Remember that the friend hasn’t seen the whole application. Nor did he guarantee admission. He has simply offered to say “I met a friend’s son, he seemed like a good kid, make sure he gets a good read.” This isn’t much of a bump.
Fwiw, the very few kids I know who were not qualified and got into schools because their families were mega-donors were not particularly happy. Their academic options were limited by their aptitude and they had to work harder than most of their classmates just to pass. Very frustrating way to spend 4 years to keep the family happy.
To be qualified and able to move to the front of the line – for any reason, including athletics and connections-- is different.