It’s that time of year when high school wrestling stars like Jax Forrest and Bo Bassett make their big moves, and already, the excitement is through the roof! Only yesterday, Bassett, who is considered as the number one recruit in the Class of 2026, finally announced his decision. The high school wrestler from Bishop McCort with an unblemished 110-0 record and a 2024 PIAA champion preferred the Hawkeyes over the likes of Penn State, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech. The wrestling world was already on fire, but Bassett summed it up best himself: “I think this is a dream,” he said with a smile.

But wait, it does not end here! The rumor mills got even more active at this stage. A source close to wrestling from Oklahoma suggested that Bassett’s high school companion, Jax Forrest, might be the next to make headlines. The buzz? Oklahoma State could be his destination.

Seth Duckworth—covering Oklahoma’s high school and college wrestling scene like a hawk, hopped on X on February 5 to spill some serious tea. He shared a Flo Wrestling video where Jax Forrest himself let the world know that the clock is ticking on his college decision. “What’s up guys, Jax Forrest here. Just want to let you know I’m coming to that decision time. My top four schools are Iowa, Oklahoma State, Penn State, and Ohio State, and I will be committing Thursday on FRL.” Yeah, it’s getting real.

Well, here is the rather interesting part. Duckworth went on to provide some more information, revealing that wrestling legend David Taylor was spotted in Forrest’s high school this week. That’s right. The Oklahoma wrestling team head coach was physically in the territory of the nation’s No. 2 ranked wrestler at the Bishop McCort High School. And if that was not enough to spice things up, Taylor has some good connections with Dee Lockett and JJ McComas, both of whom have been associated with Oklahoma State for quite some time now.

As Duckworth put it, “David Taylor was reportedly at his high school this week. He’s close with Dee Lockett and JJ McComas and has always been linked to OSU. Teammate Bo Bassett just committed to Iowa.” So, what’s the move from Forrest going to be? With his high school teammate Bo Bassett heading to Iowa, will Jax shake things up and roll with Oklahoma State, or will another powerhouse swoop in last minute?

Jax Forrest, ranked No. 1 in the nation at 132 pounds, is already making waves. Last year, as a junior at Bishop McCort, he was 53-2 and won the PIAA Class 2A title at 127 pounds. He’s also a beast on the international stage, where Jax Forrest won the second place at the 2022 U17 World Championships and also a fourth place at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in 57 kg freestyle.

With his high school teammate Bo Bassett, they are a force that puts Bishop McCort in the running for the PIAA Class 2A championship this weekend. But here is the kicker–why didn’t Bo choose OSU? That’s got fans talking!

Jax Forrest’s teammate reveals the reason for choosing OSU

Bo Bassett made his much anticipated choice and will be sporting the black and yellow, becoming part of legends such as Patrick Kennedy, Kyle Parco, and Spencer Lee. Bassett will be in the hands of the three-time NCWA Coach of the Year, Tom Brands, and ready to launch his career to new heights. But here’s the twist! Despite the lure of David Taylor’s coaching, Bo chose Iowa. Now, that’s a move that had everyone raising eyebrows!

Bo was not hesitant when asked about his decision and he could not help but smile and recall how he grew up admiring Iowa: “I’ve always wanted to be an Iowa Hawkeye and I think that’s you know, there’s nothing right there. I mean that’s something I didn’t forget since I was six years old,” he told ‘Saturday Night Lights’ on Twitter. And the icing on the cake? Bo even explained that Iowa’s style of wrestling just meshed well with him.

“I don’t know why I just love the way they wrestle. They’re very similar to the McCort Room, right?” Now it is obvious that he was searching for a college with the atmosphere that was similar to the one he had in his high school team, the one that helped shape him into the wrestler he is today. After all, it was at Bishop McCort that he rose to become an U17 World Champion in 2021 and won a U20 World bronze in 2024 with the help of his coach and father, Bill Bassett. Talk about family legacy and future greatness! So what do you think? Where will Jax Forrest commit? Let us know in the comments!