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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Rob Wagner added to this discussion on March 24, 2025
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These are the facts- If the Buckeyes are looking to actually compete this year for a medal, Herman, Birden and Gonzalez cannot be your starters. They just aren't ready, again if the Bucks think they can be a top 4/5 team. I am tempted to even put Gallagher on this list. Like others before me- the portal is a MUST this off season.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jim Kessen added to this discussion on March 24, 2025
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Willie is predicting Bucks take 3rd next year behind PSU and Iowa.
Someone posted on Bucknuts that there is speculation Nic might cut to 125.
I don’t see it but who knows.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Doug Gainous added to this discussion on March 25, 2025
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I hate the idea of Nic cutting to 25. Why not bump to 49? Bumping up usually a better result. Maybe two weights is too much, but I still like it better than watching a guy like sponseller wrestle like a shell of themselves from trying to cut down.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jim Kessen added to this discussion on March 25, 2025
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I agree a 100% and would rather see Nic go up than down.
Only day 2 of the portal being open and not a ton of names.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Drew Taylor added to this discussion on March 25, 2025
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I’m gonna use my best judgement and say this report or whatever you want to call it is total baloney.
Does anyone really think Bouzakis who manhandles 133 pounders will ever weigh 125? This is silly.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on March 25, 2025
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Nic is not going 125. He can barely make 133. His best chance to make lineup is Mendez deciding to go up to 149. Bouzakis beat half the all Americans this year and took the national champ to the brink. You just never know which version of Nic you will get on the mat. Davino I don’t believe gave up a takedown all year. If Mendez stays at 141 I’m guessing Shaw will be the starter at 149 whether he is ready or not.
I don’t see kharchla coming back after that awful finish and if he doesn’t I hope Rocco tries to make 174 again. Haines is much more winnable than mcenelly and Ferrari. Mcenelly looks like he may be the next great. Also helps our lineup unless we get someone in the portal which right now doesn’t look like many options.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jason L. Jackson added to this discussion on May 6, 2025
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So, with the transfer portal pretty much settled, this is what the lineup looks like for next year:
125
Likely starter – Brendan McCrone. He is what he is. Will pin a kid like Lilledahl, but lose matches that you don’t think an OSU starter should.
Likely backup – Vinny Kilkeary. I think he is better all around than McCrone. I think he has a better shot to win matches at the NCAA tourney, but clearly isn’t the bonus point threat that McCrone is.
Wild card – Nic Bouzakis. I don’t think he will be here, but, if he can make it and be healthy, he is a threat.
133
Likely starter – Ben Davino. Immediate AA threat, could be a finalist with continued improvement.
Likely backup – Nic Bouzakis. The only thing that makes me think he might cut to 125 is that he didn’t transfer when he had the opportunity. Or maybe his injury is such that he gets a medical RS for the year and bumps to 141 when Mendez leaves.
Wild card – None
141
Likely starter – Jesse Mendez. 2x NCAA champ, who might not be the favorite among those at Flo to win his 3rd. I could see many of them picking Blaze to beat him.
Likely backup – Dakota King. Only other 141 on the roster.
Wild card – Nic Bouzakis. Here me out. Mendez redshirts, and Nic bumps to 141. This is a real wild card to me.
149
Likely starter – Ethan Stiles. Impact transfer who will be a R12/fringe AA guy. Very similar to DD.
Likely backup – Daxton Chase. Again, only other 149 on the roster, unless Shaw is going 149.
Wild card – Jesse Mendez. Mendez bumps up, and Nic slides in, and Ethan bumps up, and…
157
Likely starter – Paddy Gallagher. Not sure what to do here between Paddy & Cannon. I think that Paddy comes back down and Cannon keeps going up. A healthy Paddy is an AA threat, but we’ve never seen that for a full season.
Likely backup – Maddox Shaw. Looking forward to seeing him in a few opens and a couple meets.
Wild card – Ethan Stiles. The continuation of the bumping up lineup.
165
Likely starter – Brandon Cannon. Could easily switch him and Paddy. Looking forward to him continuing to develop. Absolute AA threat this year.
Likely backup – e’Than Birden. I love his potential, but he needs to develop confidence in his offense.
Wild card – Paddy Gallagher. Again, the bumping up lineup.
174
Likely starter – Carson Kharchla. Only if he isn’t suffering from HEW. I would honestly wrestle him about 15 or so matches, at most. Get Birden out there a lot.
Likely backup – e’Than Birden. Again, needs more mat time and to just let loose.
Wild card – Brandon Cannon. The end of the bumping up lineup.
184
Likely starter – Dylan Fishback. He didn’t transfer in to sit. I think he starts here and he is a R12/fringe AA guy.
Likely backup – Ryder Rogotzke. Needs a redshirt. He’s McCrone at 184. Needs to work on his offense.
Wild card – Seth Shumate. Shumate decides he likes being lighter, cuts to 184 and challenges Fishback.
197
Likely starter – Luke Geog. If healthy, I think he is a top 10 guy with semifinal potential.
Likely backup – Seth Shumate. If he is a full sized 197, maybe he doesn’t fade as much at the end of matches, and maybe he is an AA threat.
Wild card – Dylan Fishback. Fishback transferred in because he was tired of cutting and wants to wrestle 197. I honestly think all 3 options have the same potential.
285
Likely starter – Nick Feldman. If he gets healthy, and stays healthy, he’s a championship threat.
Likely backup – Hogan Swenski/Mike Misuta. Neither are good options if Nick misses significant time.
Wild card – None
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Casey Talbott added to this discussion on May 6, 2025
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^^^Thanks for your time in putting this together.
I’ve not heard anything about Bouzakis’ health since his injury at the recent tournament. Sure hope he’s okay.
Re Mendez, yes, I was wondering the same thing. I’m certain the decision will be his. But he’s got a redshirt to burn. So it’ll be interesting whether he wants to take it.
That’d be a big bump for Cannon who didn’t seem to look particularly big last year, at 157. But if he’s growing, and wants to move up, well then more power to him.
Really enjoyed Shumate’s run down the stretch, exciting to watch, and he clearly had some big wins, including his pin of Salazar at the NCAA tourney. Yes, he seems to gas a bit. But he also needs to improve his bottom game which was exploited by good wrestlers.
Re 285, I think I’d read that Swenski had transferred to Rider.
Go Bucks.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Bill Splete added to this discussion on May 6, 2025
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Brogan Fielding is also going to OSU. He has been at Spire for the last few years and has done very well in opens last year. I believe he is a 41/49. He is a great kid and adds depth to the lineup. Last year, he lost to Gonzales 4-2 in an open/ not sure which one, maybe Edinboro. He is very solid.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 7, 2025
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Brogan is the kind of guy who will be buried on the depth chart. He has little chance to ever crack the Ohio state lineup.
His junior year he finished 6th at state
His senior year he went to spire and against his best competition at Ironman didn’t really come close to placing.
Then this last year he graduated and continued at spire where he wrestled college opens and lost to Cayden Henshal guy who never all American in d2 by tech fall. Didn’t really wrestle much d1 competition. Him and Daxton chase are similar level prospects.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Bill Splete added to this discussion on May 7, 2025
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Nick,
This is a very real and honest assessment. His GPA, work ethic, and determination will be welcome in the room. It's a hard place to break the line-up; they are recruiting the best guy at every weight every year. I have seen the Fee brothers' NCAA championship ring. They didn't crack the lineup, but they put the work in, and it had to be awesome to be a part of. I hope that Brogan gets one of those.
I know Brogan gave up other opportunities to wrestle to follow a dream of being a Buckeye, I can respect that and wish him Godspeed
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 7, 2025
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I’m sure he’s a great kid and the staff saw something in him that they liked. You just have to be very, very good to wrestle at Ohio state.
Kilkeary, bouzakis, chittum, Birden, Rotogotzke, Shaw, and Shumate may all be top 20 guys next year and sitting the bench.
Andre Gonzales and hepner had to leave and can be national qualifiers also that went elsewhere.
Even Ohio states backup lineup is basically all national qualifier type of wrestlers. Unless you are a top 10 kid you will get over recruited also. The transfer portal has completely made it nearly impossible for the underdog kid to get a crack in the lineup.
Penn state has all Americans sitting on their bench. Facundo, Ryder, mirasola, Davis, Nagao, Sealey, duke.
Right now fielding is not close to a top 20 guy which would make it hard for him to even be a second string type guy for Ohio state. I’m guessing bouzakis is probably the backup 141 as im guessing the plan is for him to eventually go upand Shaw will be the backup 149 this upcoming season.
Then the Raney twins are announcing any day. The insiders at Iowa think they are ahead but are scared of only one team…..Ohio state. Reported that it’s down to Ohio state and Iowa and Tom Ryan is making a strong push. If Ohio state lands them would probably permanently remove any chance of Fielding wrestling as they are likely to be 141/149 and are future superstars.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Roe Fox added to this discussion on May 7, 2025
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“He stopped wrestling in high school because his school didn't have a team. But in his junior year, a neighboring high school needed a training partner for a standout wrestler, so he helped out. After seeing his success against one of the state's top wrestlers, his high school petitioned the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association to let him compete in wrestling, beginning with the postseason district tournament his senior year.”
Won 3 NCAA titles.
You never know. . .
“Several NCAA wrestling champions have not placed in high school championships. Here are notable examples:
Notable NCAA Champions:
Kerry McCoy: A two-time NCAA champion at Penn State, he did not place at the New Jersey state tournament in high school.
Kyle Dake: A four-time NCAA champion at Cornell, he did not place at the New York state tournament during his high school career.
Brock Lesnar: An NCAA champion at Minnesota, he did not qualify for the state tournament in high school.”
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Sean Koran added to this discussion on May 7, 2025
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Not sure where that article is from, but Kyle Dake won two NY state titles in HS.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 7, 2025
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Kyla Dake won two championships
McCoy won one championship
Lesnar got third but was very scrawny and didn’t fill out his heavyweight physique until after two years of college.
Ohio state has never had a kid all American under Tom Ryan that was not a state champ. Not sure maybe Kirk nail was actually? Anyways Ohio state won’t even look at kids that aren’t state champs. Every single guy almost two deep is a state champ at Ohio state. While a diamond in the rough is nice it’s nothing you ever count on.
19/20 NCAA finalist were state champs this year with the exception of Robinson who won Ironman which is much more difficult
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