Redshirt Report: 197 Pounds

It's our 197 Redshirt Report as we look at all the Division I NCAA studs that weren't in the starting lineups in 2017, such as Nathan Traxler, Samuel Colbray, Ben Darmstadt, Eric Schultz, Kevin Mulligan, and more!

May 13, 2017 by Andrew Spey

We're going to take a deep dive into each NCAA weight class and review all the returning studs who didn't start this past year, whether due to taking a redshirt, injuries, or other reasons.

Now Up: 197 Pounds

You can find our redshirt reports on other weights here:
125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174 | 184

Nathan Traxler, Stanford

The No. 31-ranked recruit from the 2016 High School Big Board didn't get in any matches as an unattached wrestler during his year of deferred eligibility for the Stanford Cardinal, but Nathan Traxler did stay busy this offseason. He finished as the runner-up in the brutally tough junior freestyle 97kg bracket (about 211 pounds) at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas a couple weeks ago.

The Marmion Academy alum was also a two-time Illinois state champion and a Fargo All-American.

You can watch Traxler blank Ohio State-bound uber recruit Chase Singletary in the semifinals of the U.S. Open in the video below

Samuel Colbray, Iowa State

Colbray had a relatively quiet first year campaign, finishing the season 6-5, including a varsity match up at 285 in the second dual meet of the year. The No. 23-ranked recruit had a more impressive showing at the recent U.S. Open, however, finishing third at 96kg bracket of the junior freestyle tournament.

Newly hired head coach Kevin Dresser will have options at 197 next year, as Colbray will battle with rising redshirt junior Marcus Harrington for the spot in the lineup. Colbray may also take his redshirt season, having forgone that option his true freshman year.

You can watch Colbray's third-place victory over Ohio State's Kevin Snyder at the U.S. Open in the video below.

Ben Darmstadt, Cornell

Like many of his teammates, Darmstadt delayed enrollment at Cornell for a year and wrestled unattached in open tournaments, competing with the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club. He compiled an 18-4 record, including an impressive victory by pinfall over 2017 NCAA All-American Ryan Wolfe of Rider.

The No. 38-ranked recruit of 2016 also doubled up on styles at the U.S. Open, wrestling in both the Greco-Roman and freestyle junior tournaments, both at 96kg. Darmstadt finished seventh in the freestyle bracket and fourth in Greco-Roman.

You can watch Darmstadt tech-fall his Stanford rival, David Showunmi, during the round of 16 of the freestyle tournament in the video below.

Eric Schultz, Nebraska

Cornhuskers fans had the pleasure of watching stalwart All-American Aaron Studebaker man the 197-pound slot in the lineup over the past three years. With Studes' graduation this year, those fans will be looking to Eric Schultz to step into that role this fall.

The No. 35 recruit from the class of 2016 should be well prepared for the job, having run up an impressive 26-3 record while wrestling unattached in open tournaments. Of incidental but still interesting consequence, none of Schultz's losses were to NCAA Division I opponents.

Schultz was unable to place at the U.S. Open after entering a stacked 96kg bracket in the junior freestyle tournament. Schultz was eliminated in the bloodround by Sammy Colbray, reversing the result of a folkstyle match between the two wrestlers from November 2016.

Schultz still managed some impressive wins at the Open, including a tech fall over Virginia Cavalier redshirt Jay Aiello, which you can watch in the video below.

AJ Nevills, Fresno State

Regardless of your partisan rooting interests, it should warm the hearts of every wrestling fan to see the words "Fresno State" featured in an NCAA preview article. The Bulldogs from the Central Valley return to DI action for the first time since 2006, when the program was shut down to due to budgetary concerns.

Now, head coach Troy Steiner is ready to get his team back on the mat, and one of the key cogs to the first Fresno State recruiting class in over a decade is California native AJ Nevills.

A member of the illustrious California wrestling Nevills, AJ spent the previous year training with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club along with his brother, Penn State student-athlete Nick. But AJ, the No. 47 recruit of 2016, was lured back to his home state and will represent the Bulldogs on the mat this fall.

Kevin Mulligan, Rutgers

Mulligan had one of the busiest years of deferred eligibility for the Scarlet Knights last season, wrestling 36 competitive matches and winning 28 of them. The Rutgers frosh by way of parochial New Jersey powerhouse Bergen Catholic is a two-time Jersey state champion and the No. 62-ranked recruit from 2016.

Mulligan's teammate Matt Correnti made the NCAA tournament as a true freshman last season and is expected to take a redshirt year this upcoming season, potentially using that time to bulk up to 285. In the meantime, Rutgers fans have a very solid replacement waiting in the wings in Mulligan.

Below you can watch Mulligan battle Fresno State's Josh Hokit in a high school match from 2016 at the Who's #1 Duals.

Blake Rypel, Indiana

Hoosiers head coach Duane Goldman scored a big recruiting win by keeping Indianapolis native and the No. 41 recruit in the nation in state. Rypel had his choice of offers but will be donning the cream and crimson colors this fall, much to the approval of the fans in Bloomington.

Rypel had a successful redshirt season, achieving a 13-5 record, including a win over NCAA qualifier Brad Johnson of Oklahoma at the always tough Midlands tournament.

Rypel will face competition within the wrestling room to make the starting lineup, but expectations are high for the state champion from Cathedral High School.

While it's very early to be speculating on how next year's lineups and weight classes will shake out, we'll do our best to highlight everyone who we think will be jumping off the bench and on to the starting squad. Below is a non-exhaustive list of guys to keep in eye on who may have their breakthrough performances in the 2017-18 season.