Oklahoma State commit Brayden Thompson is the top-ranked 182-pounder in the country. Now, his move to Oklahoma is happening sooner than most people expected. Thompson competed this weekend at the Doc Buchanan Invitational for Lockport High School in Illinois, but he'll be transferring to Stillwater immediately. He will be accompanied by his family and Jon Henslee, his Chicago-area personal coach.

The move gives Thompson the opportunity to acclimate himself to his eventual college home, but it's also significant for national power Stillwater. The #4 ranked recruit in the class of 2022 hasn't lost a match against a high school opponent since October of 2021. In that time, Thompson has won Powerade, an Illinois state title, the U20 World Team Trials, Ironman, and Who's Number One. He was most recently entered in the 185 lbs bracket at Doc Buchanan where he went 2-0 before being disqualified.

Thompson's victory at Who's Number One in 2022

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Stillwater high school has become one of the premier high school wrestling programs in the country. Even before Thompson joined the squad, the Pioneers boasted an impressive number of ranked wrestlers including #2 at 113 lbs Beric Jordan, #1 at 132 lbs Cael Hughes, #10 at 145 lbs, Kael Voinovich, #3 at 152 lbs LaDarion Lockett, and #7 at 182 lbs AJ Heeg. The addition of Thompson, the top-ranked 182-pounder in the nation, is a big boost for the Pioneers.

In Oklahoma, Thompson's transfer is big news for the increasingly intensifying team race between Stillwater and Edmond North. The two teams met in a dual at the inaugural National Wrestling Hall Of Fame Classic in December. Stillwater led the dual 31-27 heading into heavyweight, but Edmond North's Ricky Thomas Pinned Stillwater's Silas Camp to give Edmond North the dual meet victory 33-31. 

Edmond North's decisive heavyweight victory at the NWHOF Classic

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The addition of Thompson gives Stillwater another weapon for either 190 lbs (where Stillwater currently has #7 ranked AJ Heeg) or 215 lbs. Coach Ethan Kyle and staff will have a tough decision to make about the lineup, but Thompson's recent victory over Heeg at Ironman suggests that he might get to make the ultimate weight class decision.

Thompson is now the fourth high-profile transfer from out of state for Stillwater. The others include #2 Beric Jordan who joined the Pioneers this season after winning an Ohio state title a year ago, #10 Kael Voinovich, also an Ohio transfer, and AJ Heeg, who most recently transferred from Edmond Memorial but moved to Oklahoma from Illinois before that.