Which first year college wrestler are you most excited to watch in 2026/2027?

[BruceyB]

With 5 for 5 coming into play this year, plus everyone from the class of 2025 that redshirted last season, who are you most excited to see this season and why?

A few that are top of mind for me..

Whichever Raney likely takes the spot at 141 for the pokes. I've only seen these guys wrestle a handful of matches and they have all been really exciting. Jordyn vs Wolbert in the Fargo finals in 2025 was crazy, and their crazy matches at WNO give me a lot of intrigue to just how good they really are when they're competing against elite level competition week in and week out.

Knox. He was extremely limited last year and I just don't feel like we have seen him wrestle much of the 125 field at all. I know he's very good, but is he someone that could potentially give Lilledahl a match? Or is he going to be more mixed in with the large group of potential finalists at the weight.

Dreshaun Ross. With heavyweight being cleared out after last season, I'm really curious to see how he fairs against this field. I've only watched his matches against Merrill in the past year. I imagine with his length, DT's coaching, and having Hendrickson as a training partner, the sky is truly the limit. If he comes out of the gates as a legitimate title contender, that just adds a bit of more intrigue in whether or not we can even dream of a scenario where there is a legitimate team race in March.

 

 

 

[MPhillips]

The ones you mentioned for certain. Interested to see what Ohio States RS's do. Munaretto, Mills Bros.  Brown, Waters and Nicholson. They should have the opportunity to get in some tournies and maybe a dual.

197 Correa Cornell! Thanks to @Hammerlock3 for the reminder.

Edited August 18 by MPhillips

[Simpleman424]

I broke mine down by weight if that’s ok…

125 - Knox, especially after the drama, but I maybe wrote him off more than I should have going into the year and I’d like to see if I was wrong. Isaiah Cortez…I’m not a Cornell fan necessarily but I think wrestling is better when Cornell is better and he’s a contender. Leo DeLuca…hype around him is getting crazy and he looks like a problem at 125.

133 - Elijah Cortez, same as above. Jackson Blum…I’m a Midwest guy and Indiana is solid. I want to see what he can do there. And of course Ono…

141 - Karson Brown…obvious reasons. Nathan Desmond, is he the guy? I guess Bo just to keep picking (3) a weight class.

149 - Tyler Dekraker…former Buckeye commit. Should be solid for Minnesota. Seth Mendoza…I feel like Missouri has been a let down and he’s a stud. Brandt Harer kind of a wild card.

157 - Daniel Zepeda…usually I show no interest in TTUN guys but I want to see how he’s recovered. That’s it…not really excited about new comers to 157.

165 - Noah Nininger I think he’s going to cause a lot of people problems. Alessio Perentin because apparently I’m a Big Red fan…

174 - Jayden James and William Henckel. I wanted Henckel to jump in the portal and magically the Buckeyes get him…but now I just want to see who takes that spot.

184 - Not really excited about any of them. 

197 - Jude Correa…Go Big Red

Heavy - Coby Merrill…contender. Didn’t put any guys before that wouldn’t start in a lineup but Michael Mocco….having a really good summer and sassy. Don’t know if I want to watch him to see just how good he is or to see him lose? He’s a problem though if Kueter isn’t starting for whatever reason. Last one…Ben Szuba….a wild card at the weight.

[Le duke]

I think Jayden James will wrestle unattached at the NLWC. He's one of the few guys out there that can take a GS and still get 5 years.

And, since we're talking "first year college wrestler": Ono. I got lampooned for suggesting he's a Freshman in another similar thread. He smashed Vito when Vito was still healthy. Do they slot him in at 133 or 141? Does Blaze go up, or take a RS?

[Tyler Perry]

Everyone

Edited August 19 by Tyler Perry

[BruceyB]

38 minutes ago, Tyler Perry said:

Everyone

This is all I can think of whenever you are featured on "questions from friends"

 

[ScottishSteel]

Szuba is a great off the beaten path answer @Simpleman424

Kid is massive

[1032004]

No Bo Bassett mention yet?   I guess because he’s already beaten a lot of top guys, but definitely curious to see how he does at NCAA’s

[TNwrestling]

21 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

No Bo Bassett mention yet?   I guess because he’s already beaten a lot of top guys, but definitely curious to see how he does at NCAA’s

It isn't that.

 

Just mentioning the name Bo Bassett triggers @WrestlingRash 

[BruceyB]

21 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

No Bo Bassett mention yet?   I guess because he’s already beaten a lot of top guys, but definitely curious to see how he does at NCAA’s

You nailed it.

[BruceyB]

3 minutes ago, TNwrestling said:

It isn't that.

 

Just mentioning the name Bo Bassett triggers @WrestlingRash 

I'm not sure why you'd tag him unless you wanted to engage in another bout of eloquent discourse.

[TNwrestling]

47 minutes ago, BruceyB said:

I'm not sure why you'd tag him unless you wanted to engage in another bout of eloquent discourse.

Hey @WrestlingRash here's the definition of the last two words, since words are hard for you

 

[Simpleman424]

14 hours ago, Le duke said:

I think Jayden James will wrestle unattached at the NLWC. He's one of the few guys out there that can take a GS and still get 5 years.

And, since we're talking "first year college wrestler": Ono. I got lampooned for suggesting he's a Freshman in another similar thread. He smashed Vito when Vito was still healthy. Do they slot him in at 133 or 141? Does Blaze go up, or take a RS?

I mean Ono has to be something right? Freshman, 1st year whatever…seems like a silly thing to argue. I don’t know the context of the other thread but tomato/tomato. I’m not sure what happens with Blaze…I would assume he’d bump up which would send Desmond 149? I don’t think Davis can’t afford to bump up again…

Penn State has some interesting questions there…

[Simpleman424]

3 hours ago, 1032004 said:

No Bo Bassett mention yet?   I guess because he’s already beaten a lot of top guys, but definitely curious to see how he does at NCAA’s

I mentioned him briefly but yea I don’t think there’s much question about his floor or ceiling….I’ll certainly be watching more VT this year for him and others….

[1032004]

40 minutes ago, Simpleman424 said:

I mentioned him briefly but yea I don’t think there’s much question about his floor or ceiling….I’ll certainly be watching more VT this year for him and others….

You did, sorry missed that 

[OMW]

Ono and Bo

(and no - not Bono)

[ionel]

19 minutes ago, OMW said:

Ono and Bo

(and no - not Bono)

Obo 

[WrestlingRash]

8 hours ago, TNwrestling said:

Hey @WrestlingRash here's the definition of the last two words, since words are hard for you

 

I had been under the rather hopeful impression that we were making a collective effort to consign the animosity of the past to its proper place: behind us. Evidently, I was guilty of a certain degree of optimism. Still, I confess that I was genuinely delighted to see your name make its familiar appearance among my notifications. It is reassuring to know that, through whatever modest contribution I may have made, your wife has once again been afforded a temporary reprieve from the domestic abuse. If my involvement has provided even a moment of peace in an otherwise unfortunate circumstance, I am pleased to have been of service.

As for Bassett, I harbor no particular animosity toward him now that he has finally been afforded the opportunity to wrestle against competitors who are, by any reasonable definition, his contemporaries. Indeed, I am perfectly willing to acknowledge his accomplishments where they are due. He is, without question, the finest 20-year-old high-school senior wrestler I have ever had the privilege of witnessing.

That distinction, however, comes with a rather extraordinary qualification: he is also the only 20-year-old high-school senior I have ever encountered. Most people manage to navigate the educational system without requiring quite so many years to arrive at the conclusion of secondary school. Thus, while I am happy to recognize Bassett's considerable wrestling ability, I think we can safely dispense with the suggestion that his particular educational and competitive circumstances constitute some sort of ordinary benchmark against which the rest of his peers ought to be measured.

So, in the spirit of reconciliation, I shall say this plainly: I have no objection to Bassett whatsoever. Put him in a room with people his own age, allow him to compete against athletes of comparable standing, and I am perfectly content to let his accomplishments speak for themselves. I merely reserve the right to find the circumstances surrounding his résumé somewhat more remarkable than the résumé itself.

[BruceyB]

4 hours ago, WrestlingRash said:

I had been under the rather hopeful impression that we were making a collective effort to consign the animosity of the past to its proper place: behind us. Evidently, I was guilty of a certain degree of optimism. Still, I confess that I was genuinely delighted to see your name make its familiar appearance among my notifications. It is reassuring to know that, through whatever modest contribution I may have made, your wife has once again been afforded a temporary reprieve from the domestic abuse. If my involvement has provided even a moment of peace in an otherwise unfortunate circumstance, I am pleased to have been of service.

As for Bassett, I harbor no particular animosity toward him now that he has finally been afforded the opportunity to wrestle against competitors who are, by any reasonable definition, his contemporaries. Indeed, I am perfectly willing to acknowledge his accomplishments where they are due. He is, without question, the finest 20-year-old high-school senior wrestler I have ever had the privilege of witnessing.

That distinction, however, comes with a rather extraordinary qualification: he is also the only 20-year-old high-school senior I have ever encountered. Most people manage to navigate the educational system without requiring quite so many years to arrive at the conclusion of secondary school. Thus, while I am happy to recognize Bassett's considerable wrestling ability, I think we can safely dispense with the suggestion that his particular educational and competitive circumstances constitute some sort of ordinary benchmark against which the rest of his peers ought to be measured.

So, in the spirit of reconciliation, I shall say this plainly: I have no objection to Bassett whatsoever. Put him in a room with people his own age, allow him to compete against athletes of comparable standing, and I am perfectly content to let his accomplishments speak for themselves. I merely reserve the right to find the circumstances surrounding his résumé somewhat more remarkable than the résumé itself.

One day you will learn how old he is. Don't give up.

[LJB]

This does make me giggle a little…

[1032004]

7 hours ago, BruceyB said:

One day you will learn how old he is. Don't give up.

That’s a lot of paragraphs of being wrong 

Although to be fair, did Rudis learn when his birthday is yet?

[GV4444]

16 hours ago, OMW said:

Ono and Bo

(and no - not Bono)

Exactly what I was going to choose.  

[MoveCountermove]

On 8/18/2026 at 10:24 PM, Le duke said:

I think Jayden James will wrestle unattached at the NLWC. He's one of the few guys out there that can take a GS and still get 5 years.

And, since we're talking "first year college wrestler": Ono. I got lampooned for suggesting he's a Freshman in another similar thread. He smashed Vito when Vito was still healthy. Do they slot him in at 133 or 141? Does Blaze go up, or take a RS?

I think that “lampoon”-ing was because the thread was about freshman and red shirt freshman and he’s a RSJR

[MoveCountermove]

Newcomers at U of M since I am a fan - Aslikyan, Mendoza, Wolbert, Peterson, Zapeda, Sahakian getting his first run.
 

Outside of that, Cortez brothers at Cornell along with Jude Correa. Knox because he is gifted and Rutgers needs the injection of talent, and then the drama stuff. VT in general for everything they have going on. The general PSU logjam at various weights. Christian Castillo. Seth Mendoza. Harvey Ludington. Cade Ziola. Ben Szuba was a good mention. Dreshaun and Raney brothers, Coby Merrill, Tyler Dekraker, Jackson Blum, Nicholas Sorrow, Dale Gant, Adam Waters, Rocklin Zinkin, Keanu Dillard, Dean Bechtold, Michael Mocco.

[feet2back]

Brandt Harer for Rutgers