Ohio State was chasing its sixth consecutive team trophy at the 2020 NCAA championships in Minneapolis, but they, and every other team in the country, never got that opportunity.

The beauty of college sports is that there is a constantly rotating cast of fresh faces and new characters, but the downside is when things like this happen and senior stars like Luke Pletcher and Kollin Moore don't get one final shot at a national title. That specter still looms as the Buckeyes turn their attention to the 2021 season and beyond.

Depth Charts: Penn State | Iowa | Oklahoma State | Missouri

As we have done for the past several summers, we're examining the depth chart for several power teams, with the context of what recruits they have slated to come in. We're pairing that with a review of the high school prospects they are or should be targeting to shore up the long term future of their programs.

Let's take a look at what's in the barn in Columbus for this season and the next couple. One important note: redshirting freshmen are at the bottom of the depth chart. This is not a comment on their skill but rather on the fact that, unless the plan changes, this year is used for development with no intention to have them start.

125 Pounds

Looking Back: Nathan Tomasello spent three years at 125, winning a national title as a freshman and getting third as a sophomore and senior. They then rolled straight into Malik Heinselman, who went 1-2 at NCAAs as a true freshman and was the 27 seed for this year’s tournament that didn’t happen.

This Season: Heinselman will be a junior and is the presumptive starter. There was talk of trying to get Jordan Decatur down to 125, but I’m not sure I see that happening. Dylan Koontz got down to 125 for the Edinboro Open and Northwestern dual, but I think is a true 133. Brady Koontz is coming back from Olympic Redshirt and Jacob Decatur will be a redshirt freshman, but again, those guys seem like depth for this year and not starting options.

Long-Term Outlook: Malik has on year left, and no one from this 125 group can approach NaTo like output, which they might not even need, but the Buckeyes typically try for AAs at each weight. If you’ve been following our school lists for the 2021 guys, they were in on Stevo Poulin, who ultimately committed to NC State, but are also a finalist for both Andre Gonzales and Braxton Brown, the two highest-ranked 125s that have yet to verbal. My point there is, they are actively looking for their next lightweight.

133 Pounds

Looking Back: In both 2018 and 2019 Luke Pletcher was fourth, and the year before that Tomasello placed third, so they had been on an excellent run at this weight. That was broken this year as Jordan Decatur went 0-2 at Big Tens and did not qualify for NCAAs in his true freshman season.

This Season: The big questions here are, do they want to redshirt Decatur and if so, who replaces him? Dylan Koontz was fourth at CKLV, so if he can maintain that type of production he’s a real possibility. The other is Dylan D’Emilio, who only wrestled two opens last year as he battled injuries while redshirting, and both were up at 141. I think he can make the weight, not as easily as Decatur and certainly not as easy as Koontz, but he might be just big enough it could have a slight impact on his performance.

Long-Term Outlook: It’s all the same guys mentioned above. At this point in the recruiting landscape, tOSU isn’t getting anyone in at 133 who can make an impact right away, so they’ll be rolling with the ones already mentioned for the next few years. If D’Emilio can make it this year, I don’t see him holding it for his whole career. We had him projected as a 141 when he landed #32 on the final 2019 Big Board, and Decatur was a 133 who finished his career fifth on the Big Board. I would put money on Decatur being the one they sent to Big Tens in 2022 and 2023, with Koontz nipping at his heels while he’s on the roster, but this year is a little more up in the air.

141 Pounds

Looking Back: Everyone was anticipating a Luke Pletcher vs Nick Lee rubber match on Saturday night in Minneapolis. For a little more detailed look back at Ohio State, check out my 141U article, where the Buckeyes finish second behind Oklahoma since the weights changed in 1999.

This Season: All eyes are on Anthony Echemendia. Can he wrestle this season? Will he? Is he a '41 or '57? It’s been a while since a recruit has had this much intrigue behind him without a large volume of matches to reference. There’s an argument you could consider him the top incoming prospect. Some people believe he’ll never wrestle a match for tOSU. If not Echemendia, the other options are obvious: Quinn Kinner and D’Emilio. When he originally committed I saw Kinner as the guy long term at 141 for them, but that was before we knew Echemendia ever existed.

Long-Term Outlook: I don’t see them putting a lot of resources into recruiting this weight just yet. Kinner’s got three years of eligibility, and both Echemendia and D’Emilio have four. The only thing that changes this is if Sammy Sasso grows into a 157, but otherwise I see it being the Cuban phenom as long as he can hold the weight.

149 Pounds

Looking Back: This weight has been a rotating cast of characters, having used six different guys over the past seven seasons. From 2014-16, they didn't win a match at NCAAs, but then Micah Jordan placed fourth, Ke-Shawn Hayes made the bloodround as the five seed, and then Jordan made the finals. Sasso went 24-3 last season and was the four seed.

This Season: This should be the weight with the least to discuss, as most of the Buckeye lineup is somewhat in flux or with options to choose from. Sasso is also likely going to be their highest point scorer at the national tournament. If he mans 149 as everyone expects, it'll be the first time since Ian Paddock in 2013 and 2014 that one person will have held the weight for two years in a row in Columbus. That'll put him on track to be the first four-year starter at this weight since Lance Palmer from 2007-10, and I think we can all agree Sasso has the pedigree to approach or even exceed Palmer's outstanding career.

Long-Term Outlook: There's a part of me that thinks it's an area their lead recruiter Anthony Ralph will be targeting heavily, but then again I wonder if they have the pieces in place already in Sasso, Echemendia, Kinner, and D'Emilio to keep 141-157 stocked up through 2024 or 2025. However, this will likely be an area that I focus heavily on in the forthcoming targets article for the Buckeyes.

157 Pounds

Looking Back: Elijah Cleary wrestled in 11 duals and Big Tens, while Quinn Kinner handled three duals after moving up from 133. Over the past decade, they've had just one All-American (Micah Jordan was sixth in 2018) but have otherwise combined for just six points at NCAAs and missed out on qualifying four times.

This Season: I imagine Cleary is the favorite to start again, but Kinner did have a whole offseason to get bigger. There's still a bit up in the air though with Echemendia, and it's possible he goes up to 57. A potential lack of opens this year could further muddy the waters in deciding who gets the nod.

Long-Term Outlook: Much like 149, there are a lot of bodies that can potentially be used to fill this spot. Additionally, two-time Ohio state champ Bryce Hepner of state (and national) power St. Edward is probably redshirting this year. He may be the guy down the road, so this year there will likely be a wait and see approach while they evaluate the 2022s and 2023s who project at this weight.

165 Pounds

Looking Back: It's been a few years since they've placed at 165, the last one being current volunteer assistant Bo Jordan's third-place finish as a sophomore. Ethan Smith was the 12 seed heading into NCAAs this year after going 2-2 at 174 a year ago.

This Season: I am immensely confused for the Buckeyes. For basically the entirety of his junior and senior year of high school, I had Carson Kharchla pegged as a 165, which is what he wrestled for 13 of his 16 redshirt matches. But he's listed as a 174 on their official roster and all indications are that he's too big for 165, and just flat-out wants to be a '74. Add into that Smith was a 182 as a senior in high school, and I just figured he wouldn't be able to make 165 effectively multiple years in a row.

Long-Term Outlook: It should be Smith for the next two years, after which time Paddy Gallagher will take over. He started off his junior year wrestling at Who's #1, then won Ironman and had wins over Alex Facundo, Andrew Cerniglia, John Martin Best, and Gabe Arnold to finish the year ranked third. His only loss came to Cael Valencia in the Doc B finals and is our #7 prospect on the 2021 Big Board.

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

174 Pounds

Looking Back: Kaleb Romero was the seven seed entering Minneapolis, another strong performance by the Buckeyes at 174. They followed up Myles Martin's national title as a true freshman with a finals appearance and fifth-place finish by Bo Jordan, as well as Ethan Smith going 2-2 in 2019.

This Season: Someone good is going to be sitting on the bench, unless of course Romero bumps to 184, which is about how big he's looking on social media lately. I'm leaning Kharchla over Romero, but the depth should pay dividends come time for the postseason. Kharchla went 16-0 during his redshirt year, with his best win probably being a tech of Troy Keller.

Long-Term Outlook: Surprising as it may be, it appears to be Kharchla, which puts this right near the bottom of short term needs that recruiting coordinator Anthony Ralph needs to concern himself with.

184 Pounds

Looking Back: Rocky Jordan moved up in mid-December, going 18-6 and earning the 14 seed. He had to fill in the shoes of Myles Martin, who went 5-2-3 in his three years up at this weight. I'm not sure who the heir apparent to Myles was supposed to be based on their recruiting, but it wound up being Rocky.

This Season: It's pretty clearly Rocky Jordan's spot to lose, though Zach Steiner started the first two duals of last season before Rocky moved up. I'm also the slightest bit curious if Romero looking big in pictures is an optical illusion/him just enjoying summer, or if he really has designs on bulking up to 184 and trying to battle Rocky for the starting spot. We currently have Rocky ranked 10th, which is about right for them, they're on the bubble, the outside looking in at getting on the podium.

Long-Term Outlook: With Jordan having three more seasons of eligibility, they're free to survey the upperweight market a little across the high school landscape. The question is if he can catch up to Aaron Brooks, Trent Hidlay, and Abe Assad, the other three sophomores ranked ahead of him.

197 Pounds

Looking Back: Kollin Moore held this spot for four years. Some people will look at his career as a disappointment since he never won a title despite being the 1 seed twice (this year was supposed to be his year), but that doesn't accurately reflect what the national expectation of him was coming out of high school. And perhaps that was a bad read, an undervaluing of him by the wrestling media at the time, but this was a kid who wrestled at a small school in Ohio, played multiple sports, and had never wrestled freestyle before. Then he makes a Junior world team, takes third as a freshman and the rest is history.

This Season: Either way it'll be someone changing weights. Chase Singletary is the presumptive starter, though he'll be cutting a bit and returning from injury. Gavin Hoffman is listed as a heavyweight on the Buckeye website but probably will at least think about challenging for the starting spot. Stein was a 220 in high school.

Long-Term Outlook: Even if you throw in Hoffman, they're going to have to start reviewing recruits in 2021 and if not then, certainly 2022. I'll go over it more in the targets article, but they were on the school lists for both Nate Schon and Brandon Hoselton.

285 Pounds

Looking Back: From a recruiting perspective, they were targeting Cohlton Schultz and Greg Kerkvliet. They wound up focusing on Kerkvliet, had him on campus for one semester but he ended up at Penn State. So they went instead with Gary Traub, who got the 19 seed at the national tournament. The year before that, they had Singletary go 2-2 after being the guy to take over after three-time national champ Kyle Snyder graduated.

This Season: Bringing Utah Valley transfer Tate Orndorff to Columbus solved their needs at heavyweight for the next two seasons, and they've got NCAA qualifier Gary Traub for depth this year. Gavin Hoffman, who I thought would be a 197 in college, is up to heavyweight and Greco star Nick Boykin is listed as a redshirt freshman for the upcoming season.

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In

Long-Term Outlook: I imagine they'll rely on Boykin and Hoffman for the two years after Orndorff graduates. That allows them to begin targeting heavyweights from the class of 2022 if they want him to redshirt or 2023 if they want a guy to go right away if they can't get a commitment from someone in the rising junior class. Then there is of course the transfer portal, but this doesn't seem to be a super pressing need in the room itself for a few years.