Now that the preseason individual rankings for the 2017-2018 NCAA wrestling season have been released, we thought it would be a good idea to survey the weight classes to see which division might be the toughest slog for our All-American hopefuls. 

There are no easy paths to the podium in March, and each weight class will be loaded with talent. However, one way to gauge which division will present the most challenges is to identify how many national champions and All-Americans will be returning to compete. 

By our count, there are 63 All-American wrestlers coming back for another season who have earned a total of 92 All-American honors so far over the course of their careers. With only 80 placements available every tournament, that doesn't leave a lot of room for newbies. We also counted 11 wrestlers who've earned an incredible total of 15 NCAA titles.

Suffice it to say that it's going to be a fun season.

So let's go down the weight classes and check out the numbers. Also as a quick caveat, these numbers are to the best of our knowledge as of right now. They will inevitably change as wrestlers switch weight classes, suffer injuries, and jockey for starting spots on their respective lineups. 

Prospective line up looks: Virginia Tech | Ohio State | North Carolina | Iowa | Penn State

125 Pounds - 2 Champs, 2 Titles; 8 AAs, 11 Honors

125 got a shot in the arm when national champion and three-time All-American Nathan Tomasello decided to drop down from 133. The weight class will also see the return of two All-Americans in Ryan Millhof and Zeke Moisey who both come off redshirt campaigns. Though typically one of the more youthful weight classes, any freshman looking for a breakout season will have plenty of veterans to contend with this year.

133 Pounds - 0 Champs; 5 AAs, 5 Honors

NaTo's aforementioned drop to 125 and Cory Clark's graduation took some of the star power out of what looks to be one of the more depleted weight classes this year. This could be the division from which a dark horse will emerge come tournament season. 

141 Pounds - 1 Champ, 2 Titles; 7 AAs, 13 Honors

Four wrestlers with multiple All-American honors -- Dean Heil, Anthony Ashnault, Kevin Jack & Bryce Meredith -- return to 141 next season, the most of any weight class. Of last year's top eight finishers, only George DiCamillo graduates. This weight, as it was last year, will be  proverbial slaughterhouse. 

149 Pounds - 1 Champ, 2 Titles; 7 AAs, 12 Honors

Zain Retherford and Brandon Sorensen have a combined six top-five finishes over six varsity seasons. Five other All-Americans return, including Geo Martinez, who is coming off redshirt, and Matt Kolodzik who is bumping up from 141 pounds.

157 Pounds - 1 Champ, 1 Title; 8 AAs, 10 Honors

The middleweights are typically the deepest weight classes and 157 does not disappoint. Between ranked guys bumping up from 149 and ranked guys dropping down from 165, we actually ran out of room to include every ranked 157 pounder from the end of last season on our preseason top 20. Returning champ Jason Nolf and seven other returning All-Americans will ensure this remains a meat grinder of a weight class.

165 Pounds - 2 Champs, 3 Titles; 6 AAs, 9 Honors

Vincenzo Joseph and Isaiah Martinez have three titles between them, the most returning NCAA championships of any weight class. That makes 165 one of the most top heavy of all the divisions. The two champs plus four other returning All-Americans leave little room for the talented crop of freshmen that enter the weight class this year. 

174 Pounds - 1 Champ, 1 Title; 7 AAs, 10 Honors

Even though the top four placers from last year return -- Mark Hall, Bo Jordan, Zahid Valencia & Myles Amines -- 174 still graduated 11 All-American honors, the second most of any division, leaving the weight class nearly as top heavy as 165. There is, however, at least perhaps a little more room on the lower podium steps at 174 than at 165.

184 Pounds - 2 Champs, 2 Titles; 4 AAs, 6 Honors

Though Bo Nickal returns as the defending champ, no weight class lost more total top-eight placements to graduation than 184 pounds, which saw 14 All-American honors vacate the division. Pete Renda returning from redshirt gives the weight class a much needed boost, as do the only two other returning AAs, Myles Martin (also a national champ) and Drew Foster. And the is still the possibility of former All-American Pat Downey making his return, either here or at 197. In any event, expect some new names in the record books at this weight. 

197 Pounds - 0 Champs; 5 AAs, 7 Honors

197 lost its two biggest names to graduation when last years finalists, Brett Pfarr and J'Den Cox, used up their eligibility. Two-time All-American WIllie Miklus bumps up from 184 to provide some depth, along the three other returning AAs, in what looks to be one of the more wide open divisions in the NCAA next season. 

285 Pounds - 1 Champ, 2 Title; 6 AAs, 9 Honors

By far the biggest returning heavyweight name is two-time champ, three-time finalist Kyle Snyder, but plenty more fire power returns to the 285 pound division this year. Former finalist Adam Coon comes off redshirt and All-American Amar Dhesi returns from an injury. Although Snyder will be the *ahem* heavy favorite, there should be plenty of fireworks to entertain from the rest of the ranked 285 pounders. 

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