1. TAYLOR MASSA
4. ALEC MOORADIAN
2. JORDAN THOMAS
COMMITTED TO MICHIGAN
COMMITTED TO MICHIGAN5. GABE DEAN
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight:
Proj College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
3. FREDDIE RODRIGUEZ Committed to Michigan State
Committed to Michigan State 6. TIM LAMBERT
7. KEVIN BEAZLEY
8. JORDAN WOHLFERT
9. ANDREW MORSE
10. NICK TRIMBLE
A word to describe him: Domination - As you can see by the wrap sheet of titles Massa has won over the last four years, the kid knows how to win. While his long line of winning at all levels is extremely impressive, what makes him a freak is his ability to destroy his competetion, even at the highest levels. He is arguably the best prep wrestler in the country right now and it is not because of superior technique or freakish athletic ability - it is because whenever Massa steps on the mat he is not trying to win, he is trying to completely annihilate his opponent, and he has a pretty high success rate.
Scouting Report: Not since Brent Metcalf left Michigan nearly a decade ago has a prep wrestler from this state ever had anywhere near the level of anticipation and national notoriety as Mr. Massa. This kid has been a household name to anyone who knows anything about amatuer wrestling since he was 14. Before he had even stepped foot in high school at St. Johns Massa had already won a pair of Cadet National Titles as well as a 3rd place finish at the Super 32. He has continued to improve and become increasingly dominant over his career and since the fall of his freshman year Massa has remained the #1 ranked pound-for-pound wrestler in his grade in the country according to InterMat. He still holds that rank and according to many, this is the best high school wrestler in the country right now. He is certainly one of, if not the most sought after senior recruit in the nation right now. He has not lost a match in high school wrestling and odds are that he will finish it out this year as the next 4x undefeated state champ. Speculating his college potential is not hard as Massa has been competing at the FILA Junior level for the past two summers, which consists mostly of college freshman/sophomore, and has already handed beatings to some of the nation's top up-and-coming collegiates en route to back to back FILA Junior National Titles. Last summer he trained extensivelly at the Olympic Training Center as a member of the USA Junior World Team and competed twice over seas against some of the top up and comers in the world. The comparisons, speculations, and predictions about what Taylor Massa will do in his career have been swirling for about 5 years and only time will tell what he is capable of, however, there is no argument that he is the biggest thing to come out of Michigan in a long, long time.
Grappler Video:
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight:
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
St Johns (D2)
160
165/174
179-0
1st-1st-1st
2011 Fila Jr Freestyle National Champ (OW)
3rd @ 2010 Super 32 Challenge
2010 Junior National Freestyle All-American (3rd)
2010 Junior Greco All-American (3rd)
2010 FILA Junior FS National Champ
2010 FloNational Champ
2009 Super 32 Challenge Runner-Up
2009 USAW Cadet Triple Crown Winner
2009 FILA Cadet Freestyle National Champ
2009 Western Jr Regional FS Runner-Up
2008 Super 32 Runner-Up
2008 USAW Cadet Triple Crown Winner
3rd @ 2007 Super 32 Championships
A word to describe him: Winner - Mooradian has taken criticism for not being an
overly offensive wrestler, however, say what you want about this guy's style, he has a
knack for finishing with more points than the other guy, which in the end is all that
really matters. Over the last three years he has gone from 112 to 135 and wrestling
in-state and out-of-state he has been as consistent as they come, winning at all levels.
Scouting Report: In an average year you would look at Mooradian and see a guy
gunning to be a 4x D1 State Champ with only one career loss and you would have the hands-down #1 recruit in the state. However, Mooradian being #4 is not a discredit to him, but a credit to the amazing senior class that we have in Michigan this year. Not only has Mooradian been virtually unbeatable in the state of Michigan, but he has consistently performed well nationally earning National Freestyle All-American honors every year in the past three summers. Most recently, he finished 6th at the FILA Junior Nationals, competing against mostly college freshman and sophomore, proving that he can compete at the next level right away. His 162-1 career record is absolutely amazing, especially considering the strength of schedule that DCC has and the fact that his lone loss was bumped up a weight and came to 2x state champ Chris Rau. Mooradian may not have the flash and high-flying takedowns that you commonly see in a 4x state champ, but he is as consistent as they come. No matter who he is wrestling or how big the stage, he shows up and usually finds a way to win. This ability to bang with the best and scratch his way to hard fought victories is what will make him successfull in college, wherever he ends up.
Grappler Video: DCC Super Duals - Mooradian vs Payne Hayden (St Johns)
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight :
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Greenville (D2)
171
174
172-3
2nd-1st-1st
2011 Junior Freestyle All-American (5th)
2011 FILA Jr Freestyle All-American (6th)
2010 Junior Freestyle All-American (7th)
2009 Cadet Freestyle All-American (3rd)
2009 Western Jr Regional FS Runner-Up
2008 Cadet Freestyle All-American (4th)
School:
Projected 10-11 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Grand Ledge (D1)
125
125
135-4
1st-1st-1st
2011 USAW Folkstyle National Champ
2011 Grappler Fall Classic Champion
2010 USAW Junior National Double Champ
2010 FILA Cadet Double Champ
2010 USA Folkstyle National Champ
2010 FloNational Champ
2009 Super 32 Runner-Up
2009 FILA Cadet Freestyle National Champ
2009 USAW Folkstyle National Runner-Up
2008 Cadet Freestyle National Runner-Up
2008 Cadet Greco All-American (7th)
A Word to describe him: Gifted - Some people are born to do certain things and if you have ever seen Freddie Rodriguez compete when he is firing on all cyclinders, there is no doubt this kid is born to wrestle. When it comes to pure athletic ability and mat-sense, he is the top of this class not only in Michigan, but possibly in the nation.
Scouting Report: Freddie Rodriguez is one of three wrestlers in this incoming senior class who have a shot at becoming 4x State Champions this year. In addition, he had as much national success as anyone winning Fargo, FloNationals, FILA Cadet Nationals, the Grappler Fall Classic, and finishing in the top two at Super 32s. He has the athletic ability and skill set to be a 4x All-American and compete for NCAA Titles every year in college. If you look at what he did in the summer of 2010 you will see what Rodriguez is capable of when is locked in and at his best. His 2010 Fargo performance was one of the most impressive showings of a Michigander on that level in recent years and is a credit to what he can do. He has never been one to shy away from competetion and if you ran the numbers he probably has competed in more total matches over the past three years of anyone on this list - name the event and he has probably wrestled in it. While he has won the state title every year in high school, and been extremely dominant over some of the top guys in the country at times, he has never finished a prep season undefeated, which is a sign of his inconsistency at times. Pulling it all together, fixing the small things, and becoming more consistent is the only thing that stands in the way of this kid and major success on the national scene in college and potentially the international scene someday. It is also the only that separates him from being the #1 recruit this year in Michigan, and the country.
Grappler Video: Rodriguez's Grappler Fall Classic Highlight Reel
A word to describe him: Stingy - Thomas is and always has been
extremely talented for his size. One of the attributes that he possesses
that make him particularly difficult to beat is that he he is very difficult to
finish shots on and even against the top competetion in the country, it is
rare to see him taken down. When he gets to college that ability to fend off shots will help him stay in matches and have a shot at beating anyone.
Scouting Report: In any other year, there would be a strong argument for Thomas as the top recruit coming out of Michigan. He is that kind of a recruit - an instant impact, "sure thing" kind of addition to a college program. He has competed and succeeded at the highest levels since his middle school years and has rare slickness and mat-sense for a college 174lber. He has wrestled in Fargo every summer for the last four years and although being in some of the deepest weights each year, has always found a way to keep winning and make the All-American rounds every year. He has already committed to Michigan and if they choose to do so, this kid can start right away and contend for All-American honors instantly. He is athletic, technically sound, and most importantly very poised when he wrestles, even in the high pressure situations. The University of Michigan's addition of coaches Donny Pritzlaff & Sean Bormet, who are both very close in size to Thomas, create a great training situation for him in Ann Arbor, so the idea of him making the podium at NCAAs a few times is a strong possibility.
Grappler Video:
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Lowell (D2)
189/215
197
90-14
Q-2nd-1st
2011 FloNational Runner-Up
3rd @ 2010 FloNationals
A word to describe him: Poised - Whether he is scrambling around the Red Arrow
backfield as a quarterback or wrestling against the #1 wrestler in the country, it is very
rare to see Gabe Dean lose his composure. His ability to control his emotions and stay
focused when everything is on the line is what makes him so successfull on the mat,
and probably doesn't hurt him on the gridiron either.
Scouting Report: Dean sneaks up on you a little bit if your just looking at him on paper.
Going into his senior year of wrestling he only has one state title, has yet to exceed 100
wins, and has yet to win a major national tournament. However, if you have ever
watched him wrestle you understand why he is #5 recruit in this class. He has all the
athletic tools you need in a college 184 or 197lber. He is very strong, quick and fleet
footed for his size, has tremendous leg attacks, great handfighting and set-ups, and comes off the bottom very well. In addition, as mentioned in the "word to describe him" section, he has those intangible skills that make good wrestlers great. He competes well under pressure, doesn't seem to ever lose his composure, and flat out knows how to win. His runner-up finish at the FloNationals this spring solidified himself as a top recruit in the country and his big-time national wins over the past two years are extremely impressive. He is equally impressive on the football field as quarterback for State Powerhouse Lowell. He is highly sought-after as a D1 option-quarterback and if he doesn't end up strapping on shoulder pads for the next 4 years, odds are he will be contending for all-american honors year-in and year-out for a major D1 wrestling program.
School:
Projected 10-11 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Forest Hills Eastern (D2)
119/125
125/133
178-4
5th-2nd-3rd
3rd @ 2011 Junior Freestyle Nationals
3rd @ 2010 Grappler Fall Classic
Scouting Report: Nobody increased their recruiting stock over the summer as much
as Tim Lambert. He is a prime example of why competing over the summer,
particularly in Fargo, is so crucial in getting yourself exposed. Lambert has never won a
state title, but due to his breakout showing in Fargo this summer, he is looked at as a
Top 50 recruit in the country right now. In Fargo, he beat a handful of nationally
renowned kids including Top 20 recruit Cory Clark of Iowa who is already committed to
Iowa, Nashon Garret who finished last season ranked 3rd in the country at 112lbs and
is going to be a freshman at Cornell this year, and Stanford bound Evan Silver of NJ who
finished last year ranked #2 in the country at 112lbs. His only loss in high school last
year came to 3x state champ and Army-bound Conor Youtsey in the state semifinals, however, he battled Youtsey hard and proved then that he can compete against the top-tier kids in the country. His Fargo performance not only solidified that notion, but exploded this kid into a highly sought-after recruit. He is everything you want in a college 125lber, he has a motor that lasts for days, never seems to get tired, holds very good position, and never stops attacking.
Grappler Video:
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Detroit Catholic Central (D1)
171/189
174/184
142-21
Q-7th-2nd
2011 Junior Greco All-American
5-2 @ 2011 Junior Freestlye Nationals
2011 FILA Cadet Greco All-American (5th)
2011 FILA Cadet Freestyle All-American (6th)
2011 FloNational Runner-Up
2010 Cadet Greco All-American (4th)
2010 FILA Cadet Greco All-American
2010 USAW Folkstyle All-American (8th)
5th at 2010 FloNationals
Scouting Report: Similiar to Lambert, Kevin Beazley is someone who's out-of-state
success makes up for the fact that he has yet to win a state title. When college coaches look at this kid, his consistent ability to be competetive with the top kids in the country for the last two years is what will make him stand out. He knows how to compete at the highest level and has proven over time that he will be capable of transitioning to college wrestling right away. Last year was a big year for Beazley as he improved his stock a ton not only by finishing state runner-up in D1, but also by finishing runner-up at the FloNationals, losing a close finals match to Florida State Champ Geordan Speiller, as well as double All-American honors at the FILA Cadet Nationals, strong showings in both styles at the Junior Duals, he scored Junior Greco All-American honors in Fargo and finished just short of placing in one of the toughest Junior Freestyle charts at Fargo this year. He has a lot of length and agility for a potential 184lber in college and should be a highly sought after recruit right now.
Grappler Video:
School:
Proj 2010-11 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
St. Johns (D2)
160
165
173-11
2nd-3rd-1st
4-2 @ 2011 Junior Freestyle Nationals
6-1 @ 2011 Junior Freestlye Duals
2010 FloNationals Runner-Up
2009 Cadet Freestyle National Champion
2008 Cadet Freestyle Duals All-Tourn Team
Scouting Report: Wohlfert has been one of the top wrestlers nationally in
this class since arriving on the scene as a freshman. He finally won his
first state title this year after falling just shy his first two seasons. In a
ddition to his in-state success, he has always remained consistently
successfull wrestling against the top kids in the nation. He has won a Freestlye title in Fargo with a win over current #22 recruit in the country Zac Brunson, which shows the abiltity that he has to compete with the top kids in the country. This year he fell just short of placing in Fargo, however, scored big-time wins there and at the Junior Duals, where he finished 6-1. He is a top 100 type of recruit and is a kid that knows how to train, knows how to compete, and knows what it takes to compete at the next level. His technical skills are very good for his size as he has some great go-to leg attacks for a college 165lber. He should be getting solid looks from many top-tier programs in the country and is an instant impact recruit that should wrestling at the NCAA Tournament his first year in the lineup.
Grappler Video:
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Lowell (D2)
152
149/157
140-7
3rd-2nd-1st
3rd @ 2011 FloNationals
4th @ 2010 FloNationals
2009 Western Jr Regional FS Runner-Up
3rd @ 2009 Western Jr Greco Regional
Scouting Report: The months of March and April were huge for Andrew Morse as he not
only won his first state title in relatively dominant fashion, but then finished 3rd at the
FloNationals which included a win over Top 100 recruit Matt Cimato of PA. Andrew, who
joins twin brother Gabe as a top recruit in this year's class in addition to older brother
Jackson who wrestles for the University of Illinois, has shown confidence against top of
the line competetion throughout his career. He does not have an extensive freestyle or
greco background, but in 2009 as a freshman wrestling in the Junior division, he finished
top three in both styles at the then-very competetive USAW Western Regional. The past
two years his main national accomplishments have been top four finishes at the FloNationals each year and he is now rated by InterMat as a Top 100 recruit in the country and should follow his older brother to a big-time program. This is an extremely athletic wrestler who is strong and explosive on his feet with the ability to takedown just about anyone.
Grappler Video:
School:
Projected 10-11 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Sparta (D2)
135/140
141
146-12
4th-3rd-1st
Undefeated @ 2011 Disney Duals
Scouting Report: Nick Trimble is a kid that flies under some radars because he
hasn't gotten out as much nationally as the other guys in the Top 10. He did have a
breakout performance in Disney this summer, going undefeated, however, he still
lacks that key note win over a top tier kid nationally that would really elevate his stock.
The physical skills you look for in a college wrestler are all there - he is rock solid on
his feet with great leg attacks and tough defense. He wrestles at a high pace and
can really wear guys down in the third, he comes off the bottom very well, and he can
grind people on top. His in-state resume is very solid, capped off by a state title this
year in one of the tougher weights in D2. He won his state title over 3x Fargo All-American Josh Pennell of St Johns, CMU bound Sam Hanau of Lakeshore, and Jeff Jenkins of Tecumseh whose only loss all year was to Trimble in the D2 finals. When it comes to in-state success alone, his track record is similiar or better than every guy from #5 down in this class. The only thing he lacks is a couple big time, marquee national wins. He is the kind of recruit who could go Tim Lambert and surge his stock with a breakout at the Grappler Fall Classic or Super 32 this fall, but either way he should be headed to a big-time school and should be a major contributor wherever he goes within the first couple years.
Grappler Video:
Detroit Catholic Central
140/145
149
162-1
1st-1st-1st
2011 FILA Jr Freestyle All-American (6th)
2010 FILA Cadet Freestyle All-American (5th)
2009 Cadet Freestyle All-American (5th)
2009 Cadet Greco Dualls All-Tourn Team
2009 FILA Cadet Freestyle All-American (5th)
Top 10 Senior Recruits
Michigan Grappler Recruiting Rankings
8/18 - The college wrestling early recruiting season is already in full-swing as the major national summer tournaments are over and the nation's college coaches are in heavy recruiting mode for the big time recruits.
This is a particulary exciting year for the state of Michigan as we are looking at quite possibly the best senior class that this state has ever seen, led by the nation's current #1 pound-for-pound recruit, Taylor Massa. In addition to Massa, two other wrestlers, Freddie Rodriguez and Alec Mooradian, are gunning for the coveted 4th state titles this year.
8 Michigan seniors: Massa, Rodriguez, Mooradian, Jordan Thomas, Gabe Dean, Tim Lambert, and Andrew Morse are rated by InterMat as Top 100 recruits in the country. Last year there were only three Michiganders with that honor in the preseason recruiting rankings.
Normally, we release the Top 10 recruits with an in-depth analysis of what they have down in high school and what you can look for from them as future collegiates. This year, however, due to the depth and talent present in this senior class, we have decided to give you a rundown on the Top 15 kids.
Read below for everything you need to know about Michigan's top recruits this year and check back in the coming days for our full list of the top 50 senior recruits in the state. Top juniors, sophomores, and freshman lists will be released in the next two weeks as well.
11. ANGELO LATORA
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Portage Central (D1)
140
141/149
147-21
7th-4th-3rd
2011 Disney Duals Silver Medallist
2010 Disney Duals Silver Medallist
Scouting Report: Latora might be the most un-appreciated recruit in this group. He was the victim of bad luck last year in the state semifinals, when leading significantly and on his way to a big time matchup with Alec Mooradian in the D1 State Finals, he abrubtly lost the match on an illegal slam call, putting a stop to what would have been a highly anticipated match with him and Mooradian. This kid is an absolute machine who does not seem to ever get tired or ever slow down. His shots on his feet are as slick as they come and he is a hammer on top with some of the strongest hips and leg riding in the state. He has done well nationally at Disney the past two summers, but a huge breakout has always seemed to narrowly evade him. If he breaks through with some big national wins this fall or spring, he could easily be a Top 100 type recruit in the country.
12.TAYLOR SIMAZ
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Allegan (D2)
145
157
184-15
5th-1st-3rd
2011 Disney Duals Copper Medal
4-1 @ 2011 America's Cup
Scouting Report: After winning a state title his sophomore year, Simaz was the victim of one of the biggest Palace upsets last year, dropping his only match of the year in the semifinals to Joe Johnson. Younger brother of Cornell 3x All-American Cam Simaz, he already wrestles much like a college wrestler. He is extremely physical and pushes the pace as good as anyone in the state. He has always stayed busy in the off-season and has shown he can compete nationally, but his lack of marquee wins keeps a little un-noticed on the national scene. His brother Cam had not really proven himself a whole nationally prior to his senior season either, and he turned out alright, so I would make sure to keep an eye on Taylor Simaz over the next couple years.
13. GABE MORSE
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Lowell (D2)
140/145
149
122-22
X-7th-1st
2011 Disney Duals Bronze Medal
7th @ 2011 FloNationals
Scouting Report: If you compare these top 15 guys from now to their freshman year, Gabe Morse is probably the most improved, which shows his learning ability, work ethic, and potential to continue growing as a college wrestler. His freshman year he did not make it to the state tournament at 125lbs, two years later he won the 140lb D2 State Title with relative ease. The past two summers he has really turned it on nationally as well, placing 7th at the FloNationals this spring and turning in solid showings at Disney and the America's Cup the past two summers. He is rather tall and long for his weight range, which gives guys fits at times and makes him tough to wrestle. This unorthodox-ness could help him in college as a projected 149lber, he will be a head taller than most of his competetion.
14. ALEX CALANDRINO
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Howell (D1)
125/130
133
161-14
2nd-3rd-2nd
2011 FloNational All-American (6th)
2010 Junior Greco All-American (7th)
8-2 @ 2010 Junior Freestyle Duals
2009 Cadet Greco All-American (6th)
Scouting Report: Calandrino is a guy who has gotten out and really proven himself nationally. State titles have seemed to elude him, but having Freddie Rodriguez on his chart the first two years didn't really help him out at all. He is a really athletich kid with a great skill set and over the past three years he has wrestled many of the best lightweights in the country competing at a wide array of national events. Injury kept him out this summer, which may have dropped his stock a little, however, any colleges shopping for a little guy really need to take a serious look at what this kid has to offer.
15. NIKOLAS LEAL
School:
Proj 2011-12 HS Weight
Projected College Weight:
Career Record:
High School State Placings:
National Accolades:
Holland (D2)
130
133/141
140-16
Q-3rd-1st
2011 Disney Duals Bronze Medal
Scouting Report: Leal is very un-known in comparison to the Top 10 guys, however, his in-state resume is extremely impressive, hi-lighted by a great state tournament showing this year in which he knocked off Fargo All-American Esteben Gonzales in the finals to win the D2-125lb title. His state tournament this year really solidified him as a real-deal college prospect and a strong Disney Duals showing helped solidify that. The best thing Leal can do is wrestle as much nationally as possible this fall and continue to reinforce the idea that he can compete with top-tier kids from around the country.
Jordan Thomas is registered for the GRAPPLER FALL CLASSIC...... are you?
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Freddie Rodriguez is registered for the GRAPPLER FALL CLASSIC..are you?
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