2028 Defenders in Massachusetts Who May Be Popular This Fall

New England has long been a proving ground for top-flight defensive prospects, particularly in talent-laden leagues like the NE West and ISL, where iron sharpens iron. In Massachusetts, names like Deerfield's [player_tooltip player_id='181974' first='Brooks' last='Simonds'], a Greenwich, Conn., native; St. Sebastian's [player_tooltip player_id='166482' first='Johnny' last='Hayden'], a BC High transfer; and Rivers School LSM [player_tooltip player_id='143512' first='Nate' last='Swenson'] have already been covered in depth by our scouts this summer, but these five are all worthy of a closer look heading into what's sure to be a busy September for all five recruits.    At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Brodeur is the player your eyes quickly find when you first arrive on a sideline, but his impact goes well beyond his impressive frame. An honorable mention selection in one of the nation's very best leagues, he plays for a school somewhat out of the limelight within the ISL but has already assembled quite a body of work as BB&N's top cover defender. His length and active stick make him disruptive, and he brings a tenacious style of play to every matchup. He's particularly impactful in the passing lanes, consistently getting his stick on passes to disrupt possessions and spark transition the other way. Brodeur slides with authority, and when defending the ball 1v1, he never fails to initiate and maintain contact with his matchup. The 3d New England defense imposed its will against elite opponents all summer, and Brodeur was undoubtedly one of the primary reasons why.     I watched a ton of Tabor this spring, and DeVito was consistently impressive, making life difficult for some of the ISL's more capable goal-scorers. Quite frankly, he was one of my favorite 2028 close defenders I saw during the high school season. DeVito consistently gets leverage against his opponents, getting underneath dodgers and staying on their hands to prevent them from making plays. He has the athleticism and foot speed to run with most, along with the kind of defensive posture, both on and off the ball, that DCs tend to look for. His stick is always in the right position, and he has plenty of strength to push guys off their line. He can play LSM in a pinch, too, and often did for Laxachusetts, pressing out and wreaking havoc when the time was right. I love his hands and footwork, and felt like he did plenty this summer — including earning All-Star Game honors at Main Stage — to put himself in a great position heading into 9/9     Set to transfer from Barrington (R.I.) to Tabor Academy and bump back to the 2028 class, Ignall flew under the radar for a while there, but his resume speaks for itself.   two-time First Team All-State pick in Rhode Island, he's a disruptive cover defender with a full menu of takeaway checks. He plays with a relentless motor and a clear competitive energy, and when I watched him for the first time at the NLF Summer Championships, I was struck by just how much ground he covers. He's another guy who wins the leverage game and always seems to get the better of his matchup, and though he'll be set to face a big step up in competition as he enters the ISL, he looks well-prepared. There's no doubt that he'll need to dial down the home run checks, but Ignall clearly has the athletic ability, stick skills, and defensive acumen to step in and make an impact.      A New Canaan (Conn.) native for the Big Green, there's nothing too flashy about Peake, who has a solidly built 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame and a fundamentally sound game. He's a true "do your job" defender who quietly blanketed a who's who of high-level attackmen on the summer circuit, consistently playing angles well to prevent his man from getting to high-percentage areas and relying on his footwork and ability to keep his stick in the right position. He throws checks when necessary and isn't afraid to get physical when the situation calls for it. With Peake, every approach is sound and every slide is well-timed. He's smooth off the ground, too, and once the ball is in his stick, he does a nice job rolling away from pressure or eluding riding attackmen to bring the ball upfield in transition. He seems to be playing with a lot of confidence as of late, and I'd expect that to only grow as he steps into an increased role for Deerfield as a junior.     I was surprised to see that we had yet to post an evaluation of Sullivan, who is viewed by many as a top-five defender in New England and yet another stud in a long line of top-notch Laxachusetts defensemen. In the spring, he was surrounded by defensive teammates headed to Harvard, Duke and Dartmouth, but he's unquestionably ready to step into an increased role and likely take on No. 1 attackmen. Sullivan moves impeccably well for a 6-foot-3 defender, and his stick work is as good as it gets among close defensemen in the class. Even with two years to go, he's remarkably polished, capable of playing cross-handed or giving dodgers fits with his V-holds. Off-ball, he's a space-eater who's always man-conscious and timely with his slides. Behind the cage, Sullivan flips his hips and matches feet with fleet-footed dodgers, while also playing physical against bigger attackmen and never budging at GLE. All of that is to say there's a lot to like about what Sullivan brings to the table, and I'd imagine he'll have just about his pick come 9/9.

New England has long been a proving ground for top-flight defensive prospects, particularly in talent-laden leagues like the NE West and ISL, where iron sharpens iron. In Massachusetts, names like Deerfield's Brooks Simonds Brooks Simonds 6'3" | 200 lbs | D Deerfield Academy | 2028 MA , a Greenwich, Conn., native; St. Sebastian's Johnny Hayden Johnny Hayden 6'1" | 190 lbs | D/LSM | Left Hand Boston College High | 2028 MA , a BC High transfer; and Rivers School LSM Nate Swenson Nate Swenson 6'4" | 185 lbs | LSM/D | Right Hand The Rivers School | 2028 MA have already been covered in depth by our scouts this summer, but these five are all worthy of a closer look heading into what's sure to be a busy September for all five recruits.