Five Midwest 2028 Offensive Weapons to Know

To wrap up my third Midwest piece of the week, we take a look at five offensive threats in the 2028 class. These players have shown the dodging, feeding, and finishing ability this summer to make it at the next level.    After putting up 56 goals and 54 assists en route to Conference Player of the Year honors, Gagnon has proven he is more than just a skilled offensive player—he is also a freak athlete. It is hard to stop a dodger who can run past most defenders, change direction on a dime, and bring serious strength from the weight room. Gagnon has nasty primary moves, including a toe drag, and his repertoire only expands once he gets into his re-dodges. He gets shots off in ways opponents do not see coming.   His highlight tape is filled with goals where he appears dead to rights, only to slip past doubles and shoot around defenders draped all over him. During the spring, he loved to dodge from behind the cage, where opponents had to key in on him and, in turn, opened up his feeding ability. Gagnon projects more naturally as a midfielder because of the way he dodges, but he also gives his teams a major advantage in the ride with the ground he can make up to apply pressure.     Rau's multi-sport athleticism shows up all over his game, especially as a dodger. His skipping split and face dodge are his primary moves to shake defenders, and once he gets an advantage, he is slick and slippery about getting his hands free. He has the downhill speed to initiate offense, but he does not need to rely on it in tighter spaces. Rau is comfortable playing through contact because he can roll back or split at any moment and shoot with either hand. He is also skilled at shooting around defenders, using a variety of releases to find the cage. On the defensive end, his athleticism shows in his footwork, as he stays glued to dodgers through changes of direction.     Tommy, the youngest of the four Standfast brothers who committed to Navy on July 1, is probably the most offensively inclined of the group. He played lefty attack for Team Illinois throughout the summer, making his impact with quick dodges and consistent finishing. As a dodger, Standfast is slippery. He knows how to create advantages early with hitches and how to attack approaches off of ball movement. He loves getting underneath defenders because the highlight of his game is his finishing ability. Standfast is consistently excellent off the ball, whether he is cutting on the crease, finding space on the backside pipe, or picking up and finishing rebounds, he knows how to score in tight.     Axelrod has already cemented himself as Blaine's all-time leading scorer, after getting a head start on varsity as an eighth grader. He is a stocky midfielder who can impact the game in many ways. He excels as a dodger: quick with his moves, strong through contact, and especially effective as a re-dodger when the ball swings. Wherever he receives the ball on the field, Axelrod can dodge from it. He will get to his shot with either hand—sweeping, going down the alley, or attacking up the hashes.   Goalies are not fans of Axelrod because he not only shoots hard, but changes releases. He has a smooth sidearm stroke and a deadly jump shot that keep goalies guessing. With the attention he draws as a scorer, he is also willing and able to dish it out, recording 40 assists in the spring. Axelrod creates plenty of his own scoring chances through the work he does off the ball, too. He cuts into open space, times those cuts well, and can catch and release in one motion.     Balowski is a traditional downhill dodger with a hard shot and some two-way potential. He is at his best when dodging with a full head of steam, getting to the middle or down the alley, where he hits most of his shots on the run. He has a hard right-to-right jab, split, roll, and swim dodge in his arsenal to get his hands free, though I would like to see him use his size to his advantage more consistently. His shot stood out immediately at the Million event in June. He generates legitimate velocity from an overhand release, but he can also get it off from multiple angles. Balowski holds his own defensively and is a real weapon in transition heading the other way.

To wrap up my third Midwest piece of the week, we take a look at five offensive threats in the 2028 class. These players have shown the dodging, feeding, and finishing ability this summer to make it at the next level.