GILTNER, Neb. — Drew Ott made it official Wednesday — he's ready to jump from Class D-2 to NCAA D-I.

The Giltner linebacker from the state's smallest class of 8-man football signed his letter of intent, moving up to the highest collegiate level.

The Parade All-American signed with Iowa. At the same time, his high school teammate, Logan Rath, signed with South Dakota State of the Football Championship Subdivision.

"I think it shows that talent is everywhere, not just in the bigger Class A schools," said the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Ott, who will move to defensive end for the Hawkeyes. "It's probably not (in smaller schools) as much due to size, but it's still there."

Rath, a 6-4, 250-pound defensive tackle, said having two NCAA Division I recruits on the same team helped them become better football players.

"I don't think it would have been easy for either one of us to get where we are if we weren't in the same school," he said. "If we played against anyone else in practice as far as on the line, we could just throw them around like a ragdoll.

"But when we lined up against each other, that was a whole new level of competition. It really helped push both of us to get better."

Giltner coach Jeff Ashby often put the two against each other in practices. When the Hornets were working on defensive line play, he'd slide Ott over from his usual tight end spot to go up against Rath.

That resulted in some of the toughest battles the two faced all season.

"It was a blessing to have two of them," Ashby said. "Otherwise they wouldn't have had anybody to go up against."

While both Hornets had thoughts about playing for Nebraska, neither received a scholarship offer.

Ott said it stung for a couple of weeks after finding out that an NU offer wouldn't be coming, but he quickly got over it. His decision to become a Hawkeye was solid once he made his commitment.

It's a decision he still has to explain sometimes.

"I don't get any real grief from my good friends here, but people outside the town always seem to ask why or what's wrong with me," he said.

Rath, whose parents have Husker season tickets, is also satisfied with how things worked out.

"I've been going to Nebraska games since I was a little kid, and that's every kid's dream — to play for the Huskers," he said. "And it didn't turn out. It wasn't like it was a big surprise.

"I'm playing on a different team now, and there's nothing more that I'd like than to play them and beat them. That'd be awesome."

Ott and Rath both could experience coming to Memorial Stadium as opponents. Iowa now visits Lincoln every other season, while the Jackrabbits are scheduled to return to Memorial Stadium in 2013.

Rath isn't the only Nebraskan in South Dakota State's recruiting class. Offensive linemen Mike Shoff of Cambridge and Jordan Brichacek of Howells will join Rath.

"We should have quite a bit of size, that's for sure," Rath said.