High School

Top Iowa High School WR Makes College Commitment

Dowling Catholic’s Sam Drexler will attend Northern Iowa next year

Dana Becker

Dowling Catholic wide receiver Sam Drexler (1) carries the ball during a high school football game between Valley and Dowling Catholic on Aug. 29, 2025, at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Dowling Catholic wide receiver Sam Drexler (1) carries the ball during a high school football game between Valley and Dowling Catholic on Aug. 29, 2025, at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa. / Ayrton Breckenridge/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the top Iowa high school football wide receivers has made his college decision official.

Sam Drexler, a senior at Dowling Catholic High School, posted his commitment to the University of Northern Iowa on social media Wednesday evening.

“Thank you to my family, friends, coaches and community for supporting me,” Drexler said. “Ready to take the next step.”

Dowling Catholic Coming off Big Win

Drexler and the Maroons are 3-1, coming off a big win over four-time defending Class 5A state champion Southeast Polk. Paired up with Iowa State commit Jeffrey Roberts, Drexler has caught a team-high 29 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns.

In the win over the Rams, he had 10 receptions for 164 yards and took two of those to the end zone.

As a junior, he hauled in 36 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns, averaging just over 11 per catch.

Dowling Catholic hosts Waterloo West this Friday night for Homecoming inside Valley Stadium in West Des Moines. They have road games with Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Marshalltown around home dates vs. Waukee and Ankeny Centennial remaining on the schedule.

Sam Drexler Staying Close to Home for College

Northern Iowa is under the leadership of first-year head coach Todd Stepsis, who replaced long-time leader Mark Farley. The Panthers, who compete at the FCS level in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, last made the postseason in 2021.

In 2005, they played Appalachian State for the FCS championship, falling 21-16.

The Panthers are currently 2-2 and have a bye this weekend.

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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