For most NCAA wrestlers who take a redshirt year, there are only a select few times that we get the chance to see them compete during the season.

Some, like Daton Fix and Anthony Ashnault, we don’t see at all. While these guys redshirted for drastically different reasons, it never stops the “what ifs” and constant hypotheticals from swirling during their time away from a full competition slate. 

Now the wait is over. Both Fix and Ashnault are competing at this week's U.S. Open in Las Vegas and are among a list of talented 2017-18 redshirts who are making their highly anticipated returns to the mat.

Watch the 2018 U.S. Open LIVE on FloWrestling

When: April 25-28 | Where: Las Vegas, NV

Anthony Ashnault, Rutgers

Schnaulty took a year off from mobbin’ to get healed up and has been approved for his sixth year due to medical reasons. It’s no secret that this year was huge for Rutgers, as Nick Suriano became the first Scarlet Knights wrestler to reach the NCAA finals. Now the three-time All-American Ashnault is getting back to action at 65kg.

Daton Fix, Oklahoma State

The Junior world champ hasn’t competed since the U23 World Championships in November, and since then all people have been talking about is a hypothetical match between Fix and NCAA champ Spencer Lee. At least up until this week when it changed to Tony Ramos and the rest of 57kg Senior field. 

Watch Fix claim his spot on the Jr. world team:

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Jacob Warner, Iowa

He put things on tilt when he majored now two-time AA Willie Miklus, who was ranked third at the time. Warner went on to have another pretty solid performance at Midlands where he placed sixth with a hard-fought win over #16 Jake Smith. Warner is a Cadet world medalist, multi-time Fargo champ, in both styles, who can certainly make the finals at 92kg.

Kaden Gfeller, Oklahoma State

Gfeller had a very solid redshirt year at 141 in which he won the Southern Scuffle by pinning AA Nick Lee in the finals. He also took out NCAA qualifier Luke Karam on the way to that title. 

Watch Gfeller pin Nick Lee in the Southern Scuffle finals:

Vito Arujau, Cornell

It was a solid year of Open tournaments for the Cadet world medalist. A season ago, he and Mitch McKee gave us one of the most thrilling matches in the finals in Las Vegas. This year it wouldn’t be a surprise if Arujau made it back on the stage. It could possibly be fellow redshirt and junior world team trials runner-up (to McKee) Austin Gomez meeting him on the other side.

Mikey Labriola, Nebraska

During the 2017-18 year, Labriola took out a few ranked guys, with the biggest being eventual AA David Kocer, whom he beat at the Daktronics Open. Outside of Ashnault’s return to the mat, seeing Labriola wrestle this weekend intrigues me the most since he’s never competed in freestyle. But I’m sure he’s picked up a thing or two from Jordan Burroughs and James Green to get prepared.

Austin Gomez, Iowa State

I already mentioned Gomez above, but it needs to be repeated that he is one of the toughest in the field. Gomez was the Junior WTT runner-up last year following an absolute epic three-match battle, and I can see him being the last man standing this time around.

Watch Gomez battle to defeat McKee in match two:

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Nick Reenan, NC State

Reenan has bulked up a bit in his year off from steady competition. He was the runner-up to Zahid Valencia at the Junior Open last year and will be in a seriously tough 86kg Senior bracket. 

Here is the full list of redshirts to watch this weekend: