Beyond the Top 100: My Favorite September Commits on Offense

Last week, we put the spotlight on defensive talent in Parts I and II, linked here and here. Now, we're turning our attention to the offensive side of the ball, highlighting five recruits who didn't crack the National Top 100 but landed on their respective regional lists and emerged as some of the most notable commits of September.    A native of Bedford (N.H.), Barad was someone I first watched and evaluated last November at the Terp Classic and Alliance Fall Invitational, where he showcased a blend of size, skill and a knack for scoring goals in bunches. He's an imposing presence at 6-foot-3, commanding attention from opposing defenses, but he's also capable of knifing through them and getting back to the middle with regularity to create quality looks. An All-NEPSAC honorable mention selection on the gridiron, Barad has long strides that are especially evident when he's barreling downhill on long dodges. He's armed with a sensational over-the-top or three-quarters release that can be difficult for goalies to pick up, and he's constantly changing his release points and placement. Cornell seems like a really good fit for a few reasons, not least because the Big Red have a history of identifying and developing big, bruising midfielders.     Our No. 7 junior out West, Capps is a recruit who probably doesn't get enough credit for just how dynamic and consistent he is. Targeted by several Ivies before announcing his commitment to Dartmouth on Sept. 18, Capps is a well-rounded offensive weapon and a Big Green legacy whose addition to the class must have excited the staff up in Hanover.   He's bigger and better than when I first saw him, and there's a lot to be said for a player who is seemingly always getting to his spots. Capps plays fast, but not so fast that he gets himself into trouble by overthinking or forcing anything. He has an awesome first step, soft hands and snappy wrists, allowing him to create separation and free himself up for high-percentage shots in a variety of ways. That combination makes him a constant headache for defenses. Having just missed out on the National Top 100 by a few spots, I love what he brings to the table and where his game is headed, so I wouldn't be surprised if he cracks the big list in the near future.     Cornell has been recruiting Long Island at a highly successful clip going back 50+ plus years. During the recruiting ranking era, it hasn't really mattered if those prospects are highly touted or not; a ton of them tend to pan out. Right now, the Big Red faithful might be sounding the alarms about striking out on some Top 100 prospects compared to Ivy rivals, but there's no sense in fretting, at least in my opinion. In this case, players like Madden are worth getting excited about. He can sometimes look like he's gliding and kick things into another gear in impressive fashion. The slide can come, but it's often a non-factor, because he's created so much separation to the point that it's easy for him to get his hands free. I love the amount of fluidity and deception in his game, whether it's a head-and-shoulder fake or a nifty box fake, and he's creative as a passer and has different slots from which to choose to send a no-look pinpoint pass to a teammate. At all times, his three-sport background is evident, and Madden is so tough and unfazed that he has no problem making plays with guys draped all over him.     Mayfield has been highlighted by Prep Lacrosse's top PA scout, Carey Smith, on several occasions, but he deserves his flowers from the national crew as well. A Pittsburgh-based recruit who narrowly missed the Top 100, he checked in at No. 35 in the Mid-Atlantic, where 28 recruits made the national list. A standout for Project Midwest and Resolute, he's a force from up top, though he plays attack during the high school season, as he should. His release is rather pretty, and he's exceptionally two-handed and dynamic, too. Mayfield's hitch is constantly freeing up his hands, plus he's unselfish and has standout vision to set up his teammates. I love how explosive he is out of his rollbacks, and while he might not be the type to routinely win his matchups with a straight-up speed dodge, he's always creating offense. I have as much respect for Richmond's staff as I do any other Division I program in terms of its ability to evaluate and develop talent— an opinion I'm never shy about sharing— and the Spiders got a gem in this stalwart from the Steel City.     You know what you're getting with a player like Smith, who found a top program but probably didn't get the attention he deserved by nature of the '28 class being absolutely loaded with lefties. Georgetown's class is, too — it needed to be, quite frankly — but his skill set is uniquely different from the guys he's surrounded by. Going back to the fall circuit, Smith filled up a stat sheet as much as any attackman I watched and did so in style, leaving a lasting impression that carried through the summer. Overall, he's always at the end of plays and just a really fun prospect to watch, and there's both fundamentals and flair. He's got a full bag of tricks at his disposal and is always mixing up his magic. Whether Smith is in a showcase setting or playing for Sweetlax (he was an All-American for Bishop Moore as a sophomore, too), he's steadily productive and a high-percentage scorer with a tantalizing skill set as a goal-scorer. I'm excited to see how he's used at Georgetown, and that staff must be pumped to have secured his services.

Last week, we put the spotlight on defensive talent in Parts I and II, linked here and here. Now, we're turning our attention to the offensive side of the ball, highlighting five recruits who didn't crack the National Top 100 but landed on their respective regional lists and emerged as some of the most notable commits of September.