Rutgers Wrestling land top five national recruit in New Jersey's PJ Casale
Rutgers wrestling’s 2022 recruiting class just got a little deeper. One of New Jersey and the nation’s top upper weights, PJ Casale (Delbarton, NJ), gave his verbal commitment to the Scarlet Knights on Tuesday morning. Casale, who was originally committed to Lehigh University, decommitted from the Mountain Hawks earlier this year to reopen his recruitment.
Casale immediately became a highly sought-after recruit when he finished fith in the New Jersey state tournament as a freshman at 220-pounds. Casale followed up his fifth place finish with a state title as a sophomore, again competing at 220-pounds.
SIGN UP AND GET TKR PREMIUM FREE FOR 30 DAYS — CLICK HERE
In 2021, the New Jersey high school wrestling season was pushed back to the months of February through April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, causing the New Jersey state tournament to overlap with the Cadet World Team Trials. Rather than defending his state title, where he was an overwhelming favorite to repeat as champion, Casale opted to try and make the Cadet World Team with fellow state champion and training partner, Jimmy Mullen of St. Joe’s Montvale. Casale finished second at the trials, falling short of making the Cadet World Team, but proving once again that he is one of the top upper weight prospects in the country.
Heading into his senior year, Casale will likely not be tested as he makes a run at a second state title and third state podium appearance. Casale currently sits at No. 34 on Flowrestling’s Class of 2022 Big Board, and is ranked No. 3 in the country at 220-pounds.
Casale’s commitment adds to what is becoming a very talented 2022 recruiting class for Rutgers. Casale joins fellow in-state commit, Brian Soldano, who is ranked 12th on Flowrestling’s Class of 2022 Big Board and 2nd at 182-pounds, and Pennsylvania’s Brandon Chletsos, who is ranked 13th at 138-pounds.
With Casale being a four-year starter at 220-pounds, it has fans wondering will he go 197-pounds or heavyweight once he gets to college? Standing at 6 feet, one inch tall, Casale certainly has the height and frame to go heavyweight if he were to put on some weight. Also, with friend, training partner, and top ranked heavyweight Jimmy Mullen at the next weight class up, it did give reason for Casale to not put on some pounds throughout high school.
Regardless of what weight Casale chooses to go, Rutgers wrestling is getting a versatile and athletic wrestler who will be a nightmare for opponents, regardless of what weight he goes. Many upper weights in high school are football players that wrestle. Casale is a wrestler that plays football. His weight class does not correlate with his style of wrestling and skillset.
Casale often wrestles with a very low stance, sometimes with a hand on the mat, similar to how a 106-pounder would wrestle. While in that low stance, Casale can fire off several different explosive shots, and will scramble to score if need be. As with most recruits, there will be some growing pains for Casale, but he will adjust quickly to the collegiate style, and has the ability to become a key contributor for Rutgers within his first couple of years in the program.
| WEIGHT CLASS | NAME | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|
|
126lbs |
Notre Dame High School (PA) |
|
|
132lbs |
Boonton High School (NJ) |
|
|
195lbs |
High Point High School (NJ |
|
|
220lbs |
Delbarton School (NJ) |
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel