Go back a couple years and Gabriel Beyer was just picking up the sport of wrestling. Now the heavyweight prospect from Tallahassee (Fla.) is set to continue his mat career with Penn State, choosing the Nittany Lions over Big Ten rival Iowa.
Recruiting: Heavyweight Gabe Beyer discusses Penn State commitment
- Thread starter Tim Owen/BWI staff
- Start date
"Nick Nevills [is] the expected starter at 285[.] Penn State has only one heavyweight on its current roster."
You'd hope the only heavyweight on the team would be the starter.
Bit of an ego knock if he wasn't starting.
j/k
Nice write up Tim. With only two years wrestling, Beyer may have considerable upside, once he gets more work on technique.
Impressive record for Gabriel Beyer in his first two years.
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You guys are getting a diamond in the rough. Pure athlete, very little technical skills. He apparently gave J'Den Cox a good go when he was at the Missouri Camp. Hard working kid. Very humble.
Thanks vhs, and welcome to the board. It sounds like you know Byers, or at least have seen him wrestle. Would appreciate any other tidbits that you are willing to share.
He wrestled on our Disney Dual Team - The first Florida team to make the All-American round in the All-Star Division (we finished 3rd). Put it like this, the kid has no idea how special it is that he'll be wrestling for Penn State. He literally dropped football this past year after coaches kept telling him he was too short to play D-1.
We actually taught him an underhook throw-by on the second day. I can't remember what his squat is, but its something ridiculous. I'd be surprised if he had problems on bottom in college. Shouldn't take him long to figure it out, and he has the attitude to match it.
Funny story - We asked him who he wrestles with at practice and he said he has to go to FAMU to wrestle with the college club team to get a decent go. I asked him, "What about your coach? He's a pretty big guy."
Gabe - "Yeah, the last time I wrestled him, I broke his leg. He won't wrestle me anymore."
It came down to Iowa and Penn State, and it sounded like he just liked Cael more. I'll see him this weekend at our Super 32 Training Camp. I'll get more behind what went into his decision.
We actually taught him an underhook throw-by on the second day. I can't remember what his squat is, but its something ridiculous. I'd be surprised if he had problems on bottom in college. Shouldn't take him long to figure it out, and he has the attitude to match it.
Funny story - We asked him who he wrestles with at practice and he said he has to go to FAMU to wrestle with the college club team to get a decent go. I asked him, "What about your coach? He's a pretty big guy."
Gabe - "Yeah, the last time I wrestled him, I broke his leg. He won't wrestle me anymore."
It came down to Iowa and Penn State, and it sounded like he just liked Cael more. I'll see him this weekend at our Super 32 Training Camp. I'll get more behind what went into his decision.
He's really a great kid. He has all the makings to be an outstanding wrestler. He's extremely coachable, he has a nonstop motor, a terrific work ethic, and he comes from a great family. The upside is huge because of how fast he learns and how much untapped potential is there, and not to mention he is freakishly strong.
Great news for Nittany Lion fans.
Will be fun to watch Gabe develop, as he gains experience as a wrestler and learns winning techniques from Coach Sanderson.
Appreciate your inputs ct1964ups.
Thank you
Maybe he chose Cael so he could be forever known as the guy who broke Cael's leg with his own ankle pick. Kidding, of course. Great inside info. Thanks. His progress as a Lion will be followed with considerable anticipation.
I know most posters on the board were hoping for another hwt to come in and boy did we get great pickup! It seems as though we have two hwts that are both great kid and once again it will tough realizing only one can start. The good thing is with Gabe RSing and being a HS senior this year he might have two years remaining after Nick graduates. And that is by no means conceeding he wont push into the lineup sooner.
Wecome aboard Gabe
Wecome aboard Gabe
It's a great pickup, as best as I can tell. As you mentioned, many of us have posted on this board that we were hoping PSU picked up another heavy. It's an even bigger gap on the team this season than we anticipated, with Cassar out.
Willie mentioned on a Flo Live Radio broadcast earlier today (sorry, can't link now; in a real rush) that college coaches consistently say that the hardest positions to recruit are the bookends (125 & 285). 125 the issue is whether they can keep the weight. 285 the issue isn't keeping the weight -- it's that unlike every other weight the backup doesn't have the option moving up or moving down to find a spot in the lineup.
PSU should be in great shape with Nevills over the next 4 years. Gabe can be a great backup, and give Nick a good workout in the room. Since Gabe is relatively new to the sport, it's hard to say how high his ceiling is, but the early reports are very good.
As for projecting down the line, that's so hard to do. Nevills' younger brother is someone that we'll be watching. Beyond that, who knows who else CS and staff will recruit, how healthy the Nick and Gabe will be, etc.
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