Graphic courtesy of Jesse Mendez's Twitter (@PhenoMendez).
Stop me if you've heard this before. Tom Ryan and the Ohio State Buckeyes wrestling program have landed a top recruit in the Class of 2022.
Well, the Bucks did that once again.
Earlier today, TOM's top recruit in the Class of 2022, Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, IN), announced his college commitment on FloWrestling's FRL.
Mendez (138) will join a pair of top-rated PA prep wrestlers Nic Bouzakis (132 -Wyoming Seminary) and Nick Feldman (285 - Malvern Prep) next year in Columbus.
Frankly, this trio of TOM pound-for-pounders, coupled with additional standouts (i.e. Seth Shumate and others), all of whom are coming to the Buckeye State in 2022, makes for a potentially legendary recruiting class.
Mendez also posted an announcement via his social media.
"Excited to announce my commitment to Thee Ohio State. Excited to start the next chapter of my career. Would like to thank everybody that has helped me get to this point. Go Buckeyes!!"
https://twitter.com/PhenoMendez/status/1455892186139090951
During his appearance on FRL, Mendez elaborated on why he picked the Scarlet and Gray.
"They're building something special, and they're building a dynasty," Mendez told Flo. "It was a close decision, but it was Ohio State for the most part. I sat down with my family three nights ago and hashed it out. This might be the best recruiting class ever, and I wanted to be a part of it."
Concerning accomplishments, Mendez's are plentiful. The Crown Pointe senior is a three-time Indiana state champ and has a nearly perfect high school record of 114-1 overall. Should he win a fourth crown in 2022, he becomes just the tenth wrestler ever in the Hoosier State to accomplish such a feat.
On the freestyle scene, Mendez is coming off an appearance at the Junior World Championships. He took eighth in the 61kg class in Ufa, Russia. Back in 2019, the future Buckeye was a Cadet World Team member. Additionally, Mendez made the best-of-three finals at the 2021 Senior World Team Trials earlier this year before going down with an injury.
At the next level, Mendez projects as a 133-pounder or 141-pounder. Mendez and Bouzakis should create a brutal one-two punch at 133 and 141 for opposing lineups to contend with in the years to come.
The Buckeye squad wasn't an NCAA title-contender in 2021, and it won't be this year in 2021-22 either, but by 2023 and 2024, that won't be the case.
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