Pat McAfee Reveals Which College Football Freshman is the 'Real Deal'

The 2024 college football recruiting class brings in a lot of star power for the new season. From Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola, this class started off the year strong.

But "College GameDay" analyst Pat McAfee, a former West Virginia Mountaineer, thinks one of these freshmen stands out more than others. In Week 2's edition of the ESPN show, taking place in Ann Arbor, Michigan, McAfee revealed which freshman is the "real deal."

"Dylan Raiola, this true freshman quarterback from Nebraska, is the real deal," McAfee said. "He's the best quarterback that Matt Rhule has ever had."

In his Nebraska debut against UTEP in Week 1, Raiola proved exactly why he was a top prospect. The former Buford High School star completed 19-of-27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns.

Raiola and the Cornhuskers will get a much more difficult challenge in Week 2 with Deion Sanders and the high-powered offense of the Colorado Buffaloes coming to town.

The 6-foot-3 Raiola was a five-star prospect on a majority of sites. ESPN had him rated as the top quarterback in the class of 2024, while Rivals had him as the second-best prospect overall.

Raiola has been widely compared to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for both his looks and his play , and that proved accurate in Week 1.

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