The 2025 Men's Freestyle Mock Draft

The NBA Draft took place on June 26th and 27th, and while I recognize that this is a wrestling website, and wrestling article, the NBA Draft has relevance to this piece. A couple of years ago, I wrote a piece for Bloodround.com on what would happen if there were a wrestling draft similar to regular sports professional drafts. For that piece, I used the NBA draft order to select wrestlers for fictional professional wrestling teams. It was fun, and I think I had some good picks, as well as some that ended up way off. Take a look here if you’d like: 

 Either way, I recently revisited that piece and thought I should update it for Intermat. So that’s what this is. It’s especially relevant with this being an Olympic year. How is it relevant? Please refer to the below bullet points to find out; 

• We are only drafting NCAA D1 wrestlers. This gives us a large enough pool of wrestlers to create some debate, as well as throws the idea out there that someone younger, and therefore with more years of eligibility. 
• This also eliminates people who have already graduated. Obviously, Vito Arujau, Austin Gomez, Aaron Brooks, and Daton Fix are all super good and would be drafted. In this world, they already have been. They are not draft-eligible. My reason is that it’s more fun to look at the youth and projections than whether or not Aaron Brooks should go first. Probably yes, so let’s pretend guys like Brooks, David Carr, Trent Hidlay, and such are going to stay with the programs that they’ve already announced they’ll continue to compete for.
• This does however mean that wrestlers such as Carter Starocci or Greg Kerkvliet, who have already announced they’ll be returning for one more season, are draft-eligible.
• I’m also using the “one and done” rule that the NBA implements. As a result, there will not be anyone drafted who is an incoming Freshman for the 2024/2025 season. Similarly, I will not be drafting anyone who took a redshirt season last year as a freshman. As a result, studs like Gabe Arnold will not be eligible for this draft, however, a Meyer Shapiro will be.
• For this first installment, I’m only covering the draft lottery. For those of you who don’t speak “NBA Draft”, that means the first 14 draft picks. I intend to finish the first round at some point, but initially, we are starting with these top 14 picks.
• The draft order will be the same as the most recent NBA draft.
• This is truly subjective and predictive based on my own internal bias.
• These teams would be for Men’s Freestyle only. My apologies to Greco, as well as Women’s wrestling. Those drafts may take place in another article in the future, but for this piece that is where the focus remains.
• Nation of origin is not of concern here. They would not need to simply represent the United States here, so any country of origin works. It’s all based on talent and upside.
• Weight class is important to consider. World Championships are great, but projected Olympic weights for 2028 in Los Angeles are valued more than non-Olympic weight classes.
• Lastly, please consider more team points are better than less team points, so someone more likely to get pins, tech's, and majors inherently becomes more valuable than someone who won't. Youth and upside are considered in this drafting process.

Let’s begin! 

1. Atlanta Hawks - Jesse Mendez - In the summer of 2023, Jesse took second in the world at the U20 World Championships. Fresh off of that, he won an NCAA title, followed by taking fourth at 65kgs in the 2024 US Olympic Trials. He had a win over James Green and lost a close match to the current 65kg Olympian, and last year's 70 kg World Champion, Zain Retherford. All arrows point to Jesse Mendez continuing this complete streak of dominance and growth. He’s shown every bit of talent and grit that it takes to be at the highest level in freestyle and folkstyle, and on all accounts, loves competing and being challenged. I’ve seen everything I need to feel like he’s going to be around and challenging for Olympic spots for years to come. He might not have as many of the age group world titles as some of the guys here, but I’m completely sold on what this guy will be moving forward. Is it a reach to take Mendez first overall? Some might think so, but I am absolutely not one of those guys. I’m all in on what he can be on the international scene and look forward to seeing him continue to progress.

2. Washington Wizards - Greg Kerkvliet - It’s hard to find Heavyweights with the unique blend of size and athleticism that Greg has. Independent of their physical traits, Greg also seems to have the intangibles that it takes to continue to develop his skills and hone his craft. It must be hard to be as dominant as he was this last season and still find ways to challenge yourself and push yourself as much as it takes. The eternal battle with great heavyweights is finding training partners to push you, but I trust he has the mental makeup to know what it takes and he has domestic challengers that he knows he needs to get through. Goals like that make for great motivation.

3. Houston Rockets - Andrew Alirez - Fresh off his Olympic redshirt season, the 2023 NCAA Champ at 141 wrestled well at the trials, ultimately falling to Nick Lee in the semifinals. Rumors are that he could be up at 149 for the upcoming NCAA season, but I still feel good about him at 65kgs for 2028. He’s shown that he can manage his weight very well, and even if he needed to bump up to 74kgs, I trust that he has the frame to do so. All of this is fun, but more importantly, his wrestling is dangerous. He has a large toolbox of moves he can throw at you, and as evidenced in the NCAA finals, is willing to go upper body and go for big moves when need be. Alirez has the pedigree and results to back up this spot. 

4. San Antonio Spurs - Mitch Mesenbrink - 2022 U20 70kg World Silver Medalist. U20 World Champion at 74kg in 2023. Took second at NCAAs to David Carr (another U20 World Champion), and has shown to be every bit of the talent that we thought he was. Mitch has a pace that is unlike anything I’ve seen in a while at the NCAA level, and that frantic and constantly attacking pace translates well to Freestyle. We saw that same pace and action get under the skin of the great Jordan Burroughs, and I trust that it will equally frustrate the Senior-level competition across the world. Mitch’s ceiling is something scary to think about, and San Antonio got a great pickup in the young and talented Messenbrink.

5. Detroit Pistons - Keegan O’Toole - U20 74kg World Champion in 2021, and U23 World Champion at 74kgs in 2023. 2x NCAA Champion, 2x 3rd place at NCAAs, and the man has one more year left. He only fell this far in the draft because I’m a little worried about where he’ll land weight class-wise in 2028. Rumors have been that O’Toole will bump to 174 for his final college season, and typically as one gets older, it becomes harder to drop the weight and have the optimal levels of performance. Especially at such a deep and competitive weight like 74kgs. At the same time, 84kgs is super deep and dangerous as well. 

Regardless, the talent of KOT is an absolute steal at the 5th pick, and we are thrilled to pick him at 5. KOT seems to genuinely love to compete and be pushed (as evidenced in any interview he’s given regarding the battles with David Carr). Regardless of weight class concerns, KOT will be a force to be reckoned with as we move towards 2028.

6. Charlotte Hornets - Meyer Shapiro - An absolute stud freshman season at NCAAs. Stepped in as a true freshman only losing 3 matches all season, and going 6-1 at NCAAs to end up placing 3rd. Of course, this is a freestyle-focused draft, so it should be important to reference Meyer’s two age group world championships as well (gold at U17s in 2021 and gold at U20s at 70kg in 2023). He competed at 157 pounds as a freshman in college, and should easily fill into 74kgs by 2028. Additionally, he’s competing and training at Cornell, where he’ll have excellent freestyle-focused training partners to continue to challenge himself and grow. Only in drafts with other multiple-time world champs do guys like this fall this far.

7. Portland Trail Blazers - Rocky Elam - Elam seemed to battle some injuries last season, but the four-time All-American has shown that he has all it takes. He was a 2021 U20 World Champion in Freestyle and has been as consistent a presence for the Missouri Tigers as you’d like to have. Even battling through a slower season than we’ve been used to with Rocky, he was still able to place sixth in a loaded 197 weight class. Kyle Snyder has been the man at 97 kgs for just about the last decade, and he’ll only be 32 in 2028, but by that time there could be a string of guys who could challenge that spot, and I believe Rocky is one of those guys.

8. San Antonio Spurs - Nick Feldman - There are a lot of Heavyweights in this draft. I just think that it’s really hard to find guys like this. Sure, you could make the argument that the prevalence of HWY in this draft means that it’s actually easy to find them, but I disagree. After the guys listed in the draft, it kind of falls off a bit from an upside and long-term potential piece. Feldman is special. Last year, the freshman had shown that he could beat just about anyone in the country. He pushed Kerkvliet harder than just about anyone else in the country and had beaten Lucas Davison several times, which didn't come easy. Pair that with the fact that he was a U20 World Champion in 2022, and also that he probably can’t legally drink alcohol. There is just so much potential with him that he can’t possibly fall further than 8. The Spurs draft is looking pretty strong with Mesenbrink and Feldman.

9. Memphis Grizzlies - Bennett Berge - It might be a little strange to have Bennett Berge ahead of Parker Keckeisen on this list, but let me explain. If we are looking ahead at prospects for the 2028 Olympics, then I can justify it. As a redshirt freshman, Berge placed fourth at NCAAs. Additionally, he had shown throughout the season continued growth and development, as you would hope from a strong young prospect. Outside of NCAA competition, Berge has placed second and third in the world at U20s in 2022 and 2023, so he has shown legitimate freestyle competency, which he will certainly build on. Four years from now, as he finishes what will be a strong college season, he should be poised to make a strong run at the Olympics, even presumably with a guy like Aaron Brooks still at that spot.

10. Utah Jazz - Isaac Trumble - Another challenger to the reign of Kyle Snyder’s terror, Isaac Trumble has shown that he is as versatile and dangerous as it gets. He made the Olympic Trials finals, getting shut out by Snyder in both matches, but nonetheless. That was a deep pool of wrestlers he had to get through just to make the finals. He is comfortable with upper-body throws, has a nice series of leg attacks, and can turn from the top position. Oh, and he is a U23 World Champion at 97 kgs as well from 2023. That seems relevant for this exercise. I’m excited to see what he will bring to the Wolfpack of NC State this next season, presumably stepping in where Trent Hidlay left off.

11. Chicago Bulls - Jacob Cardenas - Bronze medal at U23 World Championships, 2x All-American (8th and 4th), and is now training at the CKWC in Ann Arbor with some notable training partners. Nothing against the Cornell group at all. I just think that it’s good to have some diversity in coaching and partners to help jump levels, and I expect that out of Jacob’s final season spent in Ann Arbor. He’s shown that he is dangerous in both freestyle and folkstyle, and could be a real threat in 2028. As previously referenced, 97 kgs seems to be in good hands, and will likely still be the case in 2028, but there will be young guys like Jacob trying to get that spot.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder - Parker Keckeisen - The only reason Kekeisen went this low is because I haven’t seen him wrestle much freestyle. I am, however, very confident that he wrestles very well. He had a 90% bonus rate last NCAA season on his way to an NCAA title. He was a super freak. He went like a hot knife through butter through the NCAA tournament. Parker is an absolute monster, and I trust that with a little work, he can “figure out” freestyle wrestling. He’s placed 3rd, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st at NCAAs, and will be returning for one final season, presumably targeting the elusive Dan Hodge trophy. His pace and physicality are both traits that will lend themselves to freestyle wrestling very well, and I’m excited to see what he’s able to do with a legitimate pushout rule. 

13. Sacramento Kings - Lachlan McNeil - McNeill has shown in his first couple of NCAA seasons that he is a legit contender. Outside of that though, he’s wrestled freestyle in several Senior-level tournaments throughout the years. Albeit for Canada, so for the Olympics purposes of this draft the argument kind of falls apart, but the spirit of this exercise is to shine a light on some of the young college-level freestyle prospects, and I would be remiss to leave McNeil out of this exercise. The two-time All-American for the Tar Heels has shown that he is a real threat on the international scene, and he still has several more years of college eligibility to build into a finished wrestler and freestyle product.

14. Portland Trailblazers - Wyatt Hendrickson - The military experiment that is Wyatt Hendrickson is just too good to leave off here. We remain in this prolonged golden age of heavyweight, which has really been a delight to see. We have these 250+ pound freak athletes all over the place now it seems. Guys who like to attack legs, maintain a high pace, and can scramble like middleweights. All sorts of credit to Air Force and what they were able to do with Wyatt, but it would be a little weird to think that he wasn’t going to jump levels after the transfer to Oklahoma State. If he elects to continue wrestling through the Olympics in 2028, then he has as much size, talent, and drive as it takes to make a run to represent his country on that stage.