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By Ray Hamill — As the players get set to begin preseason preparation on Monday, once again College of the Redwoods football is succeeding off the field of play as much as on it.

And Redwoods is doing so at a level we haven’t seen in some time.

This summer, 12 players from last year’s team are going on to play for four-year programs, including at least four that are going to Division-I schools.

It’s something we’ve come to expect from head coach Jason White and his staff, who have done an outstanding job of sending players on since the program was reinstated ahead of the 2022 season.

The four players moving on to D-I teams include offensive lineman Ethan Bunton (Western Illinois) and Jireh Ioane (Indiana State), linebacker Levi Walker (Chicago State) and defensive back Jamieson Martin (Portland State).

“That’s the most we’ve had since we started (in 2022),” White said. “And honestly, I’d have to go way back to find that many guys going to Division 1.”

That’s good news for a CR program that made the switch to the more competitive National Division in 2025 and showed it belongs there with a strong finish to the season, including a memorable win at Butte College, a powerhouse program known for sending several players to Division 1 every year.

“That’s what JUCO is all about,” White said. “That’s every kid’s intention when they get here. The dream is to go Division 1.

“And for us, getting four kids signed to Division 1 is a big deal.”

Two former H-DNL players — Kyler Smith (St. Bernard’s) and Dominic Conant (Eureka) — are included among the 12 moving on to four-year programs.

Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

Smith, a defensive lineman, will play at Montana Tech, while Conant, a defensive back, will play at Simpson University.

Since graduating high school, Smith has established himself as a very good college player and someone who should thrive at the next level after earning all-conference honors in 2025

“Kyler is a kid that really developed into a college football player,” White said of the standout, who grew from 230 pounds to 285 pounds during his two years at CR. “He really developed into an all-conference player for us at the National Division.”

Smith also has received a couple of Division-1 walk-on offers and could yet become the fifth Division-1 player from last year’s CR team if he chooses to go in that direction instead.

Conant, meanwhile, was a valuable squad player for White and also grew in stature as a college player during his two seasons at the local community college.

He had a highlight moment in the 2024 bowl game win, when he came away with a huge interception in the red zone right as West Hills Coalinga was threatening.

Also moving on to four-year teams are Jack Daskam (tight end, Western Montana, NAIA), Elijah Freauff (defensive lineman, Ottawa, Arizona, NAIA), Keyon Miller (defensive back, Mt. Mercy, NAIA), Ezra Bailey (offensive lineman, Mt. Mercy, NAIA), Christian Solomona (linebacker, Central Washington, Division 2), and Jayden Teabo (defensive lineman, Minot State, Division 2).

White and his players will begin preseason conditioning on Monday, with the first practice in pads set for the first Monday in August.

They open the new season at San Jose in late August.