2027s Are Rolling: The Seven 9/1 Announcements in Review

Once the clock struck midnight on the 1st, recruitment officially started up for the Class of 2027. Seven juniors announced their respective decisions, while a small handful more committed but didn't announce until the following day.   In today's piece, we break down the 9/1 verbals to Cornell (x2), Michigan, Princeton, Harvard, Notre Dame, and Harvard.    Known for often thinking outside of the box from a recruiting standpoint, Cornell quickly took a commitment from Oklahoma's Gus Griffin, who became the first '27 to go public on 9/1. A tall offensive weapon, Griffin is at home on the right-handed wing and gets up the hash with regularity when working from behind. With the ball in his stick, he's more of a poor approach dodger right now, but he's even more capable without the rock and makes a living off of timely cuts. Griffin shoots it well from range and has shown well as a feeder, executing a number of pretty assists in his highlight tape. Given the competition he faces in the Sooner State, it will be intriguing to see where his game is in a few years, but there's clearly a lot that the Cornell staff will be able to work with once he eventually arrives on campus.     The 3d Georgia 2027s are one of my favorite Southern club teams to watch in recent memory, and Parham was among the players who caught my eye this fall and summer. It was beyond apparent that the 5'8, 165-pound junior had Hampton at the top of his list (his brother is a freshman midfielder there), as he wasted no time by committing to the Pirates and new head coach Vincent Culpepper. Although Parham doesn't necessarily pass the eye test, he plays bigger than he is, especially on the defensive end, where he can put the clamps on much bigger dodgers. He gets up the field in the blink of an eye and has the stick skills and range to push the pace in transition.     Danny will be one of four Weller brothers on Michigan's roster in the fall of 2027, with eldest brother Jackie expected to return on a medical redshirt after missing all but two games this past season. The Wellers are cut from the right cloth— tough and competitive — so it's no surprise that Michigan is betting on the youngest of the four, whose best lacrosse seems to be ahead of him. His stick skills and footwork have taken noticeable strides since the fall, and he's shown the versatility to thrive both down low and up top, playing with increased poise and confidence throughout the summer. He has a knack for making instinctive 'heads up' plays on defense and on the wings of face-offs, where he's consistently created opportunities with the ball in his stick. I have him pegged for a breakout junior year with the Big Green.     Early in the summer, Paik stood out as one of the best poles at Maverik Showtime — the ultimate measuring stick — where he made a significant impact in the middle of the field. Possessing a high motor, Paik does a terrific job of getting physical with ball-carriers, laying big hits while keeping penalties to a minimum. He's surgical with his checks but not overzealous, and tends to be a force in the riding and clearing game thanks to his assertiveness. Going forward, continuing to polish his 1v1 cover ability will be crucial, though that's the case for the lion's share of longstick midfield prospects at this age. It's evident that he was a priority recruit for Princeton, and it's a really good fit on both sides.     Like Griffin, the No. 40 junior wasted no time in pulling the trigger on Cornell, which has built a strong recent track record of recruiting both high-level goalie recruits and the greater Philly area as a whole. Ippoldo started and excelled for the Explorers as a starter this past season, then carried over that success to the summer circuit. He helped separate himself from a pack of outstanding '27 goalies due to his elite ability out of the crease, among other qualities, constantly throwing outlets on a rope and showing off his athleticism and hustle. Ippoldo is incredibly poised in cage, demonstrating outstanding hand speed and instincts along with the unflappability required to play the position.     The son of two Harvard alums, Petruccelli pledged to the Crimson at 1:30 in the morning, <a href="https://boys.team91lacrosse.com/2027-machine-marco-petruccelli-manhasset-commits-to-harvard/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMm1-ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFkNEU3a0lXMGVZTVdBR1lNAR5_ONUMb_BBkNVhxUrU2UwqaQ_NIWHmcXTLg8clP0j8J_AL1yNKF99w7rm4Hw_aem_W_Ewspr8-lcAaF8q_LgzNw">according to Matt Chandik's commitment story on the Team 91 website</a>. Posting 36 points as a sophomore, the savvy left-hander is one of the better passing midfielders in the entire class. He stacked up intelligent and impressive plays all summer while showing off his two-handedness, consistently making plays happen even when forced to his off-hand. Petruccelli has really strong footwork and burst as a dodger, and although he isn't the biggest cat out there, he's able to put some serious zip on the ball as a shooter. Written up at Showtime after making the All-Star Game, he was also an All-Star at Main Stage, so Petruccelli ended the summer with an excellent body of work at both individual and team events.     Set to follow in his father's footsteps in South Bend, Denvir already boasts an impressive multi-sport résumé. A three-sport varsity athlete, he can dunk a basketball and earned All-League honors in football. On the lacrosse field, he's expected to take on a much larger role now that two of Rye's standout defensive recruits have graduated to Princeton and Notre Dame. In mid-July, Denvir caught my eye at the LI Summer Showdown with his long, rangy frame and mean disposition, as well as his footwork. He uses his length to his advantage when playing angles or closing out on shots, and he's strong around GLE with disciplined approaches. As he continues to sharpen his stick skills and grow more confident in his 1v1 coverage (which will come with more varsity experience), his development will be well worth tracking.

Once the clock struck midnight on the 1st, recruitment officially started up for the Class of 2027. Seven juniors announced their respective decisions, while a small handful more committed but didn't announce until the following day.