Power Ranking Iowa Wrestling’s Current Lineup by How Enjoyable They Are to Watch Right Now

10. Jesse Ybarra-125 pounds

Not really meant to be a knock on Ybarra, as he's the third-string guy at 125. Still, he doesn't show much to get excited about.

9. Jacob Warner-197 pounds

Watching him wrestle is like getting your teeth pulled (particularly if you're an Iowa fan). He always wrestles people close, but that's not necessarily a good thing. If you're looking for excitement, you better hope Warner's opponent does something big.

8. Kaleb Young-157 pounds

He's a lot like Warner at times, but his matches will occasionally open up a bit from a scoring perspective. Young will also beat unranked opponents by more than one takedown, which Warner often fails to do.

7. Abe Assad-184 pounds

A little bit of recency bias here (he had an unimpressive performance this afternoon even though he won), otherwise Assad would have probably moved up a spot or two. Some of my ranking here is about expectations, and I feel that Assad is performing approximately where I'd expect him to. That can be fun at times, but uninspiring on other occasions.

6. Jaydin Eierman-141 pounds

Eierman being this low is largely due to what I came to expect from him after last year's campaign. While he's winning all the matches he absolutely should win, he's winning them without the bonus points and cradles that made him such a mesmerizing wrestler last year. Last season, I might have ranked him just behind Spencer Lee on the team. He was that fun to watch. He needs to level up in the next couple weeks (I think he can). It's worth noting here that Eierman is dealing with a hand injury, so he does have that excuse. However, I've heard from a reliable source that excuses are for wusses, so he just needs to step it up.

5. Max Murin-149 pounds

This is probably one of the more surprising selections, but I just think Murin's been performing well enough to be here on the list. He's not a superstar wrestler, but he grinds hard every match, and I think his maximization of his talent at 149 is worth admiring.

4. Alex Marinelli-165 pounds

He's turned the corner a bit (I would have ranked him around 7 or 8 two weeks ago), but "The Bull" still has more to show. He's clearly a very gifted wrestler, but he can be a bit slow at times on the mat. His power is unquestioned, but his ability to score points is less impressive than the other elite wrestlers on the team. Still, he wins, and that's pretty enjoyable.

3. Tony Cassioppi-Heavyweight

Cassioppi is rounding into elite form right now, and it's looking like the weight cut might have been a good decision after all. He's always been nimble for his size, but he's got an extra half-step of quickness this year that more than makes up for his lack of sheer weight compared to last season. His win over Penn State's Greg Kerkvliet was an eye-opener, and now the question is whether or not he's made the necessary gains to topple Michigan's Mason Parris. Big Tony has always been a fan-favorite, but he's wrestling like a man possessed after dropping a couple matches earlier this year.

2. Austin Desanto-133 pounds

Despite his loss to elite distance runner Roman Bravo-Young last Friday, Desanto has been a terror for everyone he's wrestled dating back to last year's national tournament. His relentless attacks have always enthralled fans, and his confidence in taking shots has gone up another level this season. He's good enough to win the title this year, but he'll go down swinging even if he doesn't win it all.

1. Michael Kemerer-174 pounds

A perfect blend of skill, positioning, and jaw-dropping quickness, Kemerer is absolutely sensational. Despite sporting a massive arm sling (supporting a potentially torn labrum), he took defending champion Carter Starocci to the wire (and arguably should have won outright). He scores points in bunches, and he does it in such a diverse way. More than any other wrestler on the team, I really hope Kemerer is able to bring home an individual title this season. He's been in the program for so long, but beyond that he's the consummate professional and a dazzling wrestler night in and night out. On a team filled with incredibly accomplished competitors, Kemerer stands out as the most thoroughly enjoyable wrestler on the Hawkeyes.