Examining the Redshirt Seasons of 2024's Top Recruits

With the regular season winding down, our primary focus will be on the postseason and the wrestlers who will be competing for conference and national titles. But, before we get there, it’s a good time to look at how the top prospects from the Class of 2024, those that remained in redshirt, fared this season. 

This year was different from most as only three of the top 30 recruits in the nation are expected to compete in the 2025 collegiate postseason (#1 Luke Lilledahl, #26 Conner Harer, and #27 Tucker Hogan). Maybe there’s one or two that are pulled for an injury, but I’m not expecting any more than that. 

Our sport seemingly has a stream of new rule changes each year - some of which are more helpful than others. One that I’ve really enjoyed and makes for an improvement in the on-mat product is the ability for true freshmen to compete in five dates, while remaining in redshirt. This allows coaches an extra wrestler to use rather than perhaps forfeiting a weight. It also can add some extra intrigue and strategy to dual meets. Iowa, as much as anyone, has been strategic about when they’ve used Angelo Ferrari, for example. 

Since we’ve seen many of these wrestlers in dual meets and open tournaments, we’re better equipped to comment on their progress. 

Below are the wrestlers who have remained in redshirt, in order of their appearance on MatScouts Class of 2024 Big Board. There will be information about each’s results from the 2024-25 campaign and their prospects for the future. 

#2. Cody Merrill (Oklahoma State)

For my money, 197 lbs is the hardest collegiate weight to fill after finding a career 125 lber. It looks like David Taylor has the 197 lber of the future in Cody Merrill. And we weren’t really sure of this as Merrill had wrestled at heavyweight at times in high school. Maybe he moves up at some point. 

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