Wait, is that you?
Many echoed the sentiment when Nebraska football’s social media account posted a photo of freshman quarterback and Buford graduate Dylan Raiola walking with a suitcase ahead of fall football camp Tuesday. They thought he was Patrick Mahomes with his ski goggles and a haircut mimicking the star NFL quarterback.
Mahomes is a three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time league Most Valuable Player and six-time Pro Bowler. Yes, that Patrick Mahomes.
“Why he look more like mahomes then (sic) mahomes,” one comment said.
Mahomes’ former teammate and Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill chimed in. He added, “boy ain’t no way,” with a laughing emoji.
The lighthearted exchange ended with Mahomes, Raiola’s doppelgänger, showing love to the former Buford Wolf by jokingly claiming kinship.
“That’s my lil cuzzo,” he said.
Mahomes and Raiola have met before when the five-star prospect was committed to Ohio State. Raiola arrived at Nebraska, with influence from his family ties, after pledges to the Buckeyes and Georgia. Raiola came to Buford to be closer to the University of Georgia campus, then flipped his commitment to the Big Ten foe.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said, according to ESPN, that Raiola “patterns a lot of his game” around Mahomes.
Raiola played one season at Buford. He threw for 2,666 yards and 34 touchdowns while throwing one interception. His younger brother, Dayton Raiola, will share quarterback duties with TJ Wilcox in 2024.
