Dylan Raiola's brother has decided to play for the Oregon Ducks and is making a huge change just to do so.
Earlier this winter, the Oregon Ducks landed quarterback Dylan Raiola in the transfer portal. Then, Dante Moore decided to return to Oregon for another season.
Clearly, that means Raiola will be riding the bench in 2026, but he is expected to redshirt and then take over starting quarterback duties in 2027.
Should Raiola redshirt as anticipated, he will have two years of eligibility, so barring unforeseen circumstances, he will be under center for the Ducks through 2028.
That means the quarterback position at Eugene will be clogged the next three seasons, so when Raiola's quarterback brother, Dayton, decided to commit to Oregon for 2026 on Wednesday, people wondered exactly how he would play.
Well, apparently, Dayton has decided to change positions, via Chad Simmons of Rivals. To be more specific, he will be transitioning to a tight end role.
Dylan Raiola. Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.Dayton played quarterback at Buford High School in Georgia and was recognized for his arm strength, but he has never been touted as highly as his brother.
The younger Raiola is only a three-star prospect, and in fact, 247 Sports had him listed as an "athlete" rather than a signal-caller. He was ranked the 176th-best player in the state of Georgia for the class of 2026, via 247 Sports' composite rankings.
“Staying with Dylan was a very big part of my decision,” Dayton said. “He’s like my best friend. We grew up doing everything together. We push each other every day and hold each other accountable. If he’s not doing enough, I’ll tell him. If I’m not doing enough, I know he’ll tell me. We played together from youth football to middle school, high school, and now college. It’s pretty surreal. Not many kids get to do that.”
Obviously, Dayton just wanted to stay with his brother, which is admirable.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound prospect actually initially committed to Nebraska, where Dylan used to play. However, Dayton decommitted from the Cornhuskers in November, less than two months before Dylan decided to enter the transfer portal.
Dylan — a former five-star recruit — spent two seasons at Nebraska and was very disappointing, but the hope is that he will unlock his potential with the Ducks.
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