2021 NCAA Champion David Carr (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Heading into the 2021-22, here are the top 12 wrestlers from the Big 12 (plus a couple of honorable mentions)
12. Everyone at 197
I should probably put an asterisk next to this one as we will see a few 197 pounders listed individually later on, but the Big 12 is absolutely stacked at this weight class. Four of the eight All-Americans from 2021 at 197 will be in the Big 12 next season. You could make a strong argument that Noah Adams and Tanner Sloan could've also finished in the top eight had they not matched up with other Big 12 wrestlers in the bracket. Rather than list all of them, I'll just say that this entire weight class deserves a nod.
11. Dom Demas-141 Oklahoma
I have two individuals that were not All-Americans this past season on this list and Demas is one of them. The Big 12 champ at 141 last season and U23 World Team member has anchored the Co-Big 12 Champion Sooners for years and is expected to continue to do that into next season. Unfortunately, not getting an All-American nod at the NCAA tournament last season, dropped him a bit here, but it's safe to expect he'll be back next season and get back on the podium at the NCAA tournament.
10. Dakota Geer-184-Oklahoma State
Geer makes this list even though he was a senior and has not officially announced if he's coming back, though the current expectation is he will. Geer doesn't necessarily dominate and hasn't won a Big 12 title yet, but he wins close matches, and he performs well at the NCAA tournament. At the last two NCAA tournaments, Geer has been seeded outside of the top eight and each year, he has become an All-American. He's not the dominant bonus point machine we see with some of the guys on this list, but he wins on the big stage and that carries a lot of weight and is what puts him in my top ten here.
9. Travis Wittlake-165 Oklahoma State
Travis Wittlake was the Big 12 champ in 2020 as a redshirt freshman and finished third this past season as a sophomore. He came into the Big 12 tournament as the #1 seed and one of the favorites, but was knocked off by Luke Weber early, shifting the dynamic of the tournament and bracket dramatically. Still, Wittlake has been one of the best in the Big 12 and bounced back with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA tournament to land here.
8. Luke Weber-165 North Dakota State
One spot ahead of Wittlake is the guy that beat him at the Big 12 tournament. Luke Weber knocked off Wittlake in OT of the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament, then went on to beat Wyoming's Cole Moody in the finals to win the 165-pound title. He received arguably the toughest draw of any wrestler at the NCAA tournament when he had to take on NCAA champion Shane Griffith followed shortly after by 3rd place finisher Keegan O'Toole. He fell to both, which left him off the podium at NCAA's, but it's safe to expect him on it in the near future.
7. Rocky Elam-197 Missouri
Rocky Elam finished fifth at the NCAA tournament as a freshman this season and finished with a 22-4 record. He lost early at the tournament to Jake Woodley from OU, then bounced back to make the consolation semifinals and avenge his loss to Woodley in the fifth-place match. You could make a reasonable argument to have him ahead of, behind, or in between Weber and Wittlake, but with Elam's youth, I think it's reasonable to expect him to make a jump next season.
6. Brock Mauller-149 Missouri
Mauller dropped two matches at the NCAA tournament, one in tiebreakers to eventual champion Austin O'Connor and one to red-hot third-place finisher Yahya Thomas, who came in as the #25th seed. Mauller finished fifth, but is right in the mix with the elite at this weight class and a legitimate title threat next season.
5. Keegan O'Toole-165 Missouri
165 in the Big 12 will go from being a somewhat overlooked weight class on the national stage to one with three All-American caliber wrestlers with Keegan O'Toole, Travis Wittlake, and Luke Weber. O'Toole beat both Wittlake and Weber and finished third at the NCAA tournament last year. Another freshman, O'Toole, has a lot of upside and, with a level jump, could compete for a title at the weight next season.
4. Parker Keckeisen-184 Northern Iowa
Keckeisen is another NCAA tournament third-place finisher and another freshman with a lot of upside. He somewhat surprisingly didn't get the start until midseason, but once he did, he was an absolute force for the Panthers. Keckeisen only suffered one loss in the 2021 season and it came at the hands of eventual NCAA Champion Aaron Brooks. Northern Iowa's never been lacking at the 184-pound weight class recently and it looks like that trend will continue with Keckeisen over the next few years.
3. Daton Fix-133 Oklahoma State
Outside of the next guy on this list, Fix was talked about more than any wrestler in the Big 12 this past season after a somewhat controversial suspension left him out until the last few weeks of the season. Fix came in late and went undefeated into the NCAA tournament and received the #1 seed. He worked his way to the finals, where he lost to Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young 4-2 in sudden victory overtime. A win there and he's probably #1 on this list.
2. AJ Ferrari-197 Oklahoma State
A true freshman NCAA champion, a 665-pound deadlift, electric interviews and celebrations made this man the most talked about wrestler at the NCAA tournament. The celebrations, the talk, the flexing are all backed up by one of the best wrestlers in the country. Ferrari's only loss of the season came to 2020's Big 12 Wrestler of the Year Noah Adams. He flipped a switch at that point and was basically untouchable at the Big 12 and NCAA tournament, winning over fans and doubters alike. All signs point to Ferrari being the favorite to win the Big 12 and NCAA tournament at the Big 12's best weight again next year, though Ferrari has floated the idea of a move to HWT. At 197, another superstar freshman Braxton Amos at Wisconsin, will enter the fray next season and could create one of wrestling's biggest rivalries.
1. David Carr-157 Iowa State
An undefeated season and NCAA title gives David Carr the #1 spot on this list. What can't you say about this kid? Junior World Champion, two-time All-American, Iowa State legacy, and did it all by his sophomore year! He has a chance to be a four-time champion if he chooses, as last season isn't required to count against eligibility. Will he go for that? Who knows? But he will be considered the flag bearer of the Big 12 by many entering next season, and should be a force over the next few years for Iowa State.
Honorable Mention
Clay Carlson-South Dakota State-Finished eighth at 141 at the NCAA tournament as just a sophomore.
Allan Hart-Missouri-Sixth-seed at the NCAA tournament at 141, but missed the podium.
Ian Parker-Jarrett Degen-Sammy Colbray-Iowa State- All three of these guys were injured at various points this season and that uncertainty keeps them off the list, but all could easily shift the dynamics of things if healthy. Their return could easily put Iowa State in the conference title conversation next season.
Wyatt Sheets-Oklahoma State-The guy became an All-American with no knees and as the #33 seed. Who knows what he'll do if healthy next year?
Jarrett Jacques-Mizzou-Tough NCAA tournament dropped his stock a bit, but definitely All-American caliber.
Demetrius Romero-Utah Valley-174-Probably deserved a spot on the list. #2 seed at the NCAA tournament and finished 5th. The only reason I left him off is I don't know if he's coming back? He was a senior last season and, to my knowledge, has not announced if he'll return.
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