Former Iowa high school standouts set for College Football Playoffs

Four former Iowa prep football players advance to first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff

Former West Des Moines Valley standout Eli Raridon scores a touchdown earlier this year against Stanford for Notre Dame. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We have arrived at the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, and the state of Iowa will be represented despite neither Iowa or Iowa State qualifying.

Four former Iowa preps are on the roster for teams who did advance to the field. Games begin on Friday, Dec. 20 with the first round and continue through the championship on Monday, Jan. 20. 

Two of the five will be involved in the opening game, as West Des Moines Valley grad Eli Raridon represents Notre Dame while former Pleasant Valley standout Andrew Depaepe is at Indiana. 

Jaxon Smolik, a West Des Moines Dowling grad, is at Penn State while Mediapolis prep Drew Miller. The Nittany Lions host SMU on Saturday, Dec. 21 while the Bulldogs received a bye to the quarterfinals and will take the field on Wednesday, Jan. 1 against either Notre Dame or Indiana.

Eli Raridon, Notre Dame (West Des Moines Valley)

A junior tight end for the Fighting Irish, Rairdon is the most experienced of the group in terms of collegiate playing time. He has eight receptions for 66 yards with two touchdowns this year, recording scores vs. Stanford and USC. Over his three-year career with Notre Dame, Raridon has played 24 games with five starts, recording 13 receptions for 117 yards and three touchdowns. At Valley, he was a four-star recruit and regarded as one of the top tight end prospects in the country after catching 75 passes for over 800 yards his last two seasons.

Andrew Depaepe, Indiana (Pleasant Valley)

A redshirt freshman defensive lineman, Depaepe has yet to see the field for the Hoosiers, one of the biggest surprises in college football this season. He originally signed and attended Michigan State, transferring after one season in East Lansing. Depaepe appeared in one game for the Spartans, where he was one of their highest-rated recruits. His brother, William, is a freshman at Indiana who played high school football in Illinois. 

Former West Des Moines Dowling standout Jaxon Smolik is a quarterback for Penn State. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jaxon Smolik, Penn State (West Des Moines Dowling)

A redshirt freshman quarterback, Smolik saw action as a true freshman last year in one game for the Nittany Lions. While at Dowling, he led the Maroons to 25 wins and two Class 5A state semifinal appearances. As a senior, he threw for almost 2,000 yards with 19 touchdowns and was a Top 10 prospect out of Iowa. Smolik has yet to see the field this season for Penn State.

Drew Miller, Georgia (Mediapolis)

A true freshman, Miller is a punter for the Bulldogs. He was a three-star prospect coming out of high school and earned All-American honors while also playing quarterback for Mediapolis, who just happens to also have the Bulldog nickname. Miller has yet to see the field at Georgia.