BOOM.
When your recruiting class includes one of the top-three recruits in the country, you probably have a very good class. When it includes two of the top-three recruits in the country, you probably have an excellent class.
When it includes all three of the top-three recruits in the country? Well friends, that's a horse of a different color.
Top-ranked prospect Jesse Mendez, a 138-pound prospect from Crown Point, Ind., announced Wednesday that he will wrestle for the Buckeyes during an appearance on FloWrestling Radio Live.
He chose Tom Ryan's program over a bevy of blue-chip Big Ten programs including Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, and Michigan.
Excited to announce my commitment to Thee Ohio StateExcited to start the next chapter of my career. Would like to thank everybody that has helped me get to this point. Go Buckeyes!! pic.twitter.com/1QzYZvPtl7
— JesseMendez (@PhenoMendez) November 3, 2021
"They're building something special and they're building a dynasty," Mendez told Flo when explaining his decision. "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."
Calling it the best recruiting class ever isn't entirely hyperbole. In addition to Mendez, the class includes Nic Bouzakis, the No. 2 recruit in the class according to FloWrestling, Nick Feldman, the No. 3 recruit in the class, and Seth Shumate, an in-state standout currently ranked No. 19 in the class.
Well, Ohio State just added Jesse Mendez, and they have the top 3 recruits in the class of 2022. That's insnae. pic.twitter.com/MyOQBlGrre
— David Bray (@_davidbray) November 3, 2021
Like many recent Ohio State commitments, Mendez has serious freestyle credentials with a 2019 Cadet World and 2021 Junior World appearance under his belt, along with a 2021 U23 World Team Trials finals berth. He is also a three-time Indiana high school champion aiming to be just the 10th wrestler in state history to win four titles.
With the addition of Bouzakis and Mendez, Ryan and recruiting consigliere Anthony Ralph appear to have shored up their lighter weights for the foreseeable future, while Feldman and Shumate should have the upperweights well anchored.
Logan Stieber officially joins the coaching staff and the Buckeyes land the two best 133/141 recruits in the country. Funny how that works
— VestDJ (@_VestDJ_) November 3, 2021
Looking back to the summer of 2020 and Ohio State's recruiting priorities, the Buckeye staff clearly hit their targets and secured the pledges of their priority commitments in a big way.
