Nebraska All-American Antrell Taylor ready to 'dominate' after moving down a weight class

Antrell Taylor is moving down a weight class as his confidence is going up.

Taylor got his first taste of college wrestling last season when he placed eighth at nationals, earning All-America honors at 165 pounds as a Nebraska redshirt freshman.

Now Taylor is expected to be one of the nations best at 157.

Last year, I came into the weight class a little undersized, so I really didnt know what to expect.

I hoped I could win this match, win that match, Taylor said.

This year, I just have a completely different mindset.

I just want to go out and dominate.

Taylor wants that to start Friday when the No.

3 Huskers open their season against Utah Valley at the Devaney Center at 6 p.m.

Utah Valley competes in the Big 12 for wrestling and opened its season last weekend by splitting two duals, including a 29-12 loss to No.

15 Stanford.

Utah Valleys top individual is Terrell Barraclough, who is ranked sixth at 165.

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UCLA Nebraska has individuals ranked in all 10 weight classes, six of whom are rated seventh or better.

We have a really great nucleus coming back and were super pumped about the season and where this team can go, coach Mark Manning said.

One of our best teams on paper.

Taylor is one of the highly ranked Huskers as hes No.

4 at 157 by InterMat.

(For me), 157 definitely is a more natural weight, Taylor said.

I feel faster, stronger.

Its just a perfect weight class for me.

Taylor wrestled at 165 last year as Peyton Robb occupied the 157 starting role since 2020.

Robb exhausted his eligibility in March, finishing as a four-time All-American.

Taylor went 23-10 last year and believes that experience will benefit him at a lighter weight.

Now I can use my power and my speed, Taylor said.

Before at 165, it was hard at times to out-finesse a guy.

A lot of those guys cut from 180 (pounds), those are some big dudes.

Now that Im down at 157, I can use my power and my speed.

In high school, Taylor gradually went up in weight classes as a three-time state champion at Millard South, which overall has won the past six Class A team titles.

Taylor won the 145 title in 2020, went undefeated at 160 as a junior and won at 170 as a senior.

Now Taylor can slide into the 157-pound spot.

Before Robb, James Green was a four-time All-American at that weight for NU.

Green now is a Husker assistant and last month he competed at the Senior World championships for the seventh time.

I trained with James all the way to his World trials this summer.

I worked with James about every day, honestly.

Hes always in the room, said Taylor, who also worked with Robb.

It helped me jump levels this summer.

They helped with my hand-fighting and getting to attacks on both sides of the body.

Three other All-Americans return for the Huskers.

Brock Hardy is back at 141 pounds after placing third, Caleb Smith at placed sixth at 125 and Ridge Lovett was sixth at 149.

In this years rankings, Smith is third at 125, Hardy fourth at 141, Lovett fifth at 149, Silas Allred sixth at 184 and Lenny Pinto seventh at 174.

Last season, Lovett was top-ranked at 149 throughout the regular season and won the Big Ten title before losing his last three matches at nationals.

Hes one of our leaders of our team and hes really driven, Manning said of Lovett.

You have to have a growth mindset and Ridge has really bought into that, that I got to get better and I have to bring my best effort each and every time.

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