New Balance All-America Games: 2027 Middies

The New Balance All-America Games served as one of the final proving grounds of the summer for the 2027 class, and several midfielders made the most of their opportunity. With September 1st fast approaching—the first day college coaches can directly contact rising juniors—these players boosted their stock in a major way. Whether it was dodging through contact, making high-IQ plays on both ends, or pushing transition, this group demonstrated the skill and versatility that recruiters are looking for at the next level.    This dodge-heavy midfielder can hurt you in so many ways. He's a high-level athlete with the speed to blow past most short sticks and the strength to initiate contact and control the matchup. What makes him even more dangerous is how deceptive he is—his ability to change posture mid-dodge and throw in quick hitches makes him a nightmare to defend in space and difficult to slide to. He loves to sweep across the top, and when he gets his hands free, it's usually bad news for the defense. His athleticism, physicality, and dodging nuance makes him a midfielder you want to take note of.     The Boys' Latin product is a short-stick defensive midfielder I'm buying stock in after his showing with Team Baltimore at the New Balance All-America event. Anecharico fits the modern SSDM mold to a T. He has a strong upper body that allows him to jam dodgers early and often, plus the quick, choppy feet needed to stay glued to shifty midfielders. He's relentless on groundballs and consistently makes smart, high-effort plays in transition. Anecharico brings toughness, technique, and tempo to the SSDM spot—exactly what college coaches will be looking for come September.     Holm can do a little bit of everything. He was a true do-it-all midfielder for Team Philadelphia at the New Balance All-America event, scoring off dodges, tallied assists, contributing on both EMO and defense, and setting some of the most well-timed picks of the weekend. Holm plays fast and physical, showing great vision and ball skill throughout. On a stacked Philly team, he found ways to impact the game even when he wasn't putting up points. His ability to set picks with perfect timing—right as the dodge initiates—and place them in high-danger areas showed a high IQ and feel for team offense.     Luke Weisel teed off against the West Team at the New Balance All-America event, putting up a goal, two assists, and countless ground balls and hustle plays between the lines. It felt like he was on every wing for Philadelphia's 12-5 win, constantly impacting the game in both directions. Weisel is the definition of a gamer—he makes plays no matter his role. Offensively, he can initiate and draw slides, and he's fully capable of putting up multiple points. Defensively, he has quick feet, plays with urgency, and picks the ball off the turf to spark transition. Whether it's offense, defense, or wing play, Weisel does whatever it takes to tilt the field in his team's favor.     A midfielder on the Upstate team caught my attention when he scored on a righty rollback with a Baltimore defender draped all over him. That midfielder was Matthew Niedzialek, who ended up with two goals in that game. He's a shifty dodger who can shoot with either hand, but his money-maker is his righty stepdown—he doesn't need much time or space to let it fly. Niedzialek's versatility, toughness, and ability to create offense out of tight windows will make him a player to keep an eye on.     “Slippery” is the word that best describes Maxwell's game. At the New Balance All-America event, he scored twice against Team DC—once off an S-dodge and again with a slick windup-to-under move. He loves to bait defenders with his signature windup, forcing them to overcommit before blowing by them for a shot or feed. While he ran out of the box at this event, he plays attack for Derryfield (NH), where he racked up an impressive 29 goals and 65 assists this spring. That offensive IQ shows—his vision in the middle of the field and ability to thread passes to cutters or skip lanes was a major weapon all weekend.

The New Balance All-America Games served as one of the final proving grounds of the summer for the 2027 class, and several midfielders made the most of their opportunity. With September 1st fast approaching—the first day college coaches can directly contact rising juniors—these players boosted their stock in a major way. Whether it was dodging through contact, making high-IQ plays on both ends, or pushing transition, this group demonstrated the skill and versatility that recruiters are looking for at the next level.