champ and former Player of the Year is no slouch. Nicknamed “Granddad” for his leadership and maturity, he’s a dual-threat weapon who can bail a team out with his legs or thread a deep ball with confidence.

Then there’s Marcos Davila, the big-bodied Texas product who put up video game numbers in high school. Over 9,000 passing yards and 93 touchdowns later, he’s still a bit raw, but with four years of eligibility, the upside is hard to ignore.

Dittman didn’t hesitate to stamp it either: “So I just think this is a really strong quarterback room.” And when the question came up—what if Raiola gets injured? It brought to mind last season when the Cornhuskers saw their QB sidelined with a back injury during their 27-20 home loss to UCLA, a game he didn’t return to.

And Dittman didn’t flinch. “God forbid Dylan Raiola goes down, I think we’re in a really decent spot—about as decent as you can be if your starting quarterback gets injured,” he said. “Feel really good about the quarterback room, even better after the scrimmage yesterday.” That’s about as strong of a vote of confidence as you’ll hear from someone who watches Husker football up close.

Matt Rhule’s tough roster choices ahead

But while the QB room looks as loaded as it’s been in years, head coach Matt Rhule has his hands full with something far less fun: a looming roster squeeze.

The NCAA’s 105-man roster cap is on the horizon, and Nebraska is currently over that limit. Rhule has to trim more than 20 players before fall, and it’s a task he doesn’t take lightly. Back in December, Rhule laid it out plainly to his players. “That pulls at your heart a little bit, right?” he said, describing the tough conversations he had to have—letting guys know if they were in, out, or fighting for a spot.

And now, with the transfer portal reopening on April 16, the next few days are critical. Rhule is keeping things transparent, just like he promised. “So we’ll have conversations with each person all the time about their situation,” he said.

But here’s where it gets even more interesting. Smaller schools are already circling, watching Nebraska’s spring practices with sharp eyes—not just for strategy, but for potential portal pickups. Rhule knows it, too. “Hopefully they’re coming to watch the way we practice… I think they also want to keep an eye on the roster.”

And when it comes to players making the decision to leave? Rhule has two asks: “Make the decision based on the right information… and do it the right way.” For Rhule, the path forward isn’t about knee-jerk portal reactions or trying to plug holes with flashy transfers. He believes in what’s already in the room.

“If you stay in this place, you stay in this weight room, this training facility, this Training Table for four years, you’re probably going to get developed,” he said. “So chasing a better situation because you have a chance to go quicker but you’re not getting the same training and all that, it doesn’t make as much sense to me, but that’s me.” His approach? Build from within, be honest, and let the work speak for itself.

“We’re not super out there looking for a ton of guys in the portal. If a guy pops up we might take a guy or two if it’s the right fit, but we like this football team,” he added. And when asked about potentially bringing in more players? Rhule cracked a smile: “I don’t know if there’s enough footballs to go around.” In other words—Nebraska isn’t desperate. They’re built.

So while outsiders quietly wait for Dylan Raiola to fall flat, those closest to the program are doing the opposite. Tim Verghese is all-in. Wilson Dittman sees it live. And Matt Rhule? He’s betting on the culture he’s built and the guys he’s coaching. From quarterback depth to roster clarity, Nebraska is walking a fine line—but doing it with vision.