TOM’s Top Prospect Report: 125 – Class of 2011

By Willie Saylor, Editor

The Original and The Best is Back!

In this, our fourth installment of the industry’s original prospect rankings, we compile the nation’s best seniors at their projected college weights.

This year we will be releasing them weight by weight. We are adding more detail this year and reviewing a lot of data and video. Once we are done with these we will also be publishing our top “sleeper” prospects for the class of 2011 and 2012.

College Coaches: We are close to launching our new service. This is a recruiting service available to College Coaches of all levels. You will have access to our in-depth analysis from our Clinch Gear Camps, Access to Athlete profiles on all or our nationally ranked wrestlers and watch list. Recruiting Tournament Programs that will only be available to College Coaches and more. Contact us today to learn more. recruiting@theopenmat.com

The Top Prospect Rankings are much anticipated, receiving a litany of positive feedback annually from college coaches, athletes, and other wrestling journalists. Perhaps the most telling, however subtle, response, was from one writer who characterized them as ‘rankings with a point.’

The Top Prospect Report is not a rankings, per se, but a subjective projection. Head-to-head results and cumulative accomplishments do not always take precedent. Instead, the Top Prospect Report is largely based not only on talent and resume, but also work ethic, character, grades, and desire, to inform my forecast of the nation’s next class of successful college wrestlers.

We feel this is a pragmatic way of looking at the graduating class as they wrap up their prep careers. Whether it is considered a recruiting resource, a wrestler’s barometer, or just as a fan’s guide, we can’t help ourselves but to speculate and project today’s top high school talent onto tomorrow’s college (or international) mats.

*Note: The accomplishments listed are certainly not a full resume. We list them merely as a sampling of their achievements. We will update the rankings and college data as results dictate, and as more information comes in. We welcome a discussion of the rankings on our forums.

125
This weight is loaded with prospects, the top four of which I see as NCAA qualifiers immediately. All 12 of the young men here have significant national-level accomplishments and wins over ranked opponents.

There is some speculation that some of the wrestlers here will move up to 133lbs at some point in the future, which very well may be the case. As of now, about a year away from their matriculation to college campus, this (125) is where I see their immediate impact.

1. Nico Megaludis, Franklin, PA *Penn State*

• 2x State Champion
• Fargo JR FS Runner-Up
• Fila Cadet Champ

Notes: Megaludis, an active, aggressive wrestler, looks to join rare company; he’s looking for his 4th POWERade title and 3rd PA big school crown, including one from his sophomore year in which he won an OT decision in the finals over #2Horan. His only loss in the last two years came in Fargo finals to a ranked Ty Mitch 1-0, 1-0 both periods going to the ball grab.

2. Zach Horan, Nazareth, PA Status: Unsigned

• 3x State Finalist
• 3x Fargo Finalist

College Choices: Nebraska, Oklahoma St., Rutgers, Maryland, Lehigh, Wisconsin

Notes: Fresh off another Fargo finalist appearance, Horan is adept in all three styles. Very good from under-hooks and hand-fighting, and tough to score on, Zach is bidding to become a rare 4x state finalist in PA’s large class.

TOM Prediction: Rutgers

3. Mason Beckman, Reynolds, PA *Lehigh*

• 1x Champ, 2x Finalist, 3x Top 3 in PA
• Ironman Champ
• 3x Manheim Champ

Notes: Beckman wrestles from a knee often, but he constantly attacks and is usually dominant. An elite wrestler his entire HS career (he was a state runner-up as a freshman in PA to fellow ranked senior Luke Frey) Beckman really made a national splash last season when he won the toughest weight at the prestigious Walsh Ironman in a bracket that featured no fewer than 5 nationally ranked individuals.

4. Jesse Thielke, Germantown, WI *Wisconsin*

• 3x State Champion
• 2x Fila GR Champ
• Fargo Cadet GR Champ

Notes: The best Greco wrestler at any weight in high school, Thielke very well could turn out to be the best 125lb prospect in this year’s class. The reservation here is due to his lack of folkstyle and freestyle competitions the past couple seasons. He’s beat everyone put in front of him, but the number of elite wins he’s had in folk and free are less than that of those ranked ahead of him. Barry Davis and staff get an A+ for the signing of this recruit.

5. Valyen & Jade Rauser, Townsend, MT Status: Unsigned

• 5 State Titles
• 10 Fargo Finalist Appearances
• 6 Fargo Titles
• 13 Total Fargo Medals

College Choices: Arizona State, Oregon St, Northern Michigan, Iowa, Stanford, Boise St.

Notes: You’ll often find the Rauser brothers with black eyes and plugs in their noses. They are gritty, grinding type wrestlers that you can be sure will tough it out. Perpetually competitive in national tournaments, don’t be too concerned with some recent losses. They are a bit undersized at the moment and have been trying to put on weight and wrestling ‘up’. The Rauser brothers will offer tons of productivity for the lucky institution that plucks them.

TOM Prediction: Oregon State

6. Bricker Dixon, Park Hill, MO Status: Unsigned

• State Champion, 3x Finalist
• Toshiba MWC Champion
• 3x Fargo Medalist

College Choices: Cornell, Virginia, Penn, Okla St., N.C. State

Notes: Dixon is a heady wrestler. He dominates most. Against top competition, he becomes a counter wrestler. While I’d like to see a bit more aggressiveness, his results are undeniable; Dixon goes to, and performs well at, major national tournaments and has several wins vs. ranked wrestlers the past year.

TOM Prediction: Penn

7. Evan Silver, Chevy Chase, MD Status: Unsigned

• 3x National Prep Champ
• Ironman Champ
• Beast Champ
• Bethlehem Holiday Champ
• Fargo Runner-Up

College Choices: Penn, Stanford, Northwestern, Harvard

Notes: Silver dropped the Fargo Finals match this summer after winning the first period in dominating fashion. Other than that, he’s been unstoppable, wrestling what is perhaps the nation’s toughest schedule. Built small and stocky, Silver is a true career 125lber.

TOM Prediction: Stanford

8. Conor Youtsey, Mason, MI *Army*

• 2x State Champion
• Fargo AA

Notes: Youtsey is just getting started. A hard worker, there is much to admire about Youtsey’s game. He works well from out in front. On his feet, he passes the elbow well and sets up angles; a trait that should benefit him in college. After a year in a college room, I have the feeling Youtsey will be a wrestling-household name. Rookie HC Heskett got a good one here. Conor’s style is well-suited for collegiate wrestling.

9. Rob Deutsch, Eastern Regional, NJ Status: Unsigned

• State Champ
• 4 Fargo Medals
• 2 Fila Medals
• 3x Beast Placer

College Choices: Penn, Maryland, American, Michigan State, Old Dominion, Rider, Central Michigan

Notes: Rob’s at his best when he’s generating offense. Sometimes he gets into becoming a counter wrestler, which is not his strong suit. His resume is outstanding, placing in the top three in New Jersey’s tough, 1-Class system, and placing at The Beast each year. In freestyle, he hasn’t lost a match in New Jersey in 6 years. This summer, he had just 1 loss at National Duals (Youtsey) and one loss at Fargo (Dixon) and was the only competitor to beat finalist Hunter Weber in pool action. He plans to be at 125 for at least 2 competitive seasons.

TOM Prediction: American

10. Earl Hall, Homestead, FL Status: Unsigned

• 2x State Champion
• NHSCA Soph. National Champ
• Fargo Medalist

College Choices: Arizona St. Michigan St., Maryland, Cornell

Notes: The sky is really the limit for Hall, who lost just a combined 1 bout at NHSCA class nationals the last two tournaments. As a relatively undersized 119lber in Fargo this summer, Hall was impressive, losing only to the champ, and to Dixon, 1-0, 1-0, for 3rd. He could use some work on top-and-bottom, and in his conditioning, but Hall promises to be a top prospect when he fills out.

TOM Prediction: Arizona State

11. Nigel McNeil, Huntington, NY Status: Unsigned

• State Champion
• NHSCA Jr. National Runner-Up

College Choices:

Notes: McNeil is strong and compact and displays exceptional quickness and a impressive stamina. He needs to work on moving his opponent out of position and wrestling less from a square stance. A bit raw in technique, McNeil will be a promising project as a career 125ler for the right program.

TOM Prediction: Hofstra

12. Derek Elmore, Machesney Park, IL Status: Unsigned

• State Runner-Up
• 3x Fargo Medalist
• 2x USAW Folkstyle National Finalist

College Choices: Oklahoma, Stanford, Illinois, Arizona St., Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois

Notes: Elmore is a funky wrestler that’s had a mixed bag of results over the past year. His credentials, though, are undeniable. As a sophomore, his was a runner-up to super stud Eddie Klimara (2-1), and at Junior duals he posted a 5-1 record, only losing to nationally ranked Cory Clark, who he would defeat a month later in the round robin at Fargo. He needs to improve on his feet, but he’s solid on top with a variety of tilts.

TOM Prediction: Northern Illinois

Other Top Prospects at 125lbs.

• Tyler Fraley, Kingston, PA Status: Unsigned
• Nick Francavilla, High Point, NJ Status: Unsigned
• Sean McCormick, Johnson City, NY Status: Unsigned
• Joe Orecchio, Don Bosco Prep, NJ Status: Unsigned
• Nashon Garrett, Chino, CA Status: Unsigned

Last Year’s Top Prospects

• Logan Steiber: Ohio State
• Devin Carter: Virginia Tech
• Ryak Finch: Iowa State
• Ty Mitch: Virginia Tech
• Levi Wolfensberger: Northern Iowa
• Sean Boylan: Bloomsburg
• Alan Waters: Missouri
• Jesse Delgado: Cal Poly
• Brandon Wright: Indiana
• Nick Arajua: American
• Mike Rhone: Lock Haven