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Jax Forrest makes his college choice: Did he pick Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, or Ohio State?

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•about 9 hours•

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Penn State is now 0 for 2 when it comes to landing top Class of 2026 talent from Johnstown, Pa., Bishop McCort this week. Jax Forrest, the nation’s No. 2 junior and No. 5 pound-for-pound wrestler in the country, according to MatScouts, picked Oklahoma State over the Nittany Lions, Iowa, and Ohio State on Thursday during an announcement segment on FloWrestling Radio Live. Back on Tuesday, Forrest’s classmate and teammate, Bo Bassett, who is the No. 1 junior recruit in the country, picked the Hawkeyes over the Nittany Lions, Cowboys, and Virginia Tech. It marks the first recruiting win for Lions legend David Taylor over his old program. He, of course, is in his first season at the helm of the Big 12 school.

“Through all of the ups and the downs, I can proudly say that I’m going to be going to Oklahoma State,” Forrest said. “I don’t have any regrets and won’t have any regrets about going to Oklahoma State.”

Forrest is 35-0 this season and seeks his first state title at 132 pounds after winning PIAA Class 2A gold last season at 127. He is 118-3 in his career, per PennLive. He projects to wrestle in the middleweights in college. Penn State is facing a future log jam at those weights when factoring in the eligibility remaining for current starters plus underclassmen already on the roster in addition to incoming members of the Class of 2025. No matter, the Lions would have loved to add Forrest to the fold. Instead, he will head west to compete at the next level.

“The biggest thing I kind of noticed the last couple of weeks is just the similarity that it seemed like me and David had,” Forrest said. “He’s done all the things I want to achieve. The fact that we’re similar in a lot of ways with how we wrestle and on and off the mat, I think that’s been the real game-changer.”

Forrest also told Flo he envisions starting his college career out as a freshman instead of sitting out and waiting. “I think I’m going to be 141 or 149 pounder,” he said.

Penn State still has just one Class of 2026 commit

Penn State currently has one verbal commitment in the Class of 2026. It is from a teammate of Bassett’s and Forrest’s, Sam Herring. He competes at 138 pounds. He is FloWrestling’s No. 20 pound-for-pound wrestler in the Class of 2026 and No. 20 on MatScout’s junior big board.

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Braeden Davis injury update and more Penn State wrestling notes

Bo Bassett decision reaction, Tyler Kasak moves to No. 1 at 157, Penn State weekend preview: BWI wrestling show

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