I've been collecting wrestling media guides since I was a kid. I can't say exactly how old I was when I got my first University of Iowa Hawkeye wrestling media guide, but I do remember how I'd read it front to back, cover to cover. Whenever a wrestler had also played football or baseball or ran track or whatever else he may have done, it was usually mentioned. It got me to thinking, maybe media guides for other sports might mention a wrestlers background.
So I decided to take a look through the media guides (most up to date that I could find) of each SEC football team and see what I could find.
Here you go....
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
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| Sam Willoughby |
A wide receiver for the Crimson Tide, Sam Willoughby has an extensive wrestling background competing for Vestavia Hills High School. Capturing 3rd place in the state in 2019, he won the Alabama state championship as a senior in 2020.
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| Kade Wehby |
#53 on the Crimson Tide Football team, Kade Wehby also wrestled at St Thomas Aquinas High School (Florida).
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| Jordan Smith |
A linebacker for the crimson and white, while playing football for Chelsea High School, Jordan Smith was also a member of the wrestling team.
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| Jackson Roby |
A member of the Crimson Tide offensive line, Jackson Roby also wrestled at Huntsville High School.
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| Vito Perri |
Vito Perri was also a member of the Alphretta (Georgia) wrestling program while in high school.
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| Michael Lorino |
Along with having an outstanding football career at Mountain Brook High school, Michael Lorino was a two time Alabama High School state qualifier in wrestling.
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| Kyle Flood Jr |
The way I understand it, Kyle Flood only wrestled his senior season at St. Joseph Metuchen & at that he even joined the team late. Nonetheless that still counts as wrestling experience.
GEORGIA BULLDOGS
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| Austin Blaske |
An offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, Austin Blaske of South Effingham High School made the Georgia state finals as a junior, winning a Georgia state title as a senior.
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| Dylan Fairchild |
Dylan Fairchild is another offensive linemen for the Bulldogs who had an outstanding high school wrestling career. Competing for West Forsyth he won two Georgia High School State titles.
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| Mykel Williams |
Mykel Williams a defensive end for the Bulldogs, was also on the wrestling team at Hardaway High School.
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| Kendall Miller |
This is one I'm not 100% positive about. I believe that Kendall Miller did wrestling as a youth & maybe in junior high as well. Not sure if he continued into high school or not though. Buchanan High School in California.
FLORIDA GATORS
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| Donovan McMillon |
Gator Safety Donovan McMillon made the Pennsylvania High School State finals competing for Peters Township.
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
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| Hank Manos |
Hank Manos an offensive lineman for the Gamecocks was a South Carolina High School State champion for Chapin High School.
MISSOURI TIGERS
Go figure the one place in an SEC football media guide where you WOULD expect to find wrestling, the word is not mentioned once. Not one time. For that matter basketball wasn't mentioned much. I take it that maybe Missouri isn't much for mentioning the other sports their football players did while in high school? I don't know. You'd think with a roster size that large at least some would have been playing basketball or wrestling during the winter. Then again maybe Missouri football likes to recruit single-sport athletes. I don't know.
For the record both TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS and TEXAS A&M were the exact same way. Wrestling/wrestle/wrestler nothing to be found in either media guide.
VANDERBILT COMMODORES
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| Dan Dawkins |
Dan Dawkins was captain of the Peddie School wrestling team (New Jersey) while in High School
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| Stone Edwards |
Defensive End for the Commodores, Stone Edwards lettered in wrestling for Orange High School (North Carolina).
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| Anfernee Orji |
Outside Linebacker Anfernee Orji was also on the wrestling team at Rockwell High School (Texas).
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| Sean Sadler |
Defensive lineman Sean Sadler was also a member of the wrestling team at Edmond Memorial (Oklahoma) High School.
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| Harrison Smith |
Commodore Punter Harrison Smith was also on the wrestling team at Brentwood Academy (Tennessee).
Lorenza Surgers also wrestled during his time at Panther Creek High School (North Carolina).
A member of the offensive line Michael Warden was also a member of the wrestling team during his time at the Summit Country Day School.
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
Linebacker Bumper Pool also wrestled during his time at Lovejoy High School (Texas).
John Ridgeway (who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys) was a very good wrestler in high school. Competing for Bloomington High School he was 4th in the state in 2016, winning an Illinois State title in 2017.
AUBURN TIGERS
A member of the offensive line, Cort Bradley was also a wrestler during high school. (Went to Auburn High School).
Another member of the offensive line Tate Johnson wrestled during his time at Callaway High School (Georgia).
Safety Donovan Kaufman was a Louisiana High School State runner-up for Archbishop Rummel.
Steiner only wrestled his senior season at Houston County High School (Georgia) but from what I understand he had a winning record.
Competing for Stephens County, Auburn Defensive End Garrison Walker was a Georgia High School State runner-up while in High School.
Brooks Walton was also a member of the wrestling team while at Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) during high school.
Interesting enough, during his high school days Coach Jeff Schmedding made the state finals in Washington state.
LOUISIANA STATE TIGERS
Pig Cage also wrestled during his time at Archbishop Rummel (Louisiana).
MISSISSIPPI REBELS
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| Lorenza Surgers |
Lorenza Surgers also wrestled during his time at Panther Creek High School (North Carolina).
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| Michael Warden |
A member of the offensive line Michael Warden was also a member of the wrestling team during his time at the Summit Country Day School.
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
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| Bumper Pool |
Linebacker Bumper Pool also wrestled during his time at Lovejoy High School (Texas).
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| John Ridgeway |
John Ridgeway (who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys) was a very good wrestler in high school. Competing for Bloomington High School he was 4th in the state in 2016, winning an Illinois State title in 2017.
AUBURN TIGERS
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| Cort Bradley |
A member of the offensive line, Cort Bradley was also a wrestler during high school. (Went to Auburn High School).
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| Tate Johnson |
Another member of the offensive line Tate Johnson wrestled during his time at Callaway High School (Georgia).
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| Donovan Kaufman |
Safety Donovan Kaufman was a Louisiana High School State runner-up for Archbishop Rummel.
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| Wesley Steiner |
Steiner only wrestled his senior season at Houston County High School (Georgia) but from what I understand he had a winning record.
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| Garrison Walker |
Competing for Stephens County, Auburn Defensive End Garrison Walker was a Georgia High School State runner-up while in High School.
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| Brooks Walton |
Brooks Walton was also a member of the wrestling team while at Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) during high school.
Interesting enough, during his high school days Coach Jeff Schmedding made the state finals in Washington state.
LOUISIANA STATE TIGERS
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| Quinton "Pig" Cage |
Pig Cage also wrestled during his time at Archbishop Rummel (Louisiana).
MISSISSIPPI REBELS
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| Peyton Cox |
Offensive lineman Peyton Cox was a member of the wrestling team at Jesuit High School (Louisiana).
MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
While none of the players bios read anything about wrestling, it was mentioned that coach Jeff Phelps wrestled during his time at Crete-Monee (Illinois).
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Keep in mind that there very well could be a lot more wrestlers on these SEC football teams. This is simply what I could find via media guides. Pretty interesting information.
MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
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| Jeff Phelps |
While none of the players bios read anything about wrestling, it was mentioned that coach Jeff Phelps wrestled during his time at Crete-Monee (Illinois).
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Keep in mind that there very well could be a lot more wrestlers on these SEC football teams. This is simply what I could find via media guides. Pretty interesting information.
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