This morning when the Grapple at the Garden gets underway, we’ll have a number of the NCAA’s elite take the mat. They all bring varying levels of intrigue. Whether you want to observe the dominance of Isaiah Martinez or the see how Brian Realbuto looks at a new weight there are tons of reasons to tune in.

Here are my top 10 performers to watch today at Madison Square Garden. (Entire Schedule/Mat Assignments Here) 

WATCH LIVE HERE AT 8 AM EST

10. Zane Richards, Illinois - We’ve watched Zane beat some of the nation’s bests over the years. Cory Clark: Check. AJ Schopp: Check. Jimmy Gulibon: Check. After a disappointing showing at NCAA’s where he didn’t look himself for whatever reason. I’m excited to see how Zane looks this time around. Is he still in a rut? Is he back to form? If so he’s a viable top 3 contender.

9. Anthony Abidin, Nebraska - Abidin is as fun to watch as anyone. Consistency has been an issue for him, however. He’s a guy with two wins over Anthony Ashnault. However, he’s coming off a lopsided loss at the hands of Bryce Meredith. Was it one bad match? Is he dealing with something else? Is Meredith just that dude. We’ll learn a lot about that match from watching Anthony here.

8. Jake Sueflohn, Nebraska - A staple of the top 10 in rankings Jake is as good as any wrestler at the D1 level to not have placed. He’s coming off of a major knee injury. I want to see if he’s the Jake of old who can scramble, attack and go for 7 minutes, or see if he’s still being hindered just one year removed from surgery. The Nebraska squad will need him in both duals tomorrow and this season moving forward.

7. TJ Dudley, Nebraska - I didn’t realize it was three Huskers in a row til I started writing this. Regardless, if you’ve read or listened to anything I’ve put out D1 related this year it’s that I’m crazy high on TJ this year. He’s already made those predictions look good as he knocked off Nate Brown at Northeast Duals. However, much like Abidin, this Husker can take some losses. Will he remain consistent here? Can he hold up against Dean’s pressure like he did at NCAA’s? Or struggle like he did in the CKLV finals?

6. Anthony Ashnault, Rutgers - A case can be made for Anthony as being the most impressive 141 pounder so far this year. He dominates Durso then beats #1 Henderson. I think his offense has looked as good as ever. He’s attacking both sides extremely well. I feel very fortunate I’ll get to watch Shnaulty Mob tomorrow at MSG. Could Ashnault winning matches at MSG be foreshadowing towards March?

5. Gabe Dean, Cornell - You don’t watch Gabe Dean because you want to see where he’s at, or what he’s going to do. He’s as consistent as anyone at the NCAA level. We know what we’ll get. I’m just fired up to watch someone as physically dominant as Gabe do his thing. He’s an NCAA Champ looking to repeat. It’s pretty scary a guy this good and accomplished is only a Junior. He’s among the biggest favorites at any weight to win a title. We’ll see why today at the Grapple.

4.  Jason Tsirtsis, Northwestern - It’s been a tumultuous few months for Jason Tsirtsis. Between the loss of a family member and the turnover of the Northwestern coaching staff, I’m very curious to see how the NCAA Champion looks. For my money, I think (and hope) we’ll see a more offensive version of Jason than we did a year ago. I got to interview him after last years NCAA 3rd place finish where he talked about breaking through those barriers and opening up. I expect that’s what we’ll see this year. We’ll find out a bit today.

3. Nahshon Garrett, Cornell - I’m always curious to watch guys who are changing weights. Nahshon went 2.5 years of a complete and utter rock of consistency. After the Scuffle last year he was a very different guy and it has been said that much of that could be attributed to the weight cut. I think Nahshon is the guy with the best chance to knock off Cody Brewer this year. However, I could be overstating his ability up a weight. In my opinion it will only help him. He should get back to his frequent attacks and high pace this year. He will definitely be tested today by Eric Montoya, an absolute hammer from Nebraska.

2. Brian Realbuto, Cornell - Much like his teammate Nahshon, I want to see how Brian looks up a whopping two weight classes. He’ll be put to the test tomorrow against very solid competition. I’ve maintained that Brian will transition very well because of his style and athleticism. His 1-0 win over Elliot Riddick ( a 197 pounder a year ago) does give me some pause, but I didn’t watch the match.

1. Isaiah Martinez, Illinois - What’s not to be excited about? I-Mar wrestles an infectious style of wrestling. He brings an unparalleled combination of athleticism, physicality and technique. He’s the perfect storm of a competitor. He carries the incredible burden of being an undefeated Freshman champion. Until he loses, that record and the name Cael Sanderson will be hovering over every match he wrestles. That burden will likely get heavier each match. The question is will he let it affect him at all? Isaiah is a privilege to watch, don’t miss him or any of these hammers today!