Pictured: Josh Barr of Davison, MI., (Right). Photo courtesy of Sam Janicki/SJanickiPhoto.com.
As the final days of August come to a close, we are officially in the slow time of the wrestling calendar. But this downturn won't last long as Senior World Team Trials, Senior Worlds, U23 Worlds, and both the high school and college seasons are all right around the corner.
While we have seen numerous high-profile high school scrappers from the Class of 2023 make verbal pledges to their college programs of choice over the summer, many of the nation's best from that Class are still mulling over their options.
Josh Barr, a consensus Top-5 high school recruit at 160 pounds in the Class of 2023, out of Davison, Michigan, has narrowed down his school list to the final five programs. Not surprisingly, a wrestler of Barr's caliber is choosing from blueblood programs, including Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa, Virginia Tech, and in-state Michigan.
https://twitter.com/barr1josh/status/1430903342788595714
You can't go wrong with any school on this list as they're all premier programs with solid RTC setups in their own right. Having said that, The Open Mat looks into which school(s) might make the most sense for Barr, a 2021 Fargo freestyle champ and a two-time MHSAA state champion, who will be hunting for his third state crown in 2023 as a junior.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yLma9OqGzo
Penn State: The immense success Penn State and the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club had this year at NCAAs and the Tokyo Olympic Games earlier this summer speaks for itself. Any elite high school wrestler being considered by Cael and company would be foolish not to look at the Nittany Lions during the recruiting processes somewhat seriously. That said, the middleweight room will be pretty crowded by the time Barr would arrive in State College with Levi Haines, Shayne Van Ness, and Davison teammate Alex Facundo. Plus, Joe Lee is in the mix as well. While Penn State may not make the most sense for Barr, his upcoming Who's #1 matchup with Penn State commit Levi Haines will undoubtedly impact how seriously Barr considers PSU moving forward. The match with Levi will also be one heck of a match, too.
Ohio State: Again, the Buckeye room is pretty well taken care of at 157 (Paddy Gallagher) and 165 (Ethan Smith/Carson Kharchla). Additionally, Gavin Brown could be in the mix at 157 if he grows some. Plus, does Barr, a Michigan native, really want to suit up for the rival Buckeyes? While attending a "rival school" may not deter Barr entirely, it's worth noting nonetheless.
Iowa: I like Iowa as a possible landing spot for Barr. The Michigander had nothing but positive things to say about the Hawkeye program last week when he spoke with IAwrestle's Ross Bartachek regarding his recruitment by Tom and Terry Brands. Furthermore, with the Hawks graduating their entire starting 10 after 2021-22, Barr could be a starter right away.
According to IAwrestle, Barr will be on campus in Iowa City when the Hawks battle the Nittany Lions in October on the gridiron.
https://twitter.com/rossbchek/status/1432344129858646031
Virginia Tech: The Hokies are the only ACC school in the Josh Barr Sweepstakes and likely a dark horse candidate, in my opinion. In Blacksburg, the 165-pound weight class has been occupied by 2019 freshman ACC and NCAA champ Mekhi Lewis, who Olympic redshirted in 2020, and qualified for NCAAs in 2021 despite being hampered by injuries all year. In addition to Lewis, Georgia prep standout and fellow 2021 Fargo champ (152) Caleb Henson (Woodland, GA) will be joining the VT squad in 2021-22. Henson projects at 157 and could see the mat early in his career. However, a quartet of Henson (157), Barr (165), and Lewis (174), and Hunter Bolan (184) down the road could be fun to see. That said, I see Barr in Big Ten country.
Michigan: Something about competing for your "hometown team" cannot be overlooked in a recruiting race. Look no further than Gable Steveson, Noah Adams, Jake Wentzel, Nino Bonaccorsi (and family), and the Amine family to see how the allure of wearing the local team's colors can influence a top recruit. In Barr's case, being a Wolverine likely has the same appeal to the Davison High School (MI) standout to some degree. Michigan is a team on the rise within wrestling's most powerful conference, making matters more compelling. Plus, the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club only makes Ann Arbor all the more enticing. That said, it would appear that Cam Amine has the 165-pound weight class on lock after being a freshman All-American in 2021.
In the end, many things can change before Josh officially signs his scholarship offer, but I'd say Iowa and Michigan would be the front-runners and ultimately make the most sense at this stage. That said, with de-commitments, transfers, and NIL-related concerns becoming commonplace in NCAA wrestling, there are still many moving parts to this eventual commitment.
In the classroom, Barr aspires to study sports medicine in undergrad with hopes of being a chiropractor when his wrestling career is over. These professional aspirations could certainly sway Barr's decision when all is said and done.
Whichever school lands Barr's services, though, is getting a star, that's for sure.
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