2016 NDSU Recruits

[Gladiator Dad]

I saw this on the guillotine today

Nick Knutson of New Prague has committed to wrestling for North Dakota State following his upcoming senior season. He is a 2015 State entrant at 152 pounds.

2015 USA Wrestling Nationals FS Junior 160 DNP
2015 USA Wrestling Nationals GR Junior 152 DNP
2015 MN HS State Tournament 2A 11th 152 DNP 32-8
2014 MN Christmas Tournament 2A 11th 152 5th

[Big Bird]

It seems like a lot of recruits are off the board already and I expect more to quickly follow when the biggest domino falls on November 9th. I know it is early, but I am getting concerned at what NDSU is going to bring aboard. In reading where a lot of these top 100ish guys are signing, many list their finalists and I don't see NDSU mentioned. SDSU is mentioned way more than I'd like, UVU got a great one in Taylor Lamont, and UNC continues to do very well under Nickerson (Personally, I think he's going to build a perennial top 25 program very soon. I'm a huge fan).

NDSU needs to identify and get a 125 of the future this year. A quality 133 would help a great deal too. Scherkenbach has been out a ton with injury and O'Brien may or may not be the answer. Outside of that, 165-HWT could all use significant reinforcements, with a special emphasis on 184 and 197. I'm hopeful Stibral or Feola will develop into a capable starter, but if you can get a really good 220 with a good frame (like Rylee Streifel.....), they should.

MN is the state I'm most familiar with, and most of the top guys are already committed (Outside of Hall and Moore, who aren't gettable). I'd be really happy if they could get Adam Hedin of Rosemount. Taylor Venz of Farmington is good, but is a middle weight. Outside of them, I don't know if there are other fits. Piehl and Leduc are the two other best unsigned guys IMO, but Piehl is a HWT, and Leduc may not be able to hold 125-133. I'm still waiting for them to develop a consistent Michigan or California connection.

The only other actual commitment that I've seen, outside of Knutson, is Paul Bianchi of Two Rivers WI, at 125. He has some impressive results and wrestled at just 113, so maybe he can be the answer at 125 long term.

[bajadanny]

It seems like a lot of recruits are off the board already and I expect more to quickly follow when the biggest domino falls on November 9th. I know it is early, but I am getting concerned at what NDSU is going to bring aboard. In reading where a lot of these top 100ish guys are signing, many list their finalists and I don't see NDSU mentioned. SDSU is mentioned way more than I'd like, UVU got a great one in Taylor Lamont, and UNC continues to do very well under Nickerson (Personally, I think he's going to build a perennial top 25 program very soon. I'm a huge fan).

NDSU needs to identify and get a 125 of the future this year. A quality 133 would help a great deal too. Scherkenbach has been out a ton with injury and O'Brien may or may not be the answer. Outside of that, 165-HWT could all use significant reinforcements, with a special emphasis on 184 and 197. I'm hopeful Stibral or Feola will develop into a capable starter, but if you can get a really good 220 with a good frame (like Rylee Streifel.....), they should.

MN is the state I'm most familiar with, and most of the top guys are already committed (Outside of Hall and Moore, who aren't gettable). I'd be really happy if they could get Adam Hedin of Rosemount. Taylor Venz of Farmington is good, but is a middle weight. Outside of them, I don't know if there are other fits. Piehl and Leduc are the two other best unsigned guys IMO, but Piehl is a HWT, and Leduc may not be able to hold 125-133. I'm still waiting for them to develop a consistent Michigan or California connection.

The only other actual commitment that I've seen, outside of Knutson, is Paul Bianchi of Two Rivers WI, at 125. He has some impressive results and wrestled at just 113, so maybe he can be the answer at 125 long term.

No west Fargo talent this year? They are always tough

[Big Bird]

They have a big 3 of Jesse Shearer, Jared Franek, and Brandon Metz. Franek is still young and a few years away from college; Shearer is a Jr this year and his brother Jordan chose Nebraska (Jordan was also a much bigger recruit and had a more impressive resume); and Metz is a Jr HWT (former Cadet Greco National champ) and I've heard he's a pretty good football player. Shearer is a middle weight that I imagine projects to 157, which isn't a huge need.

Michael Kelly from Oakes is ranked at HWT by FloWrestling.

Seeing as how we have 2 starters from Missouri, any input on Matt Schmitt, a 120 from Platte City? There is also an Ethan Karsten from the same school in the top 100, but he's projected as a 149.

A bunch of California kids are ranked but haven't committed anywhere, and we have a California native as our top assistant. I hope we can get some of them.

Mark Hall commits this week, and although I hope he stays in MN, I think he'll go to Penn State. MN has already signed 2 MN kids in Lucas Jeske and Owen Webster who project right around Hall's weight, so maybe they have an inkling they're out. It'll be interesting to see where the other dominoes fall after his announcement.

Early signing period kicks off in 2 days.

[Gladiator Dad]

Big Bird,

Matt Schmitt has already given a verbal to West VA, so essentially he is off the table. I am not sure if Ethan Karsten has committed anywhere yet but he's good kid on and off the mat from what I've seen over the years. I know NDSU was interested in Johnny Blankenship but he has committed to NE in the last few weeks. Some other top MO kids are Alec & Kyron Hagen both AA at Fargo this past year are a couple of kids that NDSU has their eye on as well.

[Big Bird]

Thanks for the info. Glad to hear they're watching some more Missouri kids

[Takedown]

Recruiting is not an exact science. There are 100 Tier 1 kids each year that the top 10 programs get to pick and choose from. The school decides which wrestler fits their culture and go after them. Most Tier 1 kids commit in their Junior year and then sign during the early period. The next 100 Kids are Tier 2. They are on most schools radar and should a Tier 1 kid not commit, they are offered an opportunity to go into one of the Top 10 programs. Typically the Tier 2 kids commit early to programs that round out the top 25. Tier 3 kids are that next group of kids that usually sign in the late period of their Senior year. They get an opportunity to go to a top 25 program if a spot becomes available for whatever reason. Most coaches that I know target a number of each level of wrestlers and spread their 9.9 scholarships around to fill a roster of 30-40 athletes. Very few kids get full rides. For example, most D1 lineups have 2-3 guys that are at 75% or greater scholarship money. These guys are AA quality wrestlers. The next 4-5 guys are at 50-75% money and are full time starters. The last 2-3 guys fall below the 50% range and have typically been a starter for a short period of time. That leaves 2-3 scholarships to be split up among the top 15 backups. All of which are battling for a starting spot and more scholarship money in the future. Each team has 10-15 kids that walk on in hopes of earning a scholarship.

There are several other factors that come in to preparing a financial aid package for each recruit. (Needs based grants, academic money, various other scholarships, etc. all play a role in what an athlete counts toward using part of that 9.9 allocation.) Today's youth all want to broadcast that they got a full ride to go to "ABS" university. That may be true...but it usually involves a "package" of available resources at the coaches disposal. The coaches that do the best job of recruiting have to be creative in how they entice recruits to join their university.

The Bison are doing a good job of getting quality kids into the program. Several of the Tier 2 & 3 kids that they have recruited will develop into All Americans and will challenge for top 3 finishes and national championships in the future. Last years success of 6 qualifiers and 2 AA's is a sign they are headed in the right direction. The team is a year or two away from being a consistent top 10 program. GO BISON!

[Tony Almeida]

Recruiting is not an exact science. There are 100 Tier 1 kids each year that the top 10 programs get to pick and choose from. The school decides which wrestler fits their culture and go after them. Most Tier 1 kids commit in their Junior year and then sign during the early period. The next 100 Kids are Tier 2. They are on most schools radar and should a Tier 1 kid not commit, they are offered an opportunity to go into one of the Top 10 programs. Typically the Tier 2 kids commit early to programs that round out the top 25. Tier 3 kids are that next group of kids that usually sign in the late period of their Senior year. They get an opportunity to go to a top 25 program if a spot becomes available for whatever reason. Most coaches that I know target a number of each level of wrestlers and spread their 9.9 scholarships around to fill a roster of 30-40 athletes. Very few kids get full rides. For example, most D1 lineups have 2-3 guys that are at 75% or greater scholarship money. These guys are AA quality wrestlers. The next 4-5 guys are at 50-75% money and are full time starters. The last 2-3 guys fall below the 50% range and have typically been a starter for a short period of time. That leaves 2-3 scholarships to be split up among the top 15 backups. All of which are battling for a starting spot and more scholarship money in the future. Each team has 10-15 kids that walk on in hopes of earning a scholarship.

There are several other factors that come in to preparing a financial aid package for each recruit. (Needs based grants, academic money, various other scholarships, etc. all play a role in what an athlete counts toward using part of that 9.9 allocation.) Today's youth all want to broadcast that they got a full ride to go to "ABS" university. That may be true...but it usually involves a "package" of available resources at the coaches disposal. The coaches that do the best job of recruiting have to be creative in how they entice recruits to join their university.

The Bison are doing a good job of getting quality kids into the program. Several of the Tier 2 & 3 kids that they have recruited will develop into All Americans and will challenge for top 3 finishes and national championships in the future. Last years success of 6 qualifiers and 2 AA's is a sign they are headed in the right direction. The team is a year or two away from being a consistent top 10 program. GO BISON!

Hopefully your right but the decommits scare me a little, I hope that doesn't continue in the future.

[17>1]

They have a big 3 of Jesse Shearer, Jared Franek, and Brandon Metz. Franek is still young and a few years away from college; Shearer is a Jr this year and his brother Jordan chose Nebraska (Jordan was also a much bigger recruit and had a more impressive resume); and Metz is a Jr HWT (former Cadet Greco National champ) and I've heard he's a pretty good football player. Shearer is a middle weight that I imagine projects to 157, which isn't a huge need.

Michael Kelly from Oakes is ranked at HWT by FloWrestling.

Seeing as how we have 2 starters from Missouri, any input on Matt Schmitt, a 120 from Platte City? There is also an Ethan Karsten from the same school in the top 100, but he's projected as a 149.

A bunch of California kids are ranked but haven't committed anywhere, and we have a California native as our top assistant. I hope we can get some of them.

Mark Hall commits this week, and although I hope he stays in MN, I think he'll go to Penn State. MN has already signed 2 MN kids in Lucas Jeske and Owen Webster who project right around Hall's weight, so maybe they have an inkling they're out. It'll be interesting to see where the other dominoes fall after his announcement.

Early signing period kicks off in 2 days.

If you're referring to Jesse, he wrestled and won state at 182 this year, after wrestling and winning state at 160 during his sophomore season. Don't see keeping him much lighter than '82 or '70 at the lightest for senior year since he's still growing and adding muscle in the weight room.