Barr vs Welsh

[PSUcup1]

Question regarding these 2 as recruits

Did Cael choose Barr over Welsh or was Welsh never really an option for PSU?

He’s looked very very good so far. As I said in the match thread, this is one time where we maybe didn’t get the best guy (and I don’t. Mean that as a knock on Barr as I think he will have a very good career) but man Rocco looks great so far (admittedly not sure the level of competition he’s seen so far )

 

[McScoreley]

Seeing how Welsh is a career 174 and Barr is at 184 already, I think you're overthinking this

 

[PSUcup1]

Seeing how Welsh is a career 174 and Barr is at 184 already, I think you're overthinking this

So you already know that Welsh will wrestle 174 for his entire career? But that’s honestly not what I was really asking. I was curious to know how hard we went after Welsh …. Did we at all or was Cael set on Barr? I don’t recall …

 

[apoharrow]

Not sure Welsh wanted to sit a year.

 

[Random4598375]

Has it gotten to the point where we’re criticizing Cael for not getting every single top recruit? Other teams get good wrestlers sometimes, too, LOL.

 

[PSUcup1]

Has it gotten to the point where we’re criticizing Cael for not getting every single top recruit? Other teams get good wrestlers sometimes, too, LOL.

A. No one is criticizing anyone
B. Just curious as to whether psu lost out on welsh or didn’t really didnt pursue him/ preferred Barr over him

 

[El-Jefe]

Question regarding these 2 as recruits

Did Cael choose Barr over Welsh or was Welsh never really an option for PSU?

He’s looked very very good so far. As I said in the match thread, this is one time where we maybe didn’t get the best guy (and I don’t. Mean that as a knock on Barr as I think he will have a very good career) but man Rocco looks great so far (admittedly not sure the level of competition he’s seen so far )

PSU was not in Welsh's top 10 schools list.

Welsh's competition this year has been barely better than the takedown dummy. He gets Ruth next. He'll be good in time, and that match will give us an idea of how soon.

 

[PSUcup1]

PSU was not in Welsh's top 10 schools list.

Thanks Jefe!!!

 

[mjmirv]

I’d be shocked if Welsh’s body could hold much more weight beyond 174. Great wrestler, but a classic Ohio State recruit. High floor, but I don’t see a guy who will be much better 3 years from now than he is today. I’m not saying Barr will end up better, but Cael seems to shy away from those guys who seem maxed out physically in 12th grade. Tom Ryan loves high floor recruits. I’ll trust Cael on these decisions.

 

[PSUcup1]

I’d be shocked if Welsh’s body could hold much more weight beyond 174. Great wrestler, but a classic Ohio State recruit. High floor, but I don’t see a guy who will be much better 3 years from now than he is today. I’m not saying Barr will end up better, but Cael seems to shy away from those guys who seem maxed out physically in 12th grade. Tom Ryan loves high floor recruits. I’ll trust Cael on these decisions.

Agree with much of this. Only quibble might be when I watch Welsh wrestle i don’t see a guy who relies on being the much more physically developed wrestler. (For reference, I felt that way about Bouzakis and wasn’t upset at all when he ended up in Columbus)

But I love discussing things like this. Makes the board more interesting and time will tell. And again I think Barr has a very high ceiling. I just think Welsh may be a guy even Ryan can’t screw up 😉

 

[El-Jefe]

I’d be shocked if Welsh’s body could hold much more weight beyond 174. Great wrestler, but a classic Ohio State recruit. High floor, but I don’t see a guy who will be much better 3 years from now than he is today. I’m not saying Barr will end up better, but Cael seems to shy away from those guys who seem maxed out physically in 12th grade. Tom Ryan loves high floor recruits. I’ll trust Cael on these decisions.

I'm not sure I agree about Welsh having limited upside, but I get the skepticism.

Waynesburg guys would not be as high on my priority list if I were recruiting. They tend to wrestle a little extra chippy, or sometimes a lot extra chippy or flat out dirty (such as the Church-Gaj state finals).

Not saying Welsh was dirty, but he definitely was a mauler. And that's not to minimize his technical skill either -- he clearly has that at an elite HS level -- only to say that he loses that advantage in college, and will need to adapt.

 

[El-Jefe]

BTW, Welsh committed to Ohio State 3 months before Barr committed to PSU -- Oct 2021 vs. Jan 2022.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I'm not sure I agree about Welsh having limited upside, but I get the skepticism.

Waynesburg guys would not be as high on my priority list if I were recruiting. They tend to wrestle a little extra chippy, or sometimes a lot extra chippy or flat out dirty (such as the Church-Gaj state finals).

Not saying Welsh was dirty, but he definitely was a mauler. And that's not to minimize his technical skill either -- he clearly has that at an elite HS level -- only to say that he loses that advantage in college, and will need to adapt.

Welsh will be the new Sasso (I.e. Pa guy we didn’t get for whatever reason). We will get periodic updates of how he’s doing if he’s doing well.

I will be focusing on Sealey, Barr, Ryder, Mirasola x2, Mesenbrink, Duke, Lilledahl, Desmond, Henckel, etc

 

[mjmirv]

I agree, Welsh isn’t at his ceiling, but I’m not sure he has a lot more to gain either. Maybe he can, but Ryan wrestlers rarely make big jumps after they arrive in Columbus. I’m probably discounting Welsh more because of Ryan’s track record of development than i am judging Welsh strictly on Welsh’s abilities.

PSU seems to do well with lanky Freshman in the 174-184 range. I’ll gladly buy stock in Barr at 184.

Forget Welsh-Barr, I’m more curious to see who develops out of Arnold - Welsh at 174. I set the o/u at about 6.5 AAs and 0.5 finals appearances between the 2. I get Marinelli vibes from these 2.