After failing to punch a ticket to the French capital, David Taylor switched gears and took an unconventional route off the mat. The “Magic Man” turned heads when he stepped into the wrestling head coach role at Oklahoma State University earlier this year. The 2024-25 season has started, and numerous talents have catapulted into the spotlight. However, with the recruiting process currently underway, many NCAA wrestlers are looking to make a mark on the mat. 

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist earned his iconic nickname from an illustrious career of dominating the mat as a collegiate and professional wrestler. However, as he enters his first season as the Cowboy’s head coach, numerous rising wrestling stars dream of training under his legendary guidance. Amid a busy recruiting season, the 34-year-old sprinkled some magic on the college recruiting trail by putting together one of the best potential recruiting classes at Oklahoma State. Looking forward to the next steps, the head coach has a message for aspiring wrestlers. What did he say? Keep reading to find out!

OSU head coach, David Taylor, gives his honest take on recruitment

This might be the Magic Man’s first rodeo, but he seems to be fitting right in with ease. In David Taylor’s first recruiting cycle, OSU announced 10 high school seniors’ signing. This group included three of the top six recruits of the country, one of them being #3 LaDarion Lockett. They even locked down #5 Landon Robideau and #6 Sergio Vega. On December 4, the former Nittany Lion was asked what he thought of the recruiting window. Without holding back, he opined, “I think that’s really cool.”

However, the 34-year-old has more to say. He reiterated how exciting the recruiting process could be for a rising star because they would receive their signing dates during it. “I mean, kids work their whole lives to get recruited and go to a play they want to go. And when you got like a dream to go to a certain school, you get a chance to go there, I just think it’s more meaningful, you know, the process,” he stated. The Olympian has been through this as a collegiate athlete before. 

As OSU’s head coach, he witnessed the exact scenario from the other side. David Taylor admitted that he can see the joy in the kid’s eyes when he interacts and engages with them. Yes, the process is meaningful. But he believes that as a coach, he yearns to help them fulfill their goals during this time. “Everyone’s got different types of goals, but you know, part of that is just wrestle where you want to wrestle, you know? So, I think that’s a cool thing,” he added. 

The Magic Man does think that the ethics of recruiting wrestlers who verbally committed but haven’t officially signed is “a bit of a Wild West.” He understands that the landscape is constantly evolving, and this means that the teams have to keep up with the changes. Even though OSU stepped into the recruiting game late, the door will always be open for recruits eager to join the program. Well, there might be a certain someone who has been dropping numerous hints about joining the Cowboys. Who could it be?

Bo Bassett has been dropping hints about his NCAA future

The 18-year-old has been making waves with his unusual recruiting process. He started with a list of 80 colleges, which is slowly being cut down as every week goes by. While he is done with major college visits already done, Bo Bassett visited the dominant Oklahoma State University. However, his visit has caught numerous eyes, with many looking forward to him joining the Cowboys. 

After a successful professional career on the mat, David Taylor has changed the course for the OSU wrestling team. He helped them set a new all-time high with their performance. In fact, they went on to defeat Wyoming at home for the first time by 32-6 at Gallagher-Iba Arena and saw the wrestling prodigy in attendance.

The wrestler has been just as dominant on the mat. Moreover, his addition to the Cowboys could be a great addition under the Magic Man’s guidance. The Bishop McCort Catholic alum visited Oklahoma State University with Jax Forrest and enjoyed a two-day visit to the campus. 

B0 Bassett had the chance to enjoy training alongside the dominant team. He also got to partake in photoshoots and attend the winning match against Wyoming. Isn’t that exciting? He even shared the news with fans on Instagram about the visit, “Great visit to Oklahoma State. Stillwater loves wrestling. If you climb in the saddle, be ready for the ride. Cowboy is a breed tougher than nails and strong as steel,” the wrestler stated. Will we be able to see David Taylor and the wrestling prodigy on the same team anytime soon? We will just have to wait and watch.