Top Uncommitted '26s: Defenders Down South

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!    Class of 2026 defensemen may have committed at a speedy rate, however, there's no shortage of Class of 2026 capable of playing at top programs, even if the majority of D spots have filled up in the Big 10, ACC, and Ivy League.  Now that we've covered a bunch of the top uncommitted defenders in the <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/top-uncommitted-26s-mid-atlantic-defenders/">Mid-Atlantic</a>, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/top-uncommitted-26s-northeast-defenders/">Northeast</a>, and <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/top-uncommitted-26s-defenders-out-west/">West</a> — naturally, a handful of those '26s have since committed — let's head South for a look at six uncommitted defensive recruits.    I'm intrigued by Ryan, who was recently referred my way by a college coach that I trust when it comes to evaluating defensive prospects. A Class C All-State selection who hails from the San Antonio area, he racked up 78 groundballs, 80 caused turnovers, and 18 points as a sophomore, then played with Team UNRL this summer, though it sounds like he's making the switch to Mad Dog this fall. Sifting through his highlight reel shows a multitude of beautiful takeaway checks and shows that he has the mindset required to play the LSM position, as well as the size. A menace between the lines and on the wings, he frequently caught middies slipping with nasty over-the-head checks before triggering transition. After the November circuit, I'd like to see his highlight reel show more of what he can do in team defense rather than just 1v1 and transition.     I absolutely love how hard Neuner plays. He's a relentless competitor who can run all day (of course he plays soccer) and provide a spark in many different ways. I distinctly remember being parked out on the sidelines and seeing him stand out on a wet and muddy field at a late summer event, yet he snuffed out clean GB's and even scored a goal in a huge win over Laxachusetts. Neuner has a great stick and exceptional instincts, which allows him to find the net when no one slides to him or dish it off to a teammate for an assist. As a cover defender, he forces his man into some less-than-stellar shots, and off-ball, he makes an impact as the second slide.     A lot of eyeballs have been on 3d Georgia's backline, and while Georgetown-bound Andrew Pascarella and Villanova LSM commit Grant Chase may get more headlines, Booth seems to serve as the glue of the unit. Big and athletic at 6'1, he's a superb communicator who gets his guys in the right places and does a great job of anticipating what the offense will do. On top of that, he plays picks at a high level and moves well laterally. Sitting in his defensive stance, he's smart and strategic when he throws checks and doesn't get overzealous with his stick, instead relying on his feet and big frame. My guess is that he won't be on the board too much longer.     I'll be really interested to see how Graham makes the jump as a transfer to McDonogh, especially since the Eagles graduated a few critical pieces of its defense. A well-rounded piece of any defense, my hunch is that he'll fight for the No. 2 or No. 3 spot at close, and he'll certainly benefit from the level of coaching and competition that he'll face. His size jumps out, and unlike plenty of defenders that big, he knows how to use it to his advantage and is constantly laying the body when the situation presents itself. Of course, there are times when he gets himself in trouble by throwing too many checks and overextending himself. However, that's something that can easily be coached out of him.     Powers is a lot of fun to watch. After standing out at a plethora of individual events in the winter (<a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2023/12/one-percent-showcase-26-positional-mvps/">including at One Percent, where I wrote him up</a>), he popped on film as a starter for the Winged Beavers and stacked up a lot of impactful plays. He's just a heads-up player who has a knack for finding the ball, whether it's in the opponent's stick or on the ground in a scrum. He lands checks with his feet moving at full speed and quickly collects the ball and heads upfield, and he's tough to keep up with due to his athleticism and motor. I'd like to see him work on his off-ball defense, but otherwise, there's a lot to like.     One of two uncommitted Top 100 juniors, not much more needs to be written about Ivancevic, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/sunshine-states-super-star-watchlist-florida/">who was written up on Wednesday as part of Niko Amato's Florida Watchlist piece</a>. At the NLF Summer Championships in July, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/07/top-class-of-2026-performers-at-the-nlf-national-championships/">I wrote that he helped his recruiting stock as much as anyone in attendance</a>, thriving off the wing, in transition, and when covering his man 1-on-1. He can thrive at both close and LSM, though he's much better suited to play pole at the next level. It sounds like he's slated to visit an ACC program and an Ivy League program later this month. With that said, he'll probably be committed before the November circuit rolls around.

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