For Oklahoma State, recruiting has never been more competitive. With David Taylor at the helm, the Cowboys have constructed a juggernaut roster, and this recruiting class confirms it. Losing Bo Bassett to Iowa, might just pale in comparison to the two top three recruits in the 2026 class, whom Oklahoma State landed in Jax Forrest (#2) and Dreshaun Ross (#3). With these two additions, Oklahoma State has firmly positioned itself as a national player, with traditional powers such as Penn State lagging in recruiting future talent.
The Cowboys have become a hot new destination for young wrestlers, and it’s all thanks to Taylor’s presence. Forrest, a dominant lightweight recruit, chose to go with Oklahoma State over programs such as Ohio State, Iowa, and Penn State, citing Taylor’s Olympic background and coaching ideology as the deciding factors. “The biggest thing I noticed… was just the similarities between me and David,” Forrest added. “He’s done all the things I want to achieve… and I think he’s somebody who can get me to achieve those goals.” His fellow teammate, Dreshaun Ross, made a similar decision, providing a one-two punch for a rare one for Oklahoma State in 2026.
Forrest’s incredible record is enough in and of itself. In high school at Bishop McCort, Forrest has a 118-3 record, two titles at Super 32, two titles at Fargo Junior freestyle, and a U17 World silver medal. That sort of mat dominating, winning most of his matches through tech fall or pin, sets him in a position to become one of the most exciting in years to enter college competition.
As for Ross, his commitment to OSU came after David Taylor dropped by the Ed Winger Invitational to see him dominate the 215-pound bracket. A two-time state champion for the Dodgers in 195 and 215-pound categories, it’s needless to say that he was sought after by numerous high-end programs before he committed to OSU. The programs he snubbed in favor of the Cowboys? Iowa, Iowa State, and…wait for it. Penn State.
And with that, The @MatScouts1 Class of 2026 Big Board Top 5 are verbally committed & off the board. pic.twitter.com/fZdkyZzCkG
— Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) February 6, 2025
With Jax Forrest committing to Stillwater and Bo Bassett committing to Iowa, the Nittany Lions have fallen behind. Having secured, 2024’s #2 Luke Lilledahl and 2025’s #1 PJ Duke in the past, the Lions have only been able to land commitment from #20 Sam Herring till now.
Meanwhile, David Taylor re-shaped Oklahoma State into a national title contender in a single year. In 2025, the recruiting class for the Cowboys included eight of the top 90, including #3 Dee Lockett, #5 Landon Robideau, and #6 Sergio Vega. With Forrest and Ross in 2026, Oklahoma State is building a platform for sustained success. This time around, the Cowboys would have probably landed all three of the top recruits, had it not been for this reason.
Why did Bo Bassett not choose David Taylor?
Landing two of America’s top three recruits is no small feat, but recruiting success at Oklahoma State extends beyond mere rankings. Taylor’s ability to connect with blue-chip recruits, sell himself and a dream, and build a culture for blue-chip wrestlers has positioned Stillwater as a favorite destination for some of America’s best. Then why did Bo Bassett choose Iowa over the Magic Man? One of the reasons was pretty simple. It had two words. Spencer Lee.
When FloWrestling asked Bo Bassett about who his favorite wrestler was, the 3x Ironman Champion, Bo said, “I gotta go Spencer Lee. That’s my guy. I looked up to him since I was young.” And it’s not surprising considering how closely he worked with the Iowa alum at Bishop McCort : “There’s a picture of when I’m twelve years old, maybe younger, and he was a junior, or senior, in high school, and we trained together those years at the Young Guns room. He’s a great role model.”
Bo also thinks that the Hawkeyes will bring a crucial sense of familiarity to his wrestling journey, “And I don’t know why I just love the way they wrestle. They’re very similar to the McCort Room, right?” And it’s safe to say that Spencer’s connection with the University of Iowa added to the feeling.
Nonetheless, the Cowboys wouldn’t be too unhappy with their recruitment game so far. But Penn State might need to pull up their socks. How do you think their recruitment is going to look like going forward? Let us know in the comments.
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