Recapping the Redshirt Seasons of 2024's Top Recruits

We like to say that young wrestlers today are more ready to compete as true freshmen than ever before and it’s a phrase that rings true with every passing year. That’s what makes the recruiting Class of 2024 so unusual. Despite being headlined by future stars, only one of the top-30 recruits wrestled in the collegiate postseason. All others were kept in redshirt. 

A likely reason for this is that these recruits signed with traditional power programs that didn’t necessarily “need” them in year one. Also, with the transfer portal used more than ever, it might be a good idea to get a veteran stopgap while your prized recruit gets a year of seasoning. 

Whatever the case, #1 Luke Lilledahl was the only top 30 recruit from the Class of 2024 to compete in the postseason. Of course, Lilledahl went on to take third at nationals, won the US Open, and is heading to Final X - so the Nittany Lion staff made the right class there. 

With the rest of these top recruits outside the spotlight, kept in redshirt, it seemed like a good time to check in on these heralded recruits and see how their redshirt year went - along with any freestyle results that have occurred in the interim. 

#2 Cody Merrill (Oklahoma State)

It was a successful redshirt season for Cody Merrill who racked up a 12-2 record and lost to the eventual national champion (Stephen Buchanan) 2-0 and 4-2 to a U20 world medalist (Justin Rademacher). Merrill didn’t “just” wrestle close matches against good competition, he managed to post some solid wins, as well. One was at the expense of All-American and Big Ten champion Isaiah Salazar. His collegiate debut featured him winning the Michigan State Open and defeating two eventual national qualifiers - he had four wins over qualifiers on the year. 

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