InterMat's 2024 Recruiting Class Rankings: Part Two (#1-12)

Recruiting class rankings are always unique in their own sort of way. This year, the number one spot was decided relatively early in the game and without much competition. The second spot kind of spoke for itself as well. After that, there were a lot of teams that could make a case for the remainder of the top-ten. Then, as you made your way down to the 25 spot, there were a handful of teams that could’ve made a case for their inclusion. 

Some of it came down to how you value quantity over quality. As you peruse the rankings, you’ll see plenty of classes that had both. 

Recruiting rankings mark the end of the respective class and put a bow on the hard work of coaching staffs around the nation. The question you ask is, how are these rankings tabulated? First, we have used the big board rankings courtesy of our sister-site MatScouts. Willie Saylor has taken the arduous task of projecting the top-250 wrestlers in the Class of 2024, making calculating these rankings slightly easier.

Some of the factors that are taken into account when putting these rankings together include:

- Numbers: Where were the signees ranked? How many top-ten, top-50, top-100, top-250, etc., does a school have?

- Fit: After years of following these programs and their coaching staffs, does a particular recruit fit the "type" of kid that has success at their respective team. Or maybe a style of wrestling.

- Filling a need: In years past, I have weighed this very heavily. Signing two highly ranked 184 lb prospects doesn't appear to fit a need when you have a stud junior returning at the same weight. However, after coming off a "free year" in 2021, that throws a loop into everything. At this time, we don't know whether everyone will actually use that extra year of eligibility. Compared to years past, this category doesn't factor in, as much, unless it's very evident that a team has a glaring logjam at a particular weight or weight range. Fear not….we should be through this soon!

- Impact on a program: This is subjective, but tends to favor teams that aren't consistent NCAA trophy contenders. If Iowa or Penn State sign the #80 overall recruit and he turns out to AA twice, taking seventh and eighth for them, it has a particular impact. But if California Baptist or Campbell sign the same prospect and he has the same career, it will have a much more significant impact on those two programs. Both California Baptist and Campbell may have benefitted from this criteria in 2024.

So, with that out of the way, enjoy InterMat's 2024 Team Recruiting Rankings.

12. NC State

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