Miami should use extreme caution in kicking the tires on QB Dylan Raiola

The QB transfer portal carousel is heating up today and with every big name that is expected to enter the portal, Miami is going to be mentioned as a destination.

There's already been plenty on how the Hurricanes should monitor the situation with DJ Lagway and whether the soon-to-be former Gators quarterback is a fit. Another player to watch is Dylan Raiola, who announced today that he's planning on leaving Nebraska in search of other opportunities.

Should Miami kick the tires on Raiola, a former five-star prospect? Sure, but might be one to tread carefully.

The talent is there, but where's Raiola's head?

When you watch Raiola there are a lot of good things there. He's got good size and the arm talent is special. He very much models himself after Patrick Mahomes (almost a little too much) and it shows in his movement and ability to improvise. The numbers are good considering you probably couldn't name a receiver at Nebraska.  

But the one thing Miami has hit on in the transfer market with quarterbacks (and most positions) is maturity. Cam Ward and Carson Beck had maturity and a business-like approach to playing for the Hurricanes. Raiola has a lot going on around him. There are a lot of people in his ear. How does that work in Miami's culture?

Raiola is a definite fit for the city. He already thinks he's a celebrity and that fast life in Miami is something that would probably entice him. Is he a culture fit for the program? That's a different story. This isn't the 'U' of the 1980s. The guys in Mario Cristobal's program don't go seeking the spotlight. If Raiola is focused on football, his ceiling is the sky, but if he's getting caught in the lifestyle, it could set the program back.

Raiola has to erase a lot of narratives

Between the three high schools in three different states and now the transfer from Nebraska, Raiola has been on the move a lot. There's a good reason to question his commitment to helping a program win football games. Miami and Nebraska are in two different places right now within the college football landscape. The Hurricanes have a championship window with a lot of talent while the Cornhuskers are trying to find the right mix for a successful rebuild. 

There's enough talent at Miami that Raiola should want to play for the Hurricanes. But he has to show that he wants to be in an offense that isn't the Dylan Raiola show. It's about getting the ball to Malachi Toney and Girard Pringle and Josiah Trader. The Hurricanes want to run the football effectively and use it to set up that pass. It's an offense that's more substance than style.

It could be the best situation for Raiola as a player, but does he want to win or does he want to be a celebrity?