BUFORD, Ga. — University of Georgia football fans will be able to get a sneak peek into their bright future at the quarterback position this year.
The nation's top overall prospect and UGA quarterback commit Dylan Raiola is moving from Arizona to Georgia for his senior year of high school and will be enrolling at Buford High School.
There are several reasons for Raiola's move to the state of Georgia before attending the University of Georgia, according to 11Alive's insiders at UGASports:
- Raiola is currently facing a 5-game suspension due to Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) intrastate transfer rules, in which Raiola transferred from Chandler High School to Pinnacle High School earlier this year. He and his family appealed the ruling, but a decision would not be made until August 15, shortly before the season begins in Arizona.
- “The important thing for Dylan was to be able to compete for his last season in high school,” Dom Raiola told UGASports. “And after meeting with the head coach at Pinnacle, the coach was confident that he’d have to sit out games to start his senior year.”
- Raiola's family told UGASports another primary reason for the move to Georgia is the level of high school competition in the state. The competition in Georgia is much greater than that of Arizona, and Raiola's family would love Dylan to play against the best talent Georgia has to offer before heading about an hour east to Athens in 2024.
- Lastly, Raiola wants to be closer to UGA and his family wants to be closer to him. Dylan's younger brother Dayton will be enrolling at Buford as well, allowing the family to be with both children while at their football games and throughout their high school endeavors. Dayton is a left-handed quarterback in his own right and already has an offer from Nebraska. Dylan will now be closer to Athens, which will allow him to take more unofficial visits to UGA and help the Dawgs recruit while in Sanford Stadium this fall, UGASports explained.
- "We are from Hawaii and we have spoken a lot with the Tagovailoa family about this situation," Dom Raiola said. "It just makes sense for the family to be close so the entire family doesn't have to take the red-eye flight to see games. And it is best for Dayton, the same as it was for Taulia (Tagovailoa). Speaking to them and also to the parents of Bryce Young, we know it is best to be in SEC country."
Raiola will now pair up with UGA target KJ Bolden, 2025 Georgia commit Jaden Perlotte, and 2025 targets wide receiver Jordan Allen and running back Justin Baker. Buford went 11-1 last year and lost at home in the second round of the GHSA playoffs to Walton High School.
