Five More 2028 Face-off Specialists Dominating This Summer

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I wrote two pieces last year on the 2028 face-off specialist class, with <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/12/imlca-players-summit-who-owned-the-x-in-the-2028-division/" id="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/12/imlca-players-summit-who-owned-the-x-in-the-2028-division/">the main one </a>coming <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/12/imlca-players-summit-who-owned-the-x-in-the-2028-division/" id="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/12/imlca-players-summit-who-owned-the-x-in-the-2028-division/">after the IMLCA Player Summit in the winter</a>. A lot of those names are still proving to be dominant, starting with [player_tooltip player_id='166416' first='Andrew' last='Grosso'], who missed the summer but did more than enough in the spring to remind people where he stands. [player_tooltip player_id='166426' first='Luke' last='Druhot'] is another name that remains firmly in that group. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Others I have covered before who deserve to be part of the conversation include [player_tooltip player_id='171339' first='MJ' last='Maraglino'], [player_tooltip player_id='165866' first='Karl' last='Robison'], [player_tooltip player_id='172196' first='Zuva' last='Chakabva'], [player_tooltip player_id='172858' first='Tyler' last='Pinardi'], [player_tooltip player_id='172200' first='Cole' last='Bradford'], [player_tooltip player_id='172202' first='Colton' last='Korpan'], [player_tooltip player_id='143729' first='Drake' last='Smoter'], [player_tooltip player_id='166611' first='Luca' last='Santucci'], [player_tooltip player_id='120663' first='Ethan' last='Suwankosai'], [player_tooltip player_id='173486' first='Paul' last='Taraborelli'], [player_tooltip player_id='179135' first='Gus' last='Cherenek'], and [player_tooltip player_id='179137' first='Nate' last='Cooper'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are plenty more worth discussing, but here are five more who have shown similar dominance this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["166674"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4d5cbf5a9f9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Despite being out for much of the summer, Ricci's spring was strong enough that college coaches won't forget him. He is not a FOGO. He is a lacrosse player who also takes face-offs. His spring numbers at Victor back that up: 46 goals and 9 assists while winning 78% of his 490 draws. The way he wins face-offs often looks effortless. He comes away with so many clean wins because of his elite hand speed and the constant chess match he plays at the dot. On film, one of the most striking parts of his game is how often he wins with the reverse clamp, a move that is not just fun to watch but highly effective in his style of play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">He is a nightmare to game-plan for because opponents know they are likely to lose the draw and may also have to slide to him right after or in the flow of the offense. It does not really matter who matches up with him, because he can dodge from different spots on the field and get all the way to the rack. He uses his body well to engage defenders, and he has both the shot and creativity to score in a variety of ways.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["143808"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4d5cbf5aa79"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I was only at Best in Class for one day, but Azevedo looked like the best FOGO at the event, both on the stat sheet and by the eye test. He is not the biggest kid out there, but his hand speed and quickness give him a real advantage at the stripe. He wins a lot of draws by pinching and popping the ball into space, then using that same burst to get to it first. His quickness also helps him slip pressure, which was important against a Mad Dog National team that clearly wanted to make every draw a fight at NAL. At the IMLCA Summer Players Summit last week, he continued to show his potential for the next level and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaoKqzZhXlV/" id="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaoKqzZhXlV/">took one to the rack against Project Midwest.</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["198088"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4d62bca3ff2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Franssen was absolutely dominant at the IMLCA Summer Players Summit last week, and he was one of the best FOGOs at Showtime. He is not the flashiest player on the field, but his hand speed jumps out right away. He wins a lot of pinch-and-pop draws forward to create transition chances, often forcing teams to stop the break before it gets going. When that happens, he does a good job playing the chess match, whether that means popping the ball through his legs to a wing or pushing it out into space for himself. Once he has the ball, he is quick and slippery enough to work out of trouble and come away with possessions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["166468"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4d5cbf5aad1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Stat-wise, [player_tooltip player_id='166468' first='Jaden' last='Haas'] outperformed the face-off specialist MVP in the Main Stage All-Star Game and added a goal of his own. The best part of his game is how little counters seem to bother him when he is winning on hands. He wins with top-hand strength, stays composed through contact, and does a great job keeping plays alive. He is also very comfortable with the ball, which matters because teams have sent plenty of pressure his way this summer. Even against doubles and triples, he has shown the stick skills and poise to escape and win possessions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["197971"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a4d5cbf5ab35"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Selan's upside is easy to spot because it goes well beyond just his size and face-off ability. He won around 75 percent of his draws in the spring, added 22 goals and 11 assists, and even saw time on the extra-man unit. His bigger body helps him wear through a game, play through contact, and seal off opponents in groundball battles. On top of that, his stick gives him real value in the field, as he throws confidently under pressure, handles his off hand well, and has the kind of step-down shot that should make college coaches double-check his position on the roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->