Player Spotlight: Jaxon Smolik Class of 2023 QB (Dowling)

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The class of 2023 is seriously stacked at the QB position. [player_tooltip player_id="104081" first="JJ" last="Kohl"], [player_tooltip player_id="24030" first="Jamison" last="Patton"], [player_tooltip player_id="152536" first="Alex" last="Mota"], [player_tooltip player_id="104099" first="Peyton" last="Rottinghaus"], and [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] have put the nation on notice with their skills. Jaxon was one of the only QBs in the 2023 class that got a lot of playing time - especially in the playoffs. In this article, I will examine [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"]’s skill set and include my thoughts about how he will perform this upcoming season. Let’s dive into the Dowling Catholic signal-caller: [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"].</span> <b><i>Frame: 6´2 195lbs</i></b> <b><i>Hudl: </i></b><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12898680/Jaxon-Smolik"><b><i>[player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"]s Hudl</i></b></a> <b><i>Skill Set: </i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] already proved on film that he had an incredible IQ. His pre-snap reads were, without a doubt, the best in his class. Jaxon seemed to know where he would throw the ball before the snap was made, which is a tremendous ability for a high school quarterback. He also has a strong, deep ball that he consistently throws with ease.  </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A unique ability he possesses is having trust in receivers. Many high school QBs tend to throw to a receiver only if they’re wide open. That can lead to sacks and incomplete passes. Last year Jaxon exhibited this trust with star Dowling receiver [player_tooltip player_id="23842" first="Louis" last="Brooks"], showing that he’s a QB who knows when he has a mismatch and how to take advantage of it. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Jaxon is not the fastest guy on the field (and he leans towards being a pocket-style QB), but he did show flashes of decent mobility against Ankeny in the semi-final game. Overall, [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] has the most experience in the 2023 class - and it’s not only ¨experience¨ but also </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">winning</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> experience.</span> <b><i>Recruitment:</i></b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Jaxon has not scored an offer yet but is undoubtedly on the way to get one. He has a plethora of colleges interested in him, including Iowa State, Iowa, Kansas State, NDSU, and Missouri. He told me that camps went really well this year and that he got a lot of positive feedback on his mechanics and accuracy. Jaxon also shared that multiple coaches have told him they’ll be watching his performance very closely. Jaxon attended many camps, including Iowa State, Iowa, Northwestern, Kansas State, Missouri, NDSU, and Lindenwood Mega camp. </span> <b><i>Predicted Stat Line: 18 Passing Touchdowns, 1 Rushing Touchdown, 1,567 Passing Yards, 6 Interceptions.</i></b> <b><i>Standout Game: Week 8 Dowling Catholic @ WDM Valley. I think Jaxon is going to go off this game. Dowling always tends to turn it on at the back half of the season, and this game would give them a lot of momentum going into the playoffs. Valley lost on the defensive side of the ball last year and could have trouble stopping what should be an elite Dowling offense. I think [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] could throw 3-4 touchdowns this game and easily have 150+ passing yards.</i></b> <b><i>Final Points: </i></b><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] has not had as much hype as the other QBs in his class, and I think he will put a lot of people on notice this upcoming fall. Jaxon is an elite talent and has been waiting to start for Dowling his entire high school career. Pair that up with Dowling Catholic’s winning culture, and you have yourself a top team in the state that could quickly be putting up another banner. Jaxon will be elite this season, and I expect a coach to give him an offer sometime this fall.</span> &nbsp;