How many seasons did Dylan Raiola's father, Dominic Raiola, play in the NFL?
Dominic Raiola's son, Dylan Raiola, has been the hottest name in college football over the last few days. The five-star recruit will be bringing a touch of his excellence to the SEC when he joins the University of Georgia Bulldogs in 2024.
The 6-foot, 3-inch quarterback is the No.1 recruit for the 2024 draft class. With the resources that Raiola had growing up, his footballing excellence was quite obvious. Coming from an athletic lineage, Dylan owes some gratitude to his genetics.
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Beginning with his grandfather, who was a former football player at the University of Miami, and going to his father, a former NFL player, Raiola’s footballing instinct must come to him in his blood. His mother was also a collegiate athlete, while his uncle, Donovan, also had his fair share of being an NFL player.
Where did Dominic Raiola go to college?
His father, Dominic Raiola, was an important offensive lineman throughout his playing career. Having started off his first-class playing career at the University of Nebraska, the center won many accolades for the Cornhuskers. Raiola spent just three seasons in college football before leaving for the NFL. In his final season for the Cornhuskers, Raiola won the Rimington trophy as the best center in college football. He was also recognized as a first-team All-American. As an ode to their legendary center, the Cornhuskers retired his No. 54 jersey. Young Dylan, also, had an offer to follow his father’s legacy at Nebraska. However, he snubbed them for the Ohio State Buckeyes at first, eventually signing with the Georgia Bulldogs as of May 15, 2023.
Dominic Raiola, the first Lion to play 200 games
After a successful college stint, Raiola was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 2001 NFL Draft. Raiola spent 14 seasons with the Michigan-based franchise as their center. After being on the All-Rookie squad in his debut season, Raiola was a starter in the 2002 campaign and cemented his spot thereon.
Towards the tail end of his career, the Lions signed quarterback Matthew Stafford from Georgia. Shortly after, Raiola and Stafford had on-field chemistry that even translated off the field. Stafford went on to spend 11 seasons with the Lions before being traded to the Rams, with whom he won a Super Bowl. Raiola’s son, Dylan will be following Stafford’s career trajectory when he joins the Bulldogs in the fall of 2024.
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In 2014, Dominic Raiola became the first Lion to play 200 games for the franchise. This also happened to be his last season as a professional football player. Though he doesn’t have any significant professional accolades to his name, he was quite a unit in protecting his quarterbacks and running backs. He returned to the Lions campus in 2016 as a strength and conditioning coach.
Dominic Raiola will be proud of how far his son has come and will make for a great mentor as he takes the next steps in his playing career.
How many NCAA football players make it to the NFL?