National ASG 2028s: Offensive Weapons Who Finished Strong

While mid-July's NLF Summer Championships and LI Summer Showdown served as the final two opportunities for clubs to showcase their top talent, this past weekend's National All-Star Games represented the summer's last recruiting event and provided a big stage for players to compete for regional pride.   There's no doubt that established stars like Long Island's Ben Smith, New Jersey's Danny Varone, and the Midwest's Chase Jackson delivered standout performances, but a bevy of players we had yet to feature this summer did as well. These five — along with the next group of offensive weapons we'll highlight in Part II, as well as other positional groups — were all worthy of an in-depth breakdown after finishing their summers in style:    Heading into the final event of the summer, I was already a big fan of Capps' skill set. However, he was able to showcase his offensive prowess much more as a centerpiece of a formidable Pacific Southwest team, given that most eyes are on the five-star trio of West Coast Starz attackmen when Capps is on the club circuit. Wildly skilled and assertive yet always playing within himself, this lefty from LA was rock-solid throughout, constantly finishing appropriately and making huge plays in timely fashion. He's got ideal size and athleticism, plus he can really stretch a defense with his range, thriving both with his feet set and on the run. At his best above the cage, Capp possesses excellent hands and a great first step, winning the lion's share of his matchups and shooting the ball with precision. This past weekend, Capps' performance was one of the biggest revelations of the tournament, and he likely climbed the recruiting boards of several programs in attendance.     Whether he was running out of the box as a midfielder or playing on attack, Cutri was an offensive recruit who strung together several big weekends over the course of the summer and finished strong at NASG. With Eclipse, the offense heavily featured three or four recruits likely to be slotted in the Top 50, yet Cutri's production and skill set were constantly felt. What I love the most about his game is how he takes advantage of the touches he gets and the multitude of ways in which he's able to make plays. Cutri can turn the corner and finish smoothly, get up the hash and net jumpers, pr initiate on wing dodges and get back to the middle and finish high-percentage takes. He has a clear understanding of spacing and off-ball work, and his feet are constantly moving without the ball, plus he's got excellent stick skills. Having put up 37 goals and 16 assists before a breakthrough summer circuit, he helped his stock tremendously over the last several months.     Showcasing an excitable style of play, there's both flash and plenty of substance in Dessi's game. The lefty utilizes outstanding footwork and quickness with nasty hockey stops and ankle-breaking dodges, making it rather difficult for defenders to get their hands on him. Although he's by no means a pass-first attackman, having put up 56 goals and 26 assists for one of the best teams in Section 1, several of the best plays he made this weekend were Instagram-worthy skip passes for assists through the defense when he wasn't making defenders look silly. When dodging to score, he can get up the hash with the best of them, or fill up a stat sheet off the catch and show off his range.     Led by its five-star midfielder and dynamic attack unit, Leading Edge's top six on offense — not to mention its depth — is about as good as it gets on the '28 club circuit. While McGinn is simply too talented to ever get overlooked, the National All-Star Games gave him one more opportunity to showcase his game. To me, he's among the best shooters in the class, consistently picking corners with impressive precision. McGinn is creative with his release points and is constantly creating separation and getting his hands free in different ways. He can kick things into another gear on long dodges when he subs in out of the box, but he's just as dangerous catching passes fully loaded and letting it fly before goalies can get a read. Two goals stood out in particular this past weekend: a ridiculous around-the-world finish as the quarter expired against the Midwest, and a beautiful sequence where he froze the defense with a convincing fake before switching hands and burying one.     I developed an even greater appreciation for Novak's game at NASG, where he was a key offensive piece and came up with several clutch plays during the Midwest's championship run. Novak scored the tying goal and game-winner in an OT victory over New Jersey, then posted 1G/1A in the title game, including a timely third-quarter rebound in the win over Team Maryland. An energetic and slick dodger, he dodges with purpose, getting to his spots then delivering remarkably well-placed shots. There's a clear competitiveness about him, too, and that manifests in the riding game. He's a gifted passer, a determined playmaker with the ball in his stick, and overall, just a talented and intelligent lacrosse player with upside.

While mid-July's NLF Summer Championships and LI Summer Showdown served as the final two opportunities for clubs to showcase their top talent, this past weekend's National All-Star Games represented the summer's last recruiting event and provided a big stage for players to compete for regional pride.