The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I HWT Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American

This is a topic that has been talked to death.  Yet, it's usually discussed from an overall standpoint. I don't know if it's ever been discussed weight by weight.  So as a result, I'm going to do that.  I took a look at all 10 weight classes in Division I and I put together who I thought the top five best wrestlers at each weight class were that never made All American status during their career.

I realize that most likely I'm going to get a lot of feedback about the guys I overlooked or the guys I forgot. Trust me, I most likely already know.  It was very difficult narrowing it down to five guys per weight. 

I write this because I feel that we as a whole, we as a wrestling community tend to put too much emphasis on the NCAA tournament alone.  There have been wrestlers in our past and their will be wrestlers in our future who achieve an assortment of credentials, but fall short of All American status.  I personally feel that these wrestlers should still be celebrated.  Still be remembered.  And this is my way of doing it.

Here are who I consider to be the top Five at HWT.

#5
Chris Birchler
East Stroudsburg/Edinboro

You would have thought considering that he wrestled for both East Stroudsburg and Edinboro that I could have found at least one picture of him from his collegiate wrestling days. Nope! Had to settle for an MMA photo instead.  Chris Birchler is the best wrestler I ever saw come out of East Stroudsburg during their Division I days. A third place finish at the EIWA tournament as a junior and a third place finish at the EWL tournament as a senior,  Birchler darn near became the Warriors first All American since Jack Cuvo won an NCAA title in 1989. 

#4
Nate Everhart
Indiana 

An attitude adjustment, more time in the weight room and a few other changes, WWE superstar Nate Everhart had himself one Hell of a senior campaign.   He won both the CKLV and the Southern Scuffle tournaments as well as taking second place at the BIG 10's.  Earning the #6 seed at the NCAA's he came within one match short of reaching All American honors.

#3
Tucker Lane
Nebraska 

One of the great HWT's to never make the award stand is Tucker Lane of Nebraska. Three consecutive third place finishes at the BIG 12's, followed by a seventh place finish at the BIG 10's as a senior.  Placed throughout many in season tournaments and had a multitude of high profile victories during his career.

#2
Nathan Fernandez
Oklahoma 

Nathan Fernandez didn't start to turn it on until his junior and senior seasons, but once he did, he proved how good of a wrestler he was.  Third and first place finishes at CKLV in his last two seasons, he also finished second at the BIG 10's as a senior.  Earning the #10 seed at the NCAA's he finished one match shy of All American status.  Mitch Monteiro of Bakersfield, Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State and Ryan Flores of Columbia are three notable names he defeated during his career.

#1
Cameron Wade
Penn State 

Regardless of the goal, it's not often a wrestler wearing a Penn State singlet, under the guidance of Cael Sanderson doesn't achieve his goals. Yet that is the case with former Nittany Lion, Cameron Wade.  Wade a BIG 10 third place finisher, received the #6 seed at the NCAA tournament his senior year.  Yet as he did the year before as a junior, Wade once again finished once match shy of placing.  Three time NCAA finalist Tony Nelson of Minnesota,  All American Clayton Jack of Oregon State, and All American Ricky Alcala of Indiana are three of the notable wrestlers Wade defeated during his career.


J.T. Felix  of Boise State is a name I thought about adding.

Who else?