The second edition of the NLF Class of 2027 rankings are here.
It’s a familiar top 3 as Moe Sobel (IMG Academy, Fla. / Prime Time), JT Cross (Valor Christian, Colo.) and James Holbrough (Berkshire, Mass.) reprise their exact roles from the first rankings this spring.
Teddy Oh (Taft, Conn. / ADVNC / West Coast Starz) is the biggest riser in the new rankings. The talented California native was outstanding in the cage this summer and proved that he was one of the elite stoppers in a very strong goalie class. Anthony Asaro (Garden City, N.Y.) is another new five-star after putting together a dynamic spring and outstanding summer.
Here’s a breakdown of the top 10. CLICK HERE for the full top 100 and check back soon for more 2027 recruiting coverage.
No. 1 Moe Sobel, goalie, IMG Academy (Fla.) / Prime Time
Sobel retains his title as the No. 1 prospect in the class after a strong summer. He’ll transfer to IMG Academy after a dominant sophomore season at Philly’s Springside Chestnut Hill. The South Jersey native denied 68 percent of shots sent his way en route to a rare sophomore All-American nod. Sobel is one of the best and most unique goalie prospects that the game has seen. He has elite athleticism, combined with a 6-5, 190-pound frame that allows him to cover so much of the net. Sobel also draws praises for his advanced knowledge of the game. In a class with a ton of talented players, Sobel stays at No. 1 because a player with his upside doesn’t come along very often. He’ll end up in the ACC or the Big Ten.
No. 2 JT Cross, attack, Valor Christian (Colo.)
Cross and No. 3 James Holbrough aren’t separated by much on most schools’ boards. Cross gets the nod because he’s considered to be a touch more athletic to go along with a 6-3 frame and might have a little more upside because of his age.
“I like Cross because he does a little bit more. He’s a pure QB with unreal vision. He doesn’t need the ball to score, and he’s just a little bit different,” one assistant coach at a top-5 program said.
Cross racked up 53 goals and doled out 32 assists en route to earning All-America honors as a sophomore at Valor Christian, which made it to the Colorado state championship game. Cross’ father, Ray, played at Notre Dame, and the Irish will be a contender. Despite that, everyone’s going to call him, and it doesn’t seem like it’s a lock that he ends up in South Bend.
No. 3 James Holbrough, attack, Berkshire (Mass.)
An incredibly confident and creative player, the Rochester native is elite around the cage. His box lacrosse background is evident in how he handles the rock and he’s put his fair share of defenders in the spin cycle at X before dunking home shots. Holbrough has exceptional footwork and is also an outstanding feeder. He’s able to see the play develop ahead of time, and a slide his way means a pinpoint feed to an open cutter. Holbrough, who tallied 48 times and set up 38 more goals at Berkshire, is almost a certainty to end up in the ACC. Many feel like it could be a Tobacco Road recruiting battle.
No. 4 Riley Woods, attack, Culver (Ind.)
The ball isn’t in Woods’ stick very long before it’s in the back of the net. Far and away the best shooter in the class, the Canadian lit it up for Culver this spring. The lefty sniper finished with 56 goals and 18 assists. More importantly, it’s how he scores those goals. His lightning-quick release means that you always have to pay attention to him. He’s a better dodger than most Canadian finishers are, making him a legitimate threat to beat defenses in a number of ways. The ball comes off of Woods’ stick differently than anyone else in the class. It’s expected that his recruitment will be an Ivy vs. ACC battle.
No. 5 Jagger Zemachson, LSM, Seton Hall Prep (N.J.)
So incredibly disruptive, Zemachson is the most versatile defensive player in the class. He’s spent a lot of time at close defense, which gives him a leg up in coverage over most of his LSM peers. Zemachson is a gamebreaker up top, though. He’s excellent off the ground, comfortable throwing checks anywhere and loves to push the pace offensively. He had four goals and three assists, along with 52 ground balls, as a sophomore for Seton Hall Prep as the Pirates finally broke through in the postseason and won the Kirst Cup. He’s more than likely to end up on an ACC or Big Ten campus.
No. 6 Teddy Oh, goalie, Taft (Conn.) / ADVNC / West Coast Starz
The biggest riser in the rankings, Oh was flat-out brilliant this summer for ADVNC and the West Coast Starz. Coming off of a sophomore year where he stopped 60 percent of shots, Oh was a major reason why his teams won CrabFeast and the NLF National Championships. CLICK HERE to learn more about how he vaulted into the top 10.
No. 7 Leif Anderson, defense, Deerfield (Mass.) / Eclipse
One of the most physically-gifted defenders in the class, Anderson has been a consistent force on the back end for Eclipse. He backed up his five-star ranking everywhere this summer, including when he was the best player at the NLF Elite 120. Anderson is always on the hunt for the ball but has a great blend of on-ball defense, off-ball awareness, stick work and a penchant for pushing transition when he gets out in space. Anderson played a little bit of LSM at Brunswick last spring, but he transferred to Deerfield and should be a force at close defense. It sounds like he’ll narrow his interest to the Ivy League and ACC.
No. 8 Anthony Asaro, midfield, Garden City (N.Y.)
Asaro was outstanding this winter at the IMLCA Players’ Summit and followed it up by leading the Trojans to the Class B state championship. He tallied four times in the final, too, showcasing his big game chops to finish off a 37-goal, 21-assist season. At 6-3, 195 pounds, he’s got the ideal ACC midfielder frame. He looks like he’ll be able to comfortably add more size, too. Asaro is great at getting downhill on the dodge and he drew praise from quite a few college coaches for his feeding ability. Put all of that together and you’ve got the No. 1 midfielder in the class.
No. 9 Ayden Matthews, midfield, Lawrenceville (N.J.)
Matthews had a meteoric rise almost overnight for the Big Red this spring. He went from being third on the SSDM depth chart to torching Deerfield and Salisbury for a hat trick each in the Prep Nationals tournament as Lawrenceville won its third straight. The Ontario native is a fantastic shooter and has the requisite Canadian handle and one-handedness. This summer, he captured an Ontario Jr. A title with Orangeville. A precise lefty sniper who can also play attack, he’ll likely end up in the ACC or Big Ten. He has a brother at Penn State. Will that give the Nittany Lions an edge?
No. 10 Luke St. Pierre, defense, Lawrenceville (N.J.) / Leading Edge
St. Pierre cuts an imposing figure at about 6-1 and 190 pounds. He was a rare sophomore starter for the Big Red this spring. He got to play a more off-ball roll for Lawrenceville, which helped him round out his game. St. Pierre is an excellent cover man who does a great job of shadowing his man without throwing too many checks.
“He’s really good. He’s physical and tough and knows how to play on and off the ball. St. Pierre can really do a lot,” one ACC assistant said.