Husker QB - TJ Lateef

lo country said:
Rhule alluded to this situation (RB room) when asked about Charmar Brown and Dante Dowdell. Said price was too high for Charmar and that they’d reached a deal with EJ and couldn’t pay Dowdell more than what the negotiated for EJ as the #1 RB. Similar with DR and TJ. If he finishes out the year and does well, to keep him we’d probably have to offer him more than DR is getting. So pay the #2 QB more than starter or give DR more money so he’s still the highest paid one.

If TJ lights it up, would DR look to move elsewhere? Again, just 1 game that he did very well in. Exciting to see we might have a legit QB battle or that other teams might try and poach a guy.
Click to expand...
What if... Uncle takes a job back in the NFL. He has a 1000 yard rusher - he can claim part of the success for that. That would flip the script somewhat. With a 1000+ yard rusher, it is doubtful that Rhule would fire him at this point as well. If Uncle is gone, does DR move on and does DR 2.0 still come in 2026 or does that sicario only occurs if Uncle is fired? My guess is that DR has no motivation/reason to move on to the portal whether uncle is here or not. The job is his until he is pushed out.
 
TGHusker said:
Yes I thought of that option also. Next year we could have a stable of QBs available DR, DR 2.0, TJ and I think one of the current backups.
Click to expand...
We also have former 4 star Marcos Davila and Bode Soukup from Blair Nebraska. Luke Longval will be a senior next year but isn't in the running as far as I know.
Davila will get a chance to compete for the job if he stays. Davila was a big get by historic standards- he has just been overshadowed by DR and TJ.
 
Hilltop said:
We also have former 4 star Marcos Davila and Bode Soukup from Blair Nebraska. Luke Longval will be a senior next year but isn't in the running as far as I know.
Davila will get a chance to compete for the job if he stays. Davila was a big get by historic standards- he has just been overshadowed by DR and TJ.
Click to expand...
Is Davila redshirting this year?
 
Hilltop said:
But the film completely contradicts what you said. No problem here in your preference but saying DR only throws lob passes is FAR from reality.

DR is a far more polished passer at this point in their careers but I'll admit, I like a mobile QB as well so I am intrigued by TJ. Will be fun to watch how he does against real defenses with film.
Click to expand...
Since you are committed to being condescending, here's a bit of info from others who seem to see what I see:

There’s been some valid discussion about Dylan Raiola’s ball velocity and drive—especially from film study of his high school and early college (Nebraska) tape.


Here’s a breakdown of what analysts and film reviewers are actually seeing:


⚙️ 1. Ball Velocity and Drive​


  • Raiola has a clean, smooth release, but it’s often described as more effortless than explosive.
  • He tends to rely on touch and trajectory rather than driving the ball through tight windows.
  • On intermediate and deep outs—throws that require strong lower-body torque—his passes can float slightly or arrive a split second late.
  • Some scouts say the ball “dies” near the end of its flight, especially when thrown from a static base or off-platform.

🦵 2. Mechanics​


  • Raiola’s upper and lower body sometimes disconnect—his base can be narrow or too upright.
  • When he doesn’t drive off his back leg, the throw loses RPMs (revolutions per minute).
  • He’s accurate when he can step into a throw, but under pressure he’ll sometimes arm the ball instead of rotating through the hips and core.

💨 3. Comparison to Peers​


  • Compared to other top QB recruits—like Nico Iamaleava or Malachi Nelson—Raiola’s arm strength is adequate but not elite.
  • His style is more Rhythm passer / anticipatory thrower, not a pure power thrower.

🧠 4. What That Means Going Forward​


  • The “lack of drive” isn’t a fatal flaw—it’s a developmental issue, often corrected through core and lower-body mechanics.
  • If Nebraska’s staff emphasizes sequencing and base strength, his throws could gain 3–5 mph of velocity easily.
  • He already has excellent touch, ball placement, and composure, so improving drive could make him a complete passer.
 
307husker said:
Since you are committed to being condescending, here's a bit of info from others who seem to see what I see:

There’s been some valid discussion about Dylan Raiola’s ball velocity and drive—especially from film study of his high school and early college (Nebraska) tape.


Here’s a breakdown of what analysts and film reviewers are actually seeing:


⚙️ 1. Ball Velocity and Drive​


  • Raiola has a clean, smooth release, but it’s often described as more effortless than explosive.
  • He tends to rely on touch and trajectory rather than driving the ball through tight windows.
  • On intermediate and deep outs—throws that require strong lower-body torque—his passes can float slightly or arrive a split second late.
  • Some scouts say the ball “dies” near the end of its flight, especially when thrown from a static base or off-platform.

🦵 2. Mechanics​


  • Raiola’s upper and lower body sometimes disconnect—his base can be narrow or too upright.
  • When he doesn’t drive off his back leg, the throw loses RPMs (revolutions per minute).
  • He’s accurate when he can step into a throw, but under pressure he’ll sometimes arm the ball instead of rotating through the hips and core.

💨 3. Comparison to Peers​


  • Compared to other top QB recruits—like Nico Iamaleava or Malachi Nelson—Raiola’s arm strength is adequate but not elite.
  • His style is more Rhythm passer / anticipatory thrower, not a pure power thrower.

🧠 4. What That Means Going Forward​


  • The “lack of drive” isn’t a fatal flaw—it’s a developmental issue, often corrected through core and lower-body mechanics.
  • If Nebraska’s staff emphasizes sequencing and base strength, his throws could gain 3–5 mph of velocity easily.
  • He already has excellent touch, ball placement, and composure, so improving drive could make him a complete passer.
Click to expand...

Do you have a link to where this came from?
 
Mavric said:
Do you have a link to where this came from?
Click to expand...
Chat gpt discussion of dylan raiola

Oh and a video from a QB coach discussing his style and how it does/doesn't compare to Pat Mahomes, both similar conclusions that there's a tendency towards lazy feet leading to arming the ball and it floats rather than stepping through and driving the ball with power from the lower body.
 
Last edited:
307husker said:
Chat gpt discussion of dylan raiola

Oh and a video from a QB coach discussing his style and how it does/doesn't compare to Pat Mahomes, both similar conclusions that there's a tendency towards lazy feet leading to arming the ball and it floats rather than stepping through and driving the ball with power from the lower body.
Click to expand...

And you think ChatGPT has access to actual scouting reports of Raiola to draw these conclusions? Lol. The data it has access to are the message board/youtube "scouts." It's also a souped up predictive text, so how you ask the question changes the answer. This is also from ChatGPT:

Arm strength & ability to drive the ball​


Strengths:
  • His arm strength is routinely described as “elite” and ahead of his peers in his recruiting class. For example, at the Polynesian Bowl long-throw competition he unleashed a ~72-yard pass and then a ~70-yarder, outpacing other top QBs.
  • At the Elite 11 Finals, scouts noted: “There is zero strain as he drives the ball downfield… He likely had the best and most effortless deep ball we saw.”
  • He shows the ability to throw off-platform, from multiple arm angles, and with velocity — even when moving or under pressure. For example, one report: “Puts zip on passes even when on the move out of the pocket… flashes plus arm strength.”
  • On3’s summary: “Owns a natural, loose throwing motion with arm dexterity to deliver off-platform and from multiple arm slots… easily drives the ball to all levels of the field.”
Comparison to peers / relative evaluation:
  • Among his recruiting class, he is often singled out for arm strength as a distinguishing trait (“best arm here in the 2024 cycle”).
  • The depth of his throws — not just short to intermediate, but deep and varied arm angles — puts him in the upper tier of QB prospects in terms of throwing capability.
  • Because many young QBs are more limited to standard drops and clean footwork, his ability to drive the ball (i.e., get it downfield with both touch and velocity) is a competitive advantage.

Specific note on “drive the ball”​


By “drive the ball,” I mean the ability to deliver throws with velocity and precision, especially into tight windows and downfield, such that the pass travels with intent (not “floated”) and gives the receiver a chance to make a play. On this metric:
  • Raiola is above average to elite in the high-school/early college quarterback pool.
  • He demonstrates this via his long-toss showings and ability to throw from a variety of arm angles with zip.
  • Some other QBs may match in accuracy or decision-making, but relatively fewer in his class match the raw arm strength + “drive” ability.
  • The next step will be translating the “drive” to in-game contexts: timing with receivers, when to drive vs when to place, avoiding turnovers while being aggressive.

ChatGPT is not a source, if you want to use the sources it cited go ahead.
 
307husker said:
Since you are committed to being condescending, here's a bit of info from others who seem to see what I see:

There’s been some valid discussion about Dylan Raiola’s ball velocity and drive—especially from film study of his high school and early college (Nebraska) tape.


Here’s a breakdown of what analysts and film reviewers are actually seeing:


⚙️ 1. Ball Velocity and Drive​


  • Raiola has a clean, smooth release, but it’s often described as more effortless than explosive.
  • He tends to rely on touch and trajectory rather than driving the ball through tight windows.
  • On intermediate and deep outs—throws that require strong lower-body torque—his passes can float slightly or arrive a split second late.
  • Some scouts say the ball “dies” near the end of its flight, especially when thrown from a static base or off-platform.

🦵 2. Mechanics​


  • Raiola’s upper and lower body sometimes disconnect—his base can be narrow or too upright.
  • When he doesn’t drive off his back leg, the throw loses RPMs (revolutions per minute).
  • He’s accurate when he can step into a throw, but under pressure he’ll sometimes arm the ball instead of rotating through the hips and core.

💨 3. Comparison to Peers​


  • Compared to other top QB recruits—like Nico Iamaleava or Malachi Nelson—Raiola’s arm strength is adequate but not elite.
  • His style is more Rhythm passer / anticipatory thrower, not a pure power thrower.

🧠 4. What That Means Going Forward​


  • The “lack of drive” isn’t a fatal flaw—it’s a developmental issue, often corrected through core and lower-body mechanics.
  • If Nebraska’s staff emphasizes sequencing and base strength, his throws could gain 3–5 mph of velocity easily.
  • He already has excellent touch, ball placement, and composure, so improving drive could make him a complete passer.
Click to expand...
Lmao... chat gpt regarding his assessment coming out of high school. Pefect.

Here are a couple where velocity was necessary and he seemed to do just fine.




I get that he makes the throws look easy but he has plenty of passes each game with high velocity on them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GSG
Everyone needs to settle down. Lateef is going to struggle against Iowa for sure and probably PSU. But even after that, some desperate team is going to throw money at him and he'd be silly not to take it. Nebraska can't and shouldn't pay starting QB money for the backup. I give it less than 1% chance he's on the roster next year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top