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    Jim Gibbons •

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    Laces Up: Jim Gibbons previews 174 pounds



    Big Ten Network and ESPN wrestling analyst Jim Gibbons knows wrestling. One of the best broadcasters in the business, Gibbons knows what it takes to win an NCAA championship both as an athlete and a coach. Who does Gibbons see as the favorite coming into this year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis? Who does he think will have a breakout performance and exceed expectations as Mr. Upside? Gibbons will be previewing each of the 10 weight classes leading up to the NCAAs. Follow Jim on Twitter at @JGibLacesUp and let him know what you think if his previews and picks.

    Robert Kokesh (Photo/Daily Nebraskan)
    The historic depth at this weight may be coming to an end. For the past two years all we have heard is how even and stacked this weight class is. All of these of the seniors know each so well and it's their last hurrah at Scottrade.

    Robert Kokesh (Nebraska) started his career by competing and becoming a tough out. He was the guy you didn't want to meet coming through the consolation bracket. That mentality led him to a third-place finish in 2013. In 2015 he is wrestling with the same intensity in the championship bracket, adding to his leads and being physically dominant. His career speaks to what is great about the college wrestling experience. An agriculture major, Kokesh will go home to the family farm in South Dakota and add more than weight to a tractor seat. His coach Mark Manning calls him the best Husker leader ever -- high praise. Kokesh has not been outworked by this field that's why I think he wins.

    Like Kokesh, Matt Brown (Penn State) is wrestling well. The two have similar approaches and seem to be the two left in the weight class that can score takedowns. Mike Evans (Iowa) and Logan Storely (Minnesota) are not getting it done in the first period. It's hard to win at this level when you don't show a go-to shot. Take a sip. That said they can be tough to beat in any round but are becoming easier to stay with for the rest of the field. Evans has ground out two overtime wins over Storely, a testament to his toughness. These two are inches apart and whoever wins if they meet in the quarters goes a long way to helping their team in a tight race.

    The ACC is well represented. Blaise Butler (Virginia), Zach Epperly (Virginia Tech) and Tyler Wilps (Pitt) all are top eight seeds. Butler, a junior, has moved up two weight classes and owns a win over Storely. The freshman Epperly went into State College and out-scrambled Matt Brown. Wilps, a senior, is a returning All American at the weight class. It's interesting the state of Virginia could have two teams represented in the top 10. A strong showing by Butler and Epperly could make it a reality.

    Missouri has three No. 1 seeds in the tournament, along with two others in the top four: John Eblen (fourth in this weight class) and Lavion Mayes (third at 141 pounds). If Mizzou can hold their seeds, they become difficult to beat, particularly if no other team can get more than five or six All Americans, which makes Eblen's performance key for the host Tigers.

    Logan Storley (Photo/Mark Beshey)
    Searching for Mr. Upside is a tough one. I think the weight class drops off, which gives No. 10 seed Mark Martin (Ohio State) a chance to be a hero for the Buckeyes with a couple of upsets. However, I'm going for the cheese in the trap and taking No. 6 Logan Storely (Minnesota) as Mr U. He hasn't had the season he is capable of to this point, but he has placed in this tournament three times. It didn't bother him last season as a No. 6 seed, and in a weaker field than 2014 Storely has upside.

    Pick: Robert Kokesh (Nebraska)

    Mr. Upside: Logan Storely (Minnesota)

    Previews:
    125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174 | 184 | 197 | 285
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