In Jaxon Smolik, Penn State Signed the 'Steal' of the Quarterback Class

Smolik bet on himself, camping at Penn State without an offer. Then he earned one. 'He's a winner, man.'

Penn State welcomed quarterback Jaxon Smolik to its 2023 recruiting class with flourish from its current quarterbacks and some high praise from head coach James Franklin.

Quarterbacks Sean Clifford, Drew Allar and Beau Pribula introduced Smolik during Penn State's Signing Day livestream Wednesday, after which Franklin outlined what the signing meant to him.

"You're the steal of the class in terms of this quarterback class in high school," Franklin said.

Penn State signed Smolik, a three-star prospect from Iowa's Dowling Catholic High, as the lone quarterback in its 2023 class (so far, potentially). Franklin and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich highlighted how Smolik earned the scholarship and changed the class.

Smolik, an all-state quarterback who threw for 1,967 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior, initially had committed to Tulane. Then the Lions lost a previously committed quarterback,  leaving them searching.

Meanwhile, Smolik (6-1, 205) was rising. He was a standout at the Elite 11 Finals in California, ranking as the No. 8 player in the field, according to Sports Illustrated. That performance helped Smolik earn an invitation to a July camp at Penn State, where he earned a scholarship offer. He committed in August.

"You really did it the hard way," Yurcich told Smolik during the Signing Day ceremony. "You willed your way into this position. You came here to camp without an offer, which is unique in this day and age, and you balled out and got the offer."

Yurcich noted how Smolik missed much of his junior season with an injury and later played through pain, which Yurcich called "a very important trait."

"When you look at his story and what he’s had to overcome — playing through injury his junior season, playing through pain and playing at a high level — and then he came here without an offer, we told him he had to camp, he had to ball out, and he did. He's as solid as they come," Yurcich told Signing Day host Brian Tripp in an interview. "... He's a a winner, man."

Rivals ranks Smolik as the nation's No. 17 quarterback, while ESPN lists him at No. 29 and 247Sports at No. 33. Yurcich, however, went beyond the rankings to underscore Franklin's point about Smolik being a "steal" of the class.

"When talent meets talent, because everybody’s going to be talented in the Big Ten, something else has to take over," Yurcich said. "That’s the discipline, that’s the hard work, that’s the character and that’s the competitiveness that’s inside the chest. And he excels at all of those things.

"It’s not just who’s the prettiest guy in shorts throwing the ball in 7-on-7. It's about the gritty stuff. That goes a long way."

Yurcich told Smolik that, "we're going to need you to compete pronto." Smolik will enroll in January and quickly become an integral part of the offense as the third quarterback in the room. He explained why he's ready.

"It's my demeanor, my willingness not to quit," Smolik said on the Signing Day livestream. "I learned that I have a lot in me, I have a lot in the tank. When I think I can't go anymore, I can go a lot more. It means a lot to me that they took a chance on me and decided to offer me at that camp."

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