New England 2028s: Reacting to More Early Commitments

It's been a huge two weeks of big commitments in this '28 recruiting window, to the point that it can be tough to keep up. Today marks the start of Week 3, and so far, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2026/09/first-48-hours-reacting-to-new-englands-wave-of-28-commits/">we've covered the announcements from the first 48 hours</a>, as well as the <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2026/09/ne-2028s-week-1-superlatives-catalyst-underrated-and-more/">superlatives from Week 1</a>.   But there's still plenty more to cover when it comes to the top New England '28s who have come off the board. Let's take a closer look.    Another stupidly strong feather in the cap that is this fall's recruiting rampage by the Big Green; McGinty brings energy to every possession. I've seen him play several times for 2Way, and each time he has done something that has made me stand up out of my chair. I know it's a cliché to say something like, "He works so hard every time he has the ball." But, like - how else do you describe this kid's motor? It's just fifth gear the entire time he's on the field, even when he's playing defense. McGinty throws some really destructive checks and then, on that same possession, will eat a shot and go coast to coast to score a top-corner snipe. Dartmouth just got a junkyard dog to deploy in two seasons' time.     What a grab for the Blue Jays. Hopkins doesn't pull a lot of Massachusetts recruits, but when they do, it's always one of the best of the best in the entire state. A few seasons ago, that player was Jimmy Ayers; now it's Grosso. The thing about Grosso is that he's improved so much in the last 18 months that he's almost unrecognizable from the player that he was. It's truly inspirational how much better his technique has gotten in that time period. Grosso is the best face-off man in the ISL right now, and his junior season is still six months away. There was a stretch this past season for Nobles where he was straight-up unbeatable at the X. He's a huge get for head coach Pete Milliman and his staff.     Despite sharing the field with the No. 2 recruit in the '27 class, Harvey might play at a school that doesn't get a ton of love on the national stage, but he has gathered so many admirers in the past few spring and summer seasons that precisely zero people were surprised that he went to an ACC program. He has elite recovery speed, but he does not have to use it all that much because he rarely gets beat in one-on-one situations. Despite his defensive chops, it's easy to see why Harvey is deployed most effectively at LSM because he really knows how to kickstart a transition party from literally anywhere on the field. If he gets a breakaway, he's not going to laser a powerful shot right into the goalie's stick; he's already scanning for the best pass and the best route to the goal at the same time. Fundamentally sound and athletically a cut above in this class makes for one enticing longpole to add to anyone's quiver, much less a team like UVA that craves early shot-clock goals.     Everything that you would want in a goalie is what Ward brings you, game in and game out. Now, that sounds very general, but when you consider where he plays and how hard he has had to work to get minutes in the cage, you will understand that sentiment. Ward is absolutely fearless coming out of the crease. That may not be a prerequisite for everyone, but the way that the goalie position is evolving, it's going to be more and more important to be mobile and accurate. Ward is a ride-destroying goaltender who is capable of hitting 20-save games. His background as a Canadian helps him stay with fakes more consistently than most goalies in this age bracket because he's had to deal with them in box since he was four years old. The earlier, the better in the great white north - maybe more kids will jump between the pipes if they can develop the way that Ward has. Another huge, huge pickup for the Cavaliers.     I want to start by saying that any recruit who starts their highlight tape with Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" had better be an absolute animal. The good news is that Rebbechi is just that and more, with strong on-ball defense and lung-busting full-field runs to the party. It's actually kind of funny to watch guys try to swim on him after he breaks down because he is up through their armpit with a crosscheck and looking for the ball on the ground before they even react. He's got a great crowbar lift to go along with his excellent positioning, and he's also a menace running into dangerous offensive spots off the wing for draws. In a world where SSDMs do more than just play defense, be a middie that can give your team a juice goal, and you're earmarked for success like Rebbechi is.

It's been a huge two weeks of big commitments in this '28 recruiting window, to the point that it can be tough to keep up. Today marks the start of Week 3, and so far, we've covered the announcements from the first 48 hours, as well as the superlatives from Week 1.