BREAKING: No. 2 recruit in 2026 Jax Forrest picks Oklahoma State over Penn State

Penn State wrestling is well on its way to winning a fourth consecutive National Championship this March, demonstrated by a 30-8 win over No. 2 Iowa last Friday. The Nittany Lion roster is talent-rich, with multiple former top-10 recruits sitting on the bench behind title contenders at about every weight class.

It appears that the confluence of talent that Cael Sanderson has amassed in Happy Valley could be starting to have an adverse effect on the recruiting trail, as the Nittany Lions have missed on a second top 2026 prospect this week.

On Thursday morning, Jax Forrest announced his commitment to Oklahoma State on FloWrestling Radio Live. He picked the Cowboys over Penn State, Iowa, and Ohio State.

🚨 Oklahoma State gets another one! The #2 Overall Prospect on the Class of 2026 Big Board, Jax Forrest, commits to wrestle for @CowboyWrestling. pic.twitter.com/gDbRfKzD1x

— Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) February 6, 2025

Forrest is the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2026. The 132/133 pounder is currently 35-0 this season with a 94.28% bonus. Last season, Forrest finished with a 53-2 record on his way to an AA PIAA state championship at 127 pounds.

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The announcement comes after Forrest’s Bishop McCort teammate and the top wrestler in the 2026 cycle, Bo Bassett, committed to Iowa on Tuesday. Together, Forrest and Bassett have been a driving force behind Bishop McCort’s success on the mat this season. The school currently ranks No. 2 in the country.

Forrest’s commitment is a massive pickup for new Oklahoma State head coach David Taylor. The Cowboys made a splash this offseason by hiring the former Penn State wrestling great. The move appears to be paying off, as the Cowboys have seen quick success in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail.

While competing with Sanderson and Penn State will require more depth than just one wrestler, landing a prospect like Jax Forrest can help garner interest from other top recruits.

Big picture, many outsiders have felt that Penn State wrestling has become too dominant in the sport over recent years. The same argument has been made for years with Dan Gable at Iowa and during the multiple Oklahoma State championship runs.

David Taylor may be helping shift the tide and offering at least some counterweight to the Cael Sanderson dynasty. The Cowboys’ 34 national titles still outrank even second-place Iowa by twelve, so it makes sense that a blue blood of the sport could return to prominence quickly with the addition of a big-name head coach.

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