2028 Midwest Rankings: Five More Offensive Weapons Worth Knowing

<a href="https://preplacrosse.com/national/player-rankings/2028-midwest-region-rankings/" data-type="link" data-id="https://preplacrosse.com/national/player-rankings/2028-midwest-region-rankings/">Our 2028 Midwest rankings dropped Friday</a>, and the depth is real. These attackmen and midfielders have the skill to stand out in a loaded region. Let's look at five offensive weapons from the Midwest.    The fingerprints of Szweda's high school and club teams are all over his game. One of my first impressions came during Culver's early-season wins over St. Anthony's, when he swatted a clear coming from the goalie that ended up in the net off a ride. Szweda snuck into the lineup when Riley Woods was out with an injury—and he stayed because plays like that aligned with Culver's identity. Even when Woods returned, Szweda still made an impact with relentless rides, magnet-like cuts that collapsed defenders, and crafty catching and shooting inside.   I see the Sweetlax Upstate in him when he dodges. The club tends to produce dodgers with a different kind of swagger in the way they move with the ball. He has the skipping shiftiness to start his dodge, and if that doesn't immediately get him a step, he goes to nasty hesitations, rollbacks, and re-dodges. His scoring ability this summer stood out, too. He's deadly on the wing with his feet set, favoring his sidearm and underhand release to pick his spots. At Showtime, I was impressed by the way he generated shots on the run, even with pressure on him.     Two qualities stick out in Goodwater's game: burst and shot quality. He's a righty X attackman who gets it done initiating from behind the cage. Starting with a quick face or swim dodge, he gains a step, and his short, quick strides get him to the goal line in no time, where he finishes with jump shots up the hash or easy looks in front. That same concept without the ball leads to easy catch-and-dunks—he's great at sneaking the back pipe and catching the ball in stride. If he's not coming from behind, you'll often find him inside, where his turn-and-shoot skills flash with a quick release. Another X attackman-specific trait is his posture deception: he shows pass while crossing GLE, then turns and dunks—a trick that constantly catches defensemen.     Originally a 2027, Lucas Beck is looking for a PG year and will bring physicality and versatility to a college roster. He's a midfielder who can help at both ends, giving coaches confidence in transition, whether he's dropping back on defense or attacking on offense. On offense, his skill set may not pop immediately on film, but his gamer mentality does—he's not afraid to run through defenders to beat them. He has the size, strength, and shot to get it done on offense, and those same traits make him attractive on defense. He's got that dawg in him on D: he won't let his matchup pass him easily, and he foams at the mouth to end possessions and get back on offense for a transition shot.     There's one obvious theme to Banas' game: he doesn't make mistakes. That skill doesn't always show up in highlight videos, and it doesn't always get noticed. It's easy to mark down who scored the goal, but not always who kicked off the offense, drew a slide, and moved the ball forward. Banas is that player—and more. He's an athlete with some shake to start his dodges and plenty of straight-line speed to separate down the alley and up the hashes for shots. His athleticism really shows when he separates for a jump shot, cuts off defenders, and turns the corner on S-dodges. If college coaches are down to Banas and another midfielder, I'd probably go with the guy you know won't turn the ball over.     My immediate reaction to seeing Cain's game is, "Oh yeah, that guy can play." He's got good size, is light on his feet, moves well, and has a smooth shot he can hit from all angles. Coaches love a midfielder like Cain on their roster because he can dodge from anywhere and finish with both hands. He can kick-start an offense going downhill, hitting shots down either alley, and he's just as impactful inverting against shorties. As a dodger, he has next-level IQ: he mixes in hesitations, knows when to turn a corner, uses his body, and cuts his defender off to get to better shooting angles. At 6'1", it's easy to generate velocity behind his shot—both on the run and with his feet set—thanks to his long strides and snappy wrists.

Our 2028 Midwest rankings dropped Friday, and the depth is real. These attackmen and midfielders have the skill to stand out in a loaded region. Let's look at five offensive weapons from the Midwest.