Johnny Thompson wasn?t the highest recruit coming out of high school. He had won a State Title in Oklahoma but that was it (He never wrestled freestyle). Yet he had something special in store for his wrestling. No one foresaw, except maybe Johnny, the success on the collegiate level. His red shirt year he exploded to surprise first his team by winning the spot and then the country by getting to the National Finals. He lost but was back the next year and proved it was no fluke and won the national tournament. His Junior year he repeated.

In the end Johnny Thompson was a 4 time all-american and 2xNational Champion.