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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 4, 2026
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Keys additions: transfer portal: Kade Brown
Recruits: 4 top 20 overall recruits in karson brown, Adam waters, Antonio mills, and dom munaretto, cliff nicholson
Departures transfer portal: Mccrone, Geog, Gallagher?
Graduated: Jesse mendez, Kharchla
Now that portal has closed we basically know the roster but I’m guessing still pick up a 149 or 174. With new eligibility rules coming in the best man will wrestle and there will not be redshirting anymore. Let’s look at potential lineups
125- this is probably going to be the most contested weight class. First we may see Bouzakis try to make one more run at 125. He’s got to decide between 125 or 141 this offseason at some point. Then you have Kilkeary. He has shown a high ceiling beat all American like Jore Volk and Braeden Davis( don’t care what the ref said everyone else in America knows who won) but takes head scratching losses. Then you have top recruit Antonio Mills who has won about everything last couple years. Then another top recruit in Munaretto who is a two time Ironman champ with a win over Burnett and twice a u17 world champ. I think a lot of people are sleeping on Munaretto right now.
Prediction Antonio Mills
133- Davino- top four are all freshman and there was a clear gap between them and the field. I’m not sure this will ever happen again. I’m guessing one or two move up to 141 however and Davino will be a finalist again
141- Karson brown will have the spot unless Bouzakis decides to come here which I think he might. Karson brown scored more points on Jax Forrest than anyone in college did this season. Took him down three times I believe and got backs.
Prediction: Bouzakis ends up here
149 transfer Kade brown and Maddox Shaw. Maddox Shaw has been pretty disappointing. He has lost to everyone that was basically a NCAA qualifier type of wrestler. Him and robideau were neck and neck in high school going back and forth. Hopefully he can make a jump but right now Kade brown is the favorite
Prediction: Brown
157- Cannon is going to decide where he wants to go and I believe Willie reported he would go 157 which I don’t belive he will. Cannon will have to pick his poison between Duke or Messenbrink or I guess Kasak or super recruit Jayden James if they all move up. I think they try to fit in Stiles in the lineup so my
Prediction: Stiles
165-cannon comes here or else it’s Birden. Cannon has got better every year and an injury slowed him down a little towards second half of season. Birden has had some pretty good wins in his career and was basically even with Paddy. I still think he has a high ceiling and will eventually be an all American.
Prediction : cannon
174-I mean the only real option I see here is Birden. Transfer portal I think they will try to make a grab at someone like Norman. Ohio state isn’t very good at transfer portal however
Prediction:Birden
184- fishback- he was close to winning a lot of big matches an had Rocco Welsh dead to rights. At nationals they say he was wrestling with broken ribs. Really no one here to challenge him. I think he finishes his career as an all American
Prediction - Fishback
197- this weight is the second most contested weight. Three options here. First Shumate who had a pretty good second part of the year and then had a great us open. Then you have Ryder Rotogotzke who had a great first season then dealt with cutting way too much weight second season and then an injury last season. He’s a prolific pinner and is dangerous against anyone. Then you have Adam Waters who was the number one 190 pounder in the nation. He gave Wyoming all American Eddie neitenbach his only loss his senior year in high school. He was hurt at Ironman this year but basically reclaimed his number one ranking by winning everything from there out. This weight is probably my hardest to pick
Prediction : Shumate
285- Feldman just needs to stay healthy. Give him more rest. He had a high ankle sprain at the national tournament. Buckeyes top three weights at nationals all had pretty severe injuries when it counted. I feel like Ferrari is going back down to 197 and would make him probably the favorite to win it all
Prediction: Feldman
There is a lot of youth coming in on this team and it is possible to have three freshman step in the lineup immediately. Overall probably once again just outside the team trophy. Feldman, Davino, and Cannon should all be in top three. Then most other weights except maybe 149 should be in the hunt to be an all American.
No one is touching Penn state or Oklahoma state. Virginia Tech should also be very good. Iowa state, Iowa and Nebraska seem to always beat us in the portal also. The portal will tell the end story when lineups are filled but right now my
Prediction: 5th place for the third straight year.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on May 4, 2026
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Nice analysis Nick. I agree that Stiles, 157, and Cannon, 165, makes the most sense. Munaretto and Mills give the bux an excesss of riches at 125. In my perfect world, both would redshirt while one spells Bouzakis and the other gives Davino a breather. I don't really want to see Bouzakis at 141 but I also want him to enjoy his senior season.
Could Rogotzke be a back up 285?
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 4, 2026
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Hank the new rule will be five years of eligibility no matter what , that they are planning to put in very soon. Doesn’t matter if you wrestle 1 match, five matches or 100 matches. You get five years. No such thing as redshirting. Won’t have to worry about match counts for true freshman. Best man will go. Guys like Rocco welsh and Ben Davino basically wasted a year of eligibility by redshirting.Last year they were the best wrestlers and still redshirted. They did not know this rule was coming in however. That will never happen again. You will be able to wrestle 5 NCAA tournaments. If you are the best wrestler you will be the starter and the backups don’t have to worry about burning a year. They can be plugged in for unlimited amount of matches and tournaments. The word redshirt will not exist in college athletics. Jesse Mendes just missed out unfortunately or he would have been eligible one more year. We will be able to see plenty from the freshman in duals or open tourneys and not worry about match counts.
May 22 is when the board meets again and is expected to go into effect next fall.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Brady Hiatt added to this discussion on May 5, 2026
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"Jesse Mendes just missed out unfortunately or he would have been eligible one more year. We will be able to see plenty from the freshman in duals or open tourneys and not worry about match counts.
May 22 is when the board meets again and is expected to go into effect next fall."
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NCAA's decision on eligibility "just missed" for Kollin, Luke and now Jesse. Yeah, that sucks.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Brian Mathews added to this discussion on May 6, 2026
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Good summary Nick. I think fairly realistic all around.
This will be a strong dual team once again which should make for a fun regular season. Lacking in top end horsepower to challenge for a high podium finish, but maybe outside shot at 4th if things break right.
Things I'm looking forward to:
1) Shumate holding down a spot for the full season. I like the way he's wrestled recently, and I like that he is always seeking out competition where others sometimes aren't. Want to see him on the podium.
2) Seeing how a healthy Cannon stacks up with the top guys, whether 157 or 165.
3) Davino, in general.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on May 6, 2026
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Just realized that Bouzakis could actually end up with an extra year of eligibility. I have no idea how that factors in to current/future line up plans. Davino redshirting sort of sucks now. Any chance guys who redshirted will be granted an extra year (similar to Covid)?
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Scott Nicola added to this discussion on May 6, 2026
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Quote from Hank Kornblut's post:
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"Just realized that Bouzakis could actually end up with an extra year of eligibility. I have no idea how that factors in to current/future line up plans. Davino redshirting sort of sucks now. Any chance guys who redshirted will be granted an extra year (similar to Covid)?"
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I don't think that is the case. He had a redshirt so this will be his 5th year.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 7, 2026
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Everyone on Ohio states roster has already used a redshirt except the incoming freshman. Doesn’t help buckeyes at all. It helps Oklahoma state and Penn state bc they get to keep guys like Blaze, Duke, Vega, Forrest, Lockett and robideau one more year.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Brady Hiatt added to this discussion on May 7, 2026
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"Everyone on Ohio states roster has already used a redshirt except the incoming freshman. Doesn’t help buckeyes at all. It helps Oklahoma state and Penn state bc they get to keep guys like Blaze, Duke, Vega, Forrest, Lockett and robideau one more year."
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Even when it is not up to them, seems things still come up sunshine and rainbows.
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Last edited by Brady Hiatt on May 7, 2026; edited 1 time in total
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Ben Golden added to this discussion on May 7, 2026
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Not like PSU and OkSU get extra spots in the starting line up for more starters though. In theory, that should balance it out.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 14, 2026
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Just saw an interview with Bouzakis. He has confirmed he will not be going 125 anymore. He said he thought about killing himself almost everyday. He was 12 pounds over day before NCAAs. Probably safe to say he’s going 141 next year.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Jack Muni added to this discussion on May 14, 2026
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You could see by the end of the season the excessive weight cutting was taking it's toll on Bouzakis. Let Vinny and Mills fight it out for 125, and have Nic at 141 his final year, he deserves it.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Nick Lecklider added to this discussion on May 14, 2026
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Munaretto may surprise people. May need to get a little bigger but he has won worlds twice and Ironman twice. I think it could be a three way battle.
Bouzakis interview is in his instagram to who wants to see it. He said he can go 125 for freestyle but not for a whole season.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Roe Fox added to this discussion on May 14, 2026
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"Munaretto may surprise people. May need to get a little bigger but he has won worlds twice and Ironman twice. I think it could be a three way battle.
Bouzakis interview is in his instagram to who wants to see it. He said he can go 125 for freestyle but not for a whole season."
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Casey posted the link yesterday in the other thread.
Bouzakis has been a warrior for the Buckeyes and deserves a chance at 41. I’m not convinced, however, that he will have more success there. I hope he does but his horsepower advantage will not be there and that covered for some of his other weaknesses. He should have some better wind at the end of matches but im not sure that was a big issue for him. Late match strategy was, in my opinion.
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Discussion Topic: Ohio state season preview 2026-2027
Roe Fox added to this discussion on May 14, 2026
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Quote from Nick Lecklider's post:
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"Munaretto may surprise people. May need to get a little bigger but he has won worlds twice and Ironman twice. I think it could be a three way battle.
Bouzakis interview is in his instagram to who wants to see it. He said he can go 125 for freestyle but not for a whole season."
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Casey posted the link yesterday in the other thread.
Bouzakis has been a warrior for the Buckeyes and deserves a chance at 41. I’m not convinced, however, that he will have more success there. I hope he does but his horsepower advantage will not be there and that covered for some of his other weaknesses. He should have some better wind at the end of matches but im not sure that was a big issue for him. Late match strategy was, in my opinion.
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