Penn State's got a new quarterback: 3 things to know about Jaxon Smolik

It didn't take long for Penn State to find their newest quarterback of the future.

A month after losing their prized QB for the 2023 recruiting class (Marcus Stokes flipped to his home state Florida Gators), the Nittany Lions landed a replacement.

Meet Des Moines, Iowa native Jaxon Smolik, who announced his Penn State pledge on Friday. He was an under-the-radar recruit until this summer − after starring at the Elite 11 quarterback camp in California.

And Penn State, in need of a future quarterback more than most, jumped hard in pursuit. Smolik de-committed from Tulane University on Thursday and officially joined Penn State's Top 10 recruiting class a day later.

High school prospects can first make their commitments binding in December.

Coach James Franklin's Lions ideally want to land at least one elite QB prospect in each recruiting cycle. Penn State's Top 10 2022 class included Ohio's Drew Allar, ranked by some as the top quarterback prospect in the nation, and Central York's Beau Pribula, the two-time Pennsylvania player of the year.

Here's three things to know about Smolik and Penn State:

Why big schools bypassed Smolik

He just didn't get enough playing time to impress as needed.

Smolik split time at QB as a sophomore, then broke his collarbone in the first game last year. Most Power 5 programs were dialed into other quarterback options by the time Smolik came back to play in the final four games for West Des Moines Dowling Catholic.

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What saved him, in a sense, was an invite to the Elite 11 Finals, where he got to compete this summer against some of the best high school quarterbacks in the nation. He gave a standout performance and opened recruiting eyes.

Why he owns Big Ten star potential

Smolik possesses good size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and the necessary arm strength to make all of the pertinent college throws, his coach, Tom Wilson, told 247Sports.

Smolik played well immediately after returning from injury, completing over 65 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and just two interceptions.

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“He can make any throw that you need to make and he’s more mobile and a better athlete than what people give him credit for,” Wilson told Steve Wiltfong at 247 Sports. “I think Jaxon has dedicated himself to be the best he can be at this time. I think with everything he’s been through it shows what it all means to him.

"I think he’s going to surprise some people before it’s all done.”

How he got to Penn State, the Big Ten

Smolik stuck with his early verbal commitment through his standout performance at the Elite 11 camp.

But that opened the door for schools from the Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12 to suddenly start showing serious interest. Penn State evaluated him at their own camp on the final weekend of July and offered him a scholarship two days later.

Reportedly, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Cal were in pursuit, as well, but his trip to Penn State, including building relationships with Franklin and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, sealed things for the Lions.

Smolik's commitment, combined with Thursday's pledge from Virginia receiver Carmelo Taylor, helps to steady Penn State's recruiting efforts. Despite its continued impressive national ranking, Penn State's 2023 class has lost five players to de-commitments, including top defensive prospect Tomarrion Parker from Alabama.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on Twitter @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football: Big Ten quarterback Jaxon Smolik, James Franklin