In 2007, Josh Dziewa transferred from Pennsbury to Council Rock South in Pennsylvania. As such, he had to sit out his entire Junior year. That could have been a part in why he was under-recruited till the time he graced the stage at Fargo finals and won it all. After that, he received a lot of phone calls including one from none other than the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Just two years ago, Ryan Blees was in a similar situation. That is, until he stormed one of the best Fargo brackets in recent memory and garnered a bevy of offers that eventually landed him with Oklahoma State.

So beyond the awesomeness that is wrestling-for-wrestling's sake and finding out who the best is, Fargo presents plenty of other dynamics. In this piece, we look at guys whose stock could be seriously elevated with good performances next week. Many of them have been enigmatic, causing us, and college recruiters, to ponder 'just how good are they'?

Of course, these are just the guys I've identified. Often times, the most legendary stories are the one's no one ever saw coming.

I'm focusing exclusively on wrestlers in the Junior division (that are unsigned), as their recruitment date is most pressing. Here are the top guys I've identified as having a 2015 Fargo that serves as a referendum on their potential, and with the most to gain or lose in the recruiting game.


10. Sr. Brock Rathbun, Iowa, 126lbs. 
Why Fargo Means So Much: Rathbun gets a lot of love in Iowa, where he is a 3x State Champ. But his national results have been up and down. He didn't place in Fargo last year, losing to Doyle Trout and Anthony Cefolo. Here's his chance to shine and make a case to colleges why he can be there answer at 125. Rathbun went 7-1 at Junior Duals.

Others at 126: Sr. Dylan Duncan, Illinois; Sr. Gabe Townsell, Illinois


9. Sr. Dalton Duffield, Oklahoma, 120lbs. 

Why Fargo Means So Much: Duffield has sort of gotten overshadowed by the plethora of top flight light weights in Oklahoma. But he could prove to be a value commodity. He won both styles at Southern Plains the last three years and was 4-2 in Fargo in 2014.

Others at 120: Sr. Montorie Bridges, Oklahoma




8. Sr. Carter Happel, Iowa, 138lbs. 
Why Fargo Means So Much: The second Iowa 3-timer on this list, Happel is in the 'how high' category here. That means, everyone knows how good he is, and he'll undoubtedly get a good offer, but 'how high' can he go? His stocked peaked after he shocked the field in Akron in 2014 beating Nick Lee to make the World Team. He's since lost a couple times - to Israel Saavedra, Hunter Marko, and an unranked wrestler.

Others at 138: Sr. Jarrett Degen, Montana, 138lbs. 


7. The Wick Brothers, Sr. Zander (145) and Sr. Evan (152), California
Why Fargo Means So Much: With placings at major tournaments (Ironman, Doc B) the Wicks have become entrenched in the Top 10 at their weights. But Fargo will be a litmus test of sorts to find out just how good they really are right now. Otherwise, they have limited head-to-heads to serve as a gauge. They're really intriguing prospects at important and flexible weights.

Others at 152: Luke Troy, California; Wyatt Sheets, Oklahoma


6. Sr. Joey Prata, Virginia, 113lbs.  
Why Fargo Means So Much: Prata is in an interesting situation. He's always been 'right there' with the best in the country, winning Fargo GR and National Prep titles. But he's also taken some unforeseen losses and had some consistency issues that make him tough to gauge. Career 125lbers with strong grades are recruiting gold late in the cycle. A good Fargo and Prata will see his offers jump exponentially.

Others at 113: Sr. Danny Vega, Arizona; Jr. Ian Timmins, Nevada


5. Jr. Austin O'Connor, Illinois, 145lbs.
Why Fargo Means So Much: This is the first Junior I'm listing. Although he has a whole heckuva lot of time to figure out where he wants to go, and coaches have the same amount of time to evaluate him, O'Connor's Fargo is huge in terms of what it could mean to his legacy and status. And that, from where I sit, could mean superstardom. This kid is the truth. I get a lot of emails from Illinois fans saying how underranked he is. Thanks to two losses at Fargo to Eric Hong last year, an in-season loss to Dylan Duncan, and a thinnish national schedule since, I have to keep O'Connor's ranking reasonable. But don't mistake rankings for ability. This kid could win it all and vault himself into the blue chip category where he'd be among the most coveted recruits in the country. He's that good.


4. Jr. Stephan Glasgow, New Jersey, 145lbs. 
Why Fargo Means So Much: The second of two Juniors on the list, Glasgow is here for different reasons than O'Connor. While it's true that he has the skill set to be a superstar too, Glasgow also has some redemption to build. He's had some consistency issues in his FR and SO. seasons, and that continued this spring and summer. He looked amazing at NHSCA's and then out of his element in Akron. Was it a style thing? The kid is a real talent. But we have to see his performance in Fargo to figure out just who he is.

Others at 145: Sr. Kyle Bierdumpfel, New Jersey


3. Sr. Owen Webster, Minnesota, 182lbs.

Why Fargo Means So Much: Webster went from the back half of the rankings to #4 in America with a sterling performance that included beating #1-Keegan Moore and cementing his place on the Cadet World Team. A one-off fluke, or is Webster a legit upper-echelon talent? We'll find out in Fargo. And it's super important to his value. There hasn't been much intel that college coaches are even sniffing him. He was just 5th at his state tournament this year. So who will they be getting - the state 5th placer or the Cadet World Team Member?


2. Sr. Brandon Dallavia, New Jersey, 160lbs. 
Why Fargo Means So Much: A year ago, after winning Fargo, Dallavia was in the mix for a Who's #1 nod. He was so highly regarded, he was in the discussion for the #1 spot in the country as a Junior. But it was a rough year for him. He suffered a season long plague of injuries and illnesses and still didn't look on top of his game in Akron. But he's had a full summer at the OTC specifically training for Fargo. He wins another title, this time in Juniors, and the bidding can begin. Next to Breske, who beat Dallavia in Akron, I don't see anyone else in the country whose recruiting value is so dependent upon this tournament.

Also at 160: Sr. Canten Marriott, Missouri


1. Sr. Beau Breske, Wisconsin, 170lbs. 
Why Fargo Means So Much: Breske was considered a 'sure thing' about six months ago. Hehas an impeccable track record that includes winning double titles in Fargo last year. He's always been supremely technical. Why is the jury out on him a bit now? First he lost in state finals. That made a lot of people shrug, "Eh. Stuff happens." But that was followed up with a sub-par showing in Akron. There were rumors he was coming off surgery. And frankly, I buy it. He just didn't look himself. If he's back on track this week, his offers are balloon back up.


Ten is such a boring number. Here are a couple bonus guys - 

Sr. Kevin Mulligan, New Jersey, 195lbs. - Has there ever been a kid to win a New Jersey state title and reach Super 32 finals as a Junior and been this underrated? 

Sr. Sammy Colbray, Oregon, 195lbs. - Remember me? Coming from the left coast and being a multiple sport athlete, Colbray hasn't had a lot of majors under his belt outside his annual trek to Fargo. One of the most intriguing prospects still on the board for the Class of 2016, Colbray is back to remind everyone of his skills.