Heavyweight DI

[Swayz 161]

So I know 5 of 8 All-Americans graduated....3 returning I believe are all Big 10 guys. The Iowa guy has a shot (in the knee...couldn't resist), but ultimately I believe Gable Stevenson will be in the thick of things real quick (at worse I think he is 3rd...he is too athletic in my opinion). Derek White is back at OSU and just missed in the blood round, and has a former NJCAA champion battling with him for the starting spot in Blake Andrews....speaking of Andrews, his little brother makes this group below:

Just looking at some transfers for the upcoming year at DI, I think it could be interesting to follow these 6 big men:

DI Heavyweight transfers to watch in 2018-19:

Brian Andrews (NEO A&M; NJCAA) to Wyoming NJCAA 3rd

Odgerel Batkhishig (Northwest Kansas Tech; NJCAA) to Campbell NJCAA Champ

Christian Colluci (Lehigh; D1) to Rutgers

Christian Lance (Fort Hays; DII) to Nebraska This guy is a journeyman....he wrestled 7 opens in 4 weeks during redshirt year placing in all 7. Kid is tough as nails. Would have potentially been a finalist or champion in DII this year, but had a bad injury half way through season. He will get way better in the Husker room with a few bodies in there to push him.

Billy Miller (Edinboro; DI) to Virginia Tech

Demetrius Thomas (Williams Baptist; NAIA) to Pittsburgh NAIA 2x finalist (2017 Champ)

Edited July 6, 2018 by Swayz

[rstrong 75]

Swayz - Care to take a swing at putting them in any specific order?

 

I like Brian Andrews at WYO in particular at this point.

[Swayz 161]

Swayz - Care to take a swing at putting them in any specific order?

 

I like Brian Andrews at WYO in particular at this point.

 

 

Are you talking just the transfer guys in how I think they will shake things up or you wanting me to go deeper and try to solve the entire weight class?

[rstrong 75]

I was thinking the (6) transfer guys

[Swayz 161]

I was thinking the (6) transfer guys

 

I will get some good sleep and probably have some thoughts to you by tomorrow evening.   So...Ogdi has beat Andrews and lost to him I believe, and also has lost to Lance.  Colluci has a loss in his career to the back-up hwt at UNL who now may become the 3rd stringer.  Thomas wrestled at the Southern Scuffle (might be the first non-DI guy to do that)  and he lost to some backups.  He has a high ceiling, but we have seen NAIA guys try to make the jump and it isn't the same.  He will qualify I am sure, and probably be a round of 12  guy this year.   Andrews vs Miller could happen as they are Big12, and that would be a fun match-up, but I have seen Andrews in person...he's a beast.    Colluci and Lance may face each other in Big 10 action,  it will be interesting to see Lance is coming off an injury, but better partners in the room with him should help him if he is healthy.  When you hit the state of Pennsylvania and start heading Northeast through the rest of the US,  people for the most part have no clue what NAIA is (I had several athletes ask if it was DIII)....I think getting back to Thomas,  he will catch some people off guard early,  but it will be interesting to see how he does as people figure out his style.   I know Pitt faced Campbell last year,  and if that happens again this year, you will have two very different styles clashing with 2 former National Champs.  Lot of variables.  I do think Thomas is the 4th/5th best in this group though.   

[TLS62pa 56]

I thought Billy Miller was transferring to VA Tech. Any confirmation which school it is?

[Housebuye 2,437]

I thought Billy Miller was transferring to VA Tech. Any confirmation which school it is?

He is going to VT

[Housebuye 2,437]

Demitrious Thomas is a potential AA. He has some quality D1 wins

[Swayz 161]

Demitrious Thomas is a potential AA. He has some quality D1 wins

He had some d1 losses at scuffle tho...

[Swayz 161]

He is going to VT

Sorry about that guys I had coach on the brain.

[treep2000 1,140]

If you mention Gable, my gut is telling me that you also have to mention Mason Parris.  The guy is supposed to redshirt, but I have a feeling that when Coon's replacements are 2-12, and their only wins are against D3 guys at the Mount Union Open, they will pull Mason's shirt.  If they do so, we have yet another supremely athletic big man that has the skill set to influence the structure of the AA breakdown.  Also, tOSU reloads with Singletary, who has some quality wins himself.

[Housebuye 2,437]

He had some d1 losses at scuffle tho...

For sure

 

Right now he probably a 1-2 or 2-2 type guy at NCAAs, but with an improved training environment, coaches, partners, etc he has a realistic chance of jumping levels and sneaking on the podium. He is just 2-3 wins away from the podium and hasn’t had much high level training.

 

That, combined with heavyweight thinning out, means he has a shot

[ccrider55 18]

“3 returning I believe are all Big 10 guys. ”

 

When did OrST join the B1G?

[Glane18 73]

Gable should not RS, and I honestly see him having a similar season that Spencer Lee just had.  He'll come in strong, have a couple of losses, grow very quickly from those losses, and then dominate by the time it comes to the NCAA's.  He's already got a lot of confidence, but once he can see his own growth after setbacks by listening to his coaches and buying into it he's going to be unstoppable.  

 

On that note, I'm really excited to see Spencer Lee vs. Daton Fix next year.  I hope Daton goes 125 for my own selfish reasons to see the best face each other.  

[TripNSweep 763]

Also don't forget Tanner Hall who finished 3rd in 2017 and fell short of AAing this year. He could do pretty well.  

[de4856 371]

Well as far as Stoll is concerned, I have no idea where he is at with his rehabilitation, and I have no idea what the University of Iowa will do either. Unfortunately his career at Iowa could be at a close. Hopefully for his sake everything works out, and we see him he back in a Hawkeye singlet wrestling as good as ever.

[Swayz 161]

“3 returning I believe are all Big 10 guys. ”

 

When did OrST join the B1G?

Make that 4.  ;) 

[lu1979 559]

 I believe Dhesi from Oregon State was going to request a 6th year due to injury issues.  Does anyone know the status of that?  If he gets it he would be the early favourite although like many on this board I think Gable S will move up the rankings quickly and could win it all.

[lu1979 559]

Make that 4.  ;) 

[killdozer 53]

I will get some good sleep and probably have some thoughts to you by tomorrow evening.   So...Ogdi has beat Andrews and lost to him I believe, and also has lost to Lance.  Colluci has a loss in his career to the back-up hwt at UNL who now may become the 3rd stringer.  Thomas wrestled at the Southern Scuffle (might be the first non-DI guy to do that)  and he lost to some backups.  He has a high ceiling, but we have seen NAIA guys try to make the jump and it isn't the same.  He will qualify I am sure, and probably be a round of 12  guy this year.   Andrews vs Miller could happen as they are Big12, and that would be a fun match-up, but I have seen Andrews in person...he's a beast.    Colluci and Lance may face each other in Big 10 action,  it will be interesting to see Lance is coming off an injury, but better partners in the room with him should help him if he is healthy.  When you hit the state of Pennsylvania and start heading Northeast through the rest of the US,  people for the most part have no clue what NAIA is (I had several athletes ask if it was DIII)....I think getting back to Thomas,  he will catch some people off guard early,  but it will be interesting to see how he does as people figure out his style.   I know Pitt faced Campbell last year,  and if that happens again this year, you will have two very different styles clashing with 2 former National Champs.  Lot of variables.  I do think Thomas is the 4th/5th best in this group though.   

 

Thomas, Didn't lose to  backups at the scuffle he lost to Boykin (who beat Nevills the next round) and Previous NCAA Qualifier Goodhart. If you remember the HWt division was loaded at the scuffle last year. (Nevill, Kasper, Boykin, Haines, Wood, Butler to name a few) I think I remember 11 of the top 20 wrestlers at HWT were there. 

[TobusRex 2,108]

Jeez, seems like Billy Miller has been around since the 80's.

 

I like Derek White's chance of making AA next year at HWT. Hopefully he roids out this summer and comes back with another 20 pounds of muscle!

[steamboat_charlie 727]

Also don't forget Tanner Hall who finished 3rd in 2017 and fell short of AAing this year. He could do pretty well.  

 

https://www.flowrestling.org/video/6204256-125-kg-quarterfinal-gable-steveson-minnesota-storm-vs-tanner-hall-sunkist-kids-wrestling-club

Edited July 10, 2018 by steamboat_charlie

[KCMO2 676]

 

I like Derek White's chance of making AA next year at HWT. Hopefully he roids out this summer and comes back with another 20 pounds of muscle!

 

Yeah, ask Austin Myers how that worked out for him.

[TobusRex 2,108]

Yeah, ask Austin Myers how that worked out for him.

 

White's a different animal. He nearly AA'd this year, gave Kyle his toughest match of the tournament other than Coon, too. I wouldn't be shocked to see White finish in the top 5, especially if he gets bigger/stronger.

[boconnell 1,626]

White's a different animal. He nearly AA'd this year, gave Kyle his toughest match of the tournament other than Coon, too. I wouldn't be shocked to see White finish in the top 5, especially if he gets bigger/stronger.

White put on a solid 25 lbs last year in his move up.  He either used the steroids already or didn't need them.  I was shocked how a guy that short who once made 184 could look like a decent sized heavyweight.  I think he is plenty strong and only runs into trouble with the tallest heavyweights who have a frame he can't match no matter how big he gets.