Tabor was #23 on his senior big board and Hopke was #17 on his last one, so both pretty good prospects (3 years apart) who have both missed a season to injury. I feel Hopke has better offensive potential and will win the spot if healthy. If their early season results are similar, he probably still wins the spot based on years of eligibility remaining. I feel Tabor would need a very convincing win or two to be the starter.
These were the two weights to watch in my mind as well. 174 seems to be truly open. Whiting is better defensively and Riddle better offensively. I think Hwt is Hopke's to lose, mainly because 4 years left vs. 1 year. No common folkstyle opponents since Koy doesn't have a collegiate match yet, but he beat Jarrett Stoner, Mizz in freestyle who beat Tabor in folkstyle last season. Koy also has a freestyle win over Nathan Taylor right after high school.
A company called Deloitte has been hired to monitor the clearinghouse process on NIL deals over $600.
One has to wonder if the poachers will just be sneakier and still avoid the process and continue to hand out unapproved bags.
I think the outgoing seniors should be removed in July sometime. By August most of them are at their new college already. Time to shine the light on the rising juniors and seniors who are the ones being recruited.
Villasenor 125/133
Zinkin 125/133
Ramirez 133/141
Rainey 133/141
Rainey 141/149
Forrest 141/149
Wolbert 141/149
Vega 141/149/157
Robideau 157
Routledge 157/165
Hickman 157/165
Guerrero 157/165
Lockett 165/174
That's 13 guys in potentially 5 weight classes, the lowest ranked is Guerrero at #11. Everyone else is top 5 in their weight class. Other than Vllasenor they are all in the classes of '25 or '26. Even with selective redshirting some very good wrestlers will never start and could be third string.