Dunnigan was also kind of up a weight, he’s really a better fit at 141 than 149 but was in a complete logjam at Penn with a 3x AA at 141, an AA at 149, and a 2x blood round guy at 157. Settled at 149 in case anyone got hurt he’d step in at any of the 3 weights.
Healthy Knox will AA. I also think we can qualify all 10 weights but 174 is the most questionable just because neither guy has gone before and 149 we have to see how well Brandt transitions. Gotta see Connor out of redshirt but he really got hosed as a freshmen and should have qualified.
When I said we should break the no AA streak I was referring to Knox. The real question is who steps up to be the 2nd/or third AA…. Some of Ford’s victory were pretty impressive over NQs and he had a take down over Mesenbrink… I think he will surprise some people.. we had a lot of transfers.. it will be interesting to see how they will handle the B10.
I think is the most realistic prediction I’ve seen
Thought it was interesting on FRL that JD predicts Nini to be a R12er at 149 randomly…
Flo’s rankings, IMO, are the worst out there. Willie does a way better job at rankings than any of the Flo guys.
Willie doesn't do college rankings he does his predictions ( crystal ball) that's what JD just did. It's definitely interesting to see and it gives people something to talk about when it's a slow period
I hear ya. I was just surprised Nini is on ppl’s radar outside of RU. I know some of that has to do w freestyle but perhaps he should try to make 141..
149 is gonna have 14 good guys this year it's gonna be the best weight to watch this year.
149 was viewed as one of the weakest weights last year.. now they add Vega and Henson. 141/174 seem pretty deep n interesting weight too.. 157/184 mostly the same tough top returners from last year.
while NQ and round of 12 is nice, OK State had 3 freshmen national champs last year. Hoping for at least AA
This weight is super stacked this year. AA would be tough but lots of top guys graduating after this season.
It’s really only the top 4 that is in their own tier.. after that it seems like it’s anybody’s game…probably explains NiNi’s prediction a little if he started. Last year, this weight shifted a lot in the rankings and I can see that happening again outside the top 4 guys.
Landon Robideau won it as a true freshman. In arguably the toughest most stacked weight, 157, last year.. I think him and Brandt were similar lvl recruits coming out of hs, no? Outside of maybe the top 4 of the weight hoping Brandt can hang w the rest.
This isn’t normal though. Everyone points to 2 or 3 freshmen winning a national championship every year. There’s still 100 really good freshmen who didn’t win national titles.
Echemendia will also be at 149 JD had him at 141 and Harer will be the 149. Williams and Block could also flip flip thats still a possibility
Sure not normal to have freshman win national title, but we're being told Harer is the real deal. Would expect better than round 12
I think R12 is a reasonable expectation for now. I think if it were an option, Brandt would have benefitted from a redshirt but with the new rules there’s no point. I have bigger hopes for Knox of the two who is a better recruit and has a year of college level training.
From the looks of this everyone that wrestled as a true freshman in the top 10 p4p became an AA besides Lockett, whom had wins over studs like Caliendo before a very bad nationals..
It was also an all time level class. I don’t think it’s normal either. I was just showing those results to put into perspective Knox’s expectations.From the looks of this everyone that wrestled as a true freshman in the top 10 p4p became an AA besides Lockett, whom had wins over studs like Caliendo before a very bad nationals..
Yes it isn’t normal for most freshman to AA but seems like, recently at least, the majority of top 10 p4p recruits do end up as a freshman AA.. Brandt is a top 10 p4p recruit category.
From that data point it’s actually more normal to AA as a top 10p4p recruit then to not to.
Are you sure just that 2025 class is an outlier?
| 1 | Luke Lilledahl | Wyoming Seminary | PA | Penn State |
| 2 | Angelo Ferrari | Melissa | TX | Iowa |
| 3 | Benjamin Davino | St. Charles | IL | Ohio State |
| 4 | Koy Hopke | Amery | WI | Minnesota |
| 5 | Zack Ryder | Minisink Valley | NY | Penn State |
| 6 | Joseph (Joe) Sealey | Wyoming Seminary | PA | Penn State |
| 7 | Aeoden Sinclair | Milton | WI | Missouri |
| 8 | Cody Merrill | Gilroy | CA | Oklahoma State |
| 9 | Brock Mantanona | Palm Desert | CA | Michigan |
| 10 | Pierson Manville | State College | PA |
Yes 2025 was an outlier. 9 of the 10 names from 2024 class you just listed redshirted as true freshmen. Lilledahl was the only AA right out of high school.Are you sure just that 2025 class is an outlier?
Here is the 2024 top 10 p4p class:
I believe, over half of these guys AA’d as a freshman and Sealy might have too if he started somewhere…seem these days most of these p4p recruits come out of hs ready to make noise right away.
1 Luke Lilledahl Wyoming Seminary PA Penn State 2 Angelo Ferrari Melissa TX Iowa 3 Benjamin Davino St. Charles IL Ohio State 4 Koy Hopke Amery WI Minnesota 5 Zack Ryder Minisink Valley NY Penn State 6 Joseph (Joe) Sealey Wyoming Seminary PA Penn State 7 Aeoden Sinclair Milton WI Missouri 8 Cody Merrill Gilroy CA Oklahoma State 9 Brock Mantanona Palm Desert CA Michigan 10 Pierson Manville State College PA
Hmmm so r u telling me if Angelo/Davino/Sinclair etc wrestled as true freshman u don’t think they woulda AA’d? The main reason 2025 had so many true freshman go was bc they knew a decent chance 5 for 5 would pass.
This is such a dumb response that I’m not gonna bother continuing the discussion.
My understanding was Knox did not enroll and redshirt. Didn't he do that shady, Finger Lakes wrestling club thing??
Right but for the purpose of the discussion they’re interchangeable. He’s an extra year removed from high school with a year of college level training under his belt.
I don’t think you understand that the elite hs wrestlers these days come into college more ready then ever. If there was no 5 for 5 then Vega/Robidue/Forrest probably would have RS and had they won a title their rs freshman year instead of their true freshman year your confirmation bias would have said they won a title as a (rs)freshman bc of the extra year of college lvl training under the belt.
And 13 out of 20 thought they’d be better off long term by not wrestling. The new rules make it pointless to not wrestle, but I think Brandt is one of the guys who will be better prepared for a run in year 2 than in year 1.
On3
Tracking college football players who could return for 5th year with injunction against NCAA
The Knight Report
Tyler Needham says the offense is more violent in Training Camp
The Knight Report
Rutgers Football Opponents on 2026 Bruce Feldman Freak's List
The Knight Report
Rutgers Football LB Sean Allison talks first training camp with team
The Knight Report
Rutgers Football places two on Bruce Feldman's 2026 Freaks List
