Top 2020 Wrestler Robbie Howard Commits To Penn State Wrestling
Cael Sanderson’s dynasty may never die.
Penn State wrestling, winners of seven of the last eight national championships and well on its way to an eight title in nine years, picked up a commitment from one of the top high school wrestlers in the 2020 class. Robbie Howard of New Jersey wrestler powerhouse Bergen Catholic picked Penn State over Iowa and Michigan on Wednesday afternoon.
Moments after committing, Howard had already demonstrated that he will fit in with the Nittany Lions. He knows what he’s getting himself into by joining college wrestling’s version of the Evil Empire and has the same self-confident expectations that already emanate through the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex.
“I’m gonna turn into a villain real quick and I’m gonna be on the team that everyone hates,” he told FlowWrestling. “Penn State is the place I can do what I want and have the career that someone like me should have. I have high standards, and Penn State has high standards. If I’m held to those standards by the coaching staff, I can win as many as national championships as possible.”
N I T T A N Y L I O N
— Robert Howard (@Robbie__Howard) December 5, 2018#WeAre pic.twitter.com/1ZFlepqlc6
Howard is ranked as the No. 1 126-pounder in the country heading into his junior season with the Crusaders. He’s 69-4 and a two-time state finalist in the loaded NJSIAA tournament, most recently winning it this past March. FloWrestling rates Howard as the No. 1 overall recruit at 133 lbs., which he plans to move up to in college.
Howard, a two-time world team member, told Flo that he will likely redshirt during the 2021-22 season and make his college debut at 133 lbs. Current true freshman Roman Bravo-Young would then move up to 141 lbs. following the graduation of Nick Lee. Considering Lee just burned his redshirt less than a year ago, the fact that we’re discussing how his graduation will affect Penn State’s lineup demonstrates how much planning is required to make room for the surplus of talent Sanderson harvests every cycle.
After his visit to Michigan, Howard tweeted that his weekend was “100% incredible,” much to the chagrin of two-time national champion and fashion police Vincenzo Joseph.
Fortunately for Howard and for Penn State fans, he won’t be wearing much maize.
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