NCAA Wrestling preseason power rankings: Iowa or Penn State at the top?

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Sammy Sasso of the Ohio State Buckeyes wrestles against Hunter Baxter of the Maryland Terrapins (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /

. Buckeyes . 5. team. 812. .

2021 Stats

Rank: 9
Dual Meet Record: 5-4

NCAA Champions: 0

All-Americans: 3
149 – Sammy Sasso (2nd)
165 – Ethan Smith (5th)
285 – Tate Orndorff (8th)

2021 Recruiting
Rank: 12
Recruits: 5
Top 100 Recruits: 2
No. 3 Paddy Gallagher (proj – 157/165)
No. 59 Andre Gonzales (proj – 125)

The Buckeyes return one of the younger overall rosters in the B1G for the 2021-2022 season, which explains why the 2021 season was a mixed bag in terms of results.

If in-state phenom Paddy Gallagher is able to work through his first collegiate preseason while staying down at 157, then he will most likely have that spot locked up for the season. Which means Ohio State will trot out a lineup consisting of 4 juniors, 4 sophomores, and 2 freshman.

The Buckeyes snagged the 12th best recruiting class in 2021 which follows on the heels of the No. 1 class in 2019 and No. 2 class in 2018. Ohio State is talented, they are young, and I believe they will put it all together this year to once again be in the top 5 in the NCAA.

However, a lot of this rides on the experienced shoulders of Sammy Sasso, Ethan Smith, Kaleb Romero, and Tate Orndorff.

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