Dylan Raiola is officially headed toward the transfer portal and away from Nebraska football.
The 22-game starter in Lincoln confirmed the news on Monday. He leaves behind a legacy of back-to-back bowl seasons and numerous program records, with his time as a Husker officially ending with a season-ending injury against USC in game nine.
With Raiola out, here’s what’s next for the quarterback room at Nebraska.
What’s Left in Lincoln
The room is far from empty.
TJ Lateef made a pair of appearances against overmatched Akron and Houston Christian early in the season. He was then thrust into action against USC for the majority of the second half, with the game ultimately ending in a loss.
Lateef would get the start for the final three games of the year, beginning with a trip to Pasadena. The Huskers beat UCLA for their final win of the regular season.
Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef leads the Huskers out of the tunnel ahead of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN
Nebraska was blown out in the final two games against Penn State and Iowa, with Lateef’s effectiveness hampered against the Hawkeyes due to a hamstring tweak. He finished the regular season 59-for-95 for 722 yards and four touchdowns through the air with no interceptions, adding 98 yards and three more scores on the ground.
Marcos Davila transferred to Nebraska last offseason from Purdue. He redshirted in 2024, not playing in a game. In his one season in Lincoln, he saw action against Akron and Houston Christian.
Davila was a four-star prospect out of high school. At Midland Legacy in Texas, he threw for 9,101 yards in his high school career with 93 touchdowns.
Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Marcos Davila warms up before a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ross-Ade Stadium. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
Lateef is expected to start in the Las Vegas Bowl against No. 15 Utah at the end of this month. As of now, he would also be expected to hold the job in 2026, though another year in the system for Davila could close the gap to push the California native. With Jalyn Gramstad out of eligibility, these are the top two quarterbacks on the roster for next year.
Should Nebraska Go After a Transfer Quarterback?
The first question for head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is whether they are comfortable with Lateef or Davila running the show in 2026. If the answer is yes, then the Big Red may not pursue a quarterback in the transfer portal.
But if the answer is no, there will be no shortage of high-level QBs to go after.
Besides Raiola, Monday saw the reports of Florida’s DJ Lagway, Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, and Michigan State’s Aidan Chiles leaving for the transfer portal. Notre Dame backup Kenny Minchey, a four-star prospect out of high school, is also looking for a new home.
Nebraska had an up-close look at Brendan Sorsby in the season opener in Kansas City. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
If Nebraska goes after one of the above quarterbacks, they would most certainly be looking to be guaranteed as the starter. Does that then impact Lateef and Davila during portal season? If the Huskers get someone else, likely an underclassman, how does that transfer and the returners feel about the competition going into 2026?
A lot to consider for Rhule and company over the next 30 days.
Future Husker Quarterbacks
While no quarterbacks signed with Nebraska in the 2026 class, the Big Red have a big one lined up down the road.
Four-star quarterback Trae Taylor committed from the 2027 class back in May. He has been an integral part of the class, both in terms of how it is viewed and with peer recruiting.
The season didn’t go completely how we wanted for @HuskerFootball. Let’s roll up the sleeves, dig our heels in and go to work. No one said this would be easy. As my family always say we choose hard. @ToryP_3 @TheAmirBrown @jabariwatkins18 @MattErickson__ @AntayviousEllis… pic.twitter.com/zLzv1yo2K2
— Trae Taylor (@Qb6Trae) November 30, 2025
Taylor is clearly the future of that room, but he’s at least a season away from being on the field. For now, Nebraska’s quarterback room is two-deep heading toward the transfer portal window from Jan. 2-15.
Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to [email protected].
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