5-Star QB Dylan Raiola details his commitment to Ohio State

Ryan Day and Ohio State have landed a commitment from Dylan Raiola, the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 On3 Consensus.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback out of Chandler (Ari.) is an elite talent. He never officially named favorites or cut his list down, but the schools that were heavily involved were Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.

The Buckeyes came on this spring after getting Raiola on campus late in March. Heading into the spring visits, Ohio State was not the team to beat. By the second trip to Columbus in 2022, he was ready to be a Buckeye.

Georgia was on top early for Raiola

“Georgia was the first school to offer and I was star-struck,” Raiola told On3. “They were the early favorite for me. I visited a lot, I got to know the staff, and Georgia is a great program.

“I continued to look at my options and I was always aware of Ohio State. My dad played for the Detroit Lions, so I knew about that rivalry and Ohio State was always a top school.

“My first visit to Columbus for Raiola was last fall for the Penn State game. They started talking to me about a week before that, so it really started with them last fall. The coaches wanted to see me in person, things clicked, and they offered me.

“Ohio State was the 23rd school to offer me. I got to meet coach Day, I enjoyed the game-day experience, and I saw the stadium rocking. The first impression was strong and that put them on my radar.”

Spring visits pushed Ohio State up Raiola’s list

“I was busy with visits this spring,” Raiola said. “I was at Oregon, Georgia, USC, Ohio State, and I really started to look at my options.

“Going into the spring, I was pretty open. I did still like Georgia a lot, but my mind was completely open. That is how I had to look at it.

“I was ready to take it all in and see what each school had to offer. My plan going into the visits was to look at the pros and cons, make a list of what I liked, and start to narrow my list down.

“Each school showed me a lot. Oregon was my first visit in March and I liked it a lot. I probably liked it a little more than I expected. They set the bar high. Georgia was good, then USC really opened my eyes. Coming out of that USC visit, they were on top. What Lincoln Riley has done with quarterbacks, the plan he has there, and what USC has to offer is great.

“Then my visit to Ohio State visit on March 31 and April 1 changed things. I came out of that visit about 70-30% Ohio State over USC. I was not all the way there yet, but I was definitely leaning towards Ohio State after that visit.

“Me and my parents got the campus tour, spent time with the coaches, watched practice, learned about the academics, and it just clicked. From what coach Day showed me about their culture to what they offer academically, Ohio State is a great fit.

“When I left, Ohio State was on top.”

Dylan Raiola gave commitment to Ohio State at the spring game

“After coming home, talking it over with my parents, and really thinking about it, I knew it was Ohio State,” Raiola said. “I wanted to tell coach Day in person, so we decided to go back to Ohio State for the spring game.

“Ohio State is the best program for me to be successful. They are very transparent. The coaches are going to take care of me. The brotherhood is tight. The academics there are great. Everyone is strong there and for one another.

“I am excited about my decision. My family likes it, I like it, and coach Day, coach Dennis, and the people there are what I want to be a part of.

“Ohio State was not one of the first schools to recruit me, but I know about their history and over time, it became the school at the top. Ohio State is the fit for me.”