Regionally Ranked, Still Uncommitted: Six '28 Specialists to Know

In a changing college lacrosse landscape with 5-in-5 and roster limits, specialists seem to be getting the short end of the stick early in the recruiting process. With colleges giving goalies and face-off specialists less attention than before, these players deserve a closer look. Here's why these three goalies and three FOGOs, all featured in our 2028 regional rankings, shouldn't stay uncommitted much longer.    Parker Lee, a recent transfer from De La Salle (Calif.) to Monte Vista, is one of the best uncommitted goalies. His demeanor, technique, and hand speed stand out. A shorter goalie, he plays with a slight crouch to take up more of the net, and that stance fits his controlled approach. He's cool as a cucumber in the cage, tracking the ball without wasting steps and settling smoothly back into his stance as it moves. Even when he steals one going pipe to pipe or reacting to a rebound, he makes it look easy.   If you're a shooter looking to go high, you'd better hit your spot, because Lee catches just about everything up there. He also gets the ball out fairly quickly to start transition the other way. He's effective down low, too, though he's more likely to throw a stick or leg at those shots than get his whole body behind them, which fits his relatively upright stance.     "Gamer" is a word that comes up a lot with Swiney, both from coaches and from watching him play. When I watched Resolute and Project Midwest this summer, he always seemed to be the goalie making the big-time saves. He had two other studs to compete with across those rosters, and while we ranked him third among the Resolute/Project Midwest goalies, I don't think it's a stretch to say he could be at the top of that group a year from now.   Swiney isn't the most technically sound goalie. He plays with a wide stance and can get caught out of position, but his reactions and explosiveness stand out. He steals saves by firing toward the ball on shots in tight, going pipe to pipe, and reacting to rebounds. His athleticism shows when he springs to the ball or throws a leg out to make a save, but it's just as apparent outside the cage. He'll race attackmen to the endline, get into groundball scrums, and escape pressure on the clear. His outlet release is super smooth, and he knows how to drop a pass in the bucket, too.     We ranked Renschen as the best 2028 goalie in Colorado, and for good reason. Between starting at East as a freshman and having an older brother in Jake, now a Penn freshman, there were reasons to be high on Renschen early. His spring stats don't tell the full story. He's finished a hair below 50% in each of his first two years as a starter, but there's something to be said for a young goalie who has faced that many shots and still averaged more than 11 saves a game. His game continued to improve over the summer. He looked calmer and more technically sound in the cage, making cleaner saves as a result. He does the other things well, too: communicates on defense, makes good decisions on the clear, and throws accurate outlets. When he needs to handle the ball himself and escape pressure, he's comfortable doing that, too.     Russell battled with the best this summer, holding his own and then some. He has a lot going for him that will translate to the next level. At 6-foot-1, he has the frame to be tough to move and the length to stretch out and get to groundballs first. At the X, his quick-twitch reactions, swipes, and explosive pops stand out. When he gets into tie-ups, he has the natural strength and flexibility to work his way out with the ball more often than not. I'd like to see his counter game improve when he's not winning the hand-speed battle, but overall, Russell has a high ceiling and is one of the better FOGOs still uncommitted.     What I like most about Carlson's future is his willingness to compete, not only against the other team, but against his teammates, too. He split reps with Zander Brasher, now a freshman at Tampa, at IMG in the spring. Over the summer, he shared reps with Duke commit Luke Druhot, one of the top FOGOs in the country, and at times, it was hard to tell who was better. IMG added more depth for this spring with recent transfer Trevor Engledow. Nothing has been handed to Carlson, and that daily competition should only help him at the next level.   Carlson is a unique face-off specialist because he's a natural lefty who switches hands to scoop. That style gives opponents a different look, with much of his power coming from his bottom hand. His quick hands and variety of exits stand out at the X, though I'd like to see him improve against more physically dominant FOGOs. Handling the ball isn't a concern. He loves getting an opposing FOGO matched up against him when he has the ball and isn't afraid to take him where he wants before going to the rack. Overall, there's a ton to like about Carlson, and I only see him getting better.     After going 71% at the X in the spring, Joseph Kwon had a case as Georgia's best FOGO, regardless of class. He earned second-team All-State honors behind Gavin Gaertner, now a freshman at Ohio State. His hand speed is obvious, producing plenty of wins off swipes and pinch-and-pops with exits in every direction. When he gets into tie-ups, he's stronger and more flexible than he looks.   Two things stand out most about Kwon's game. First is how quickly he gets out of his stance on exits. He's usually the first one to the ball, and when he exits forward, the numbers game is on. Second is his toughness and competitive nature. He moves well in tight spaces, can take a beating, and goes all out for groundballs.

In a changing college lacrosse landscape with 5-in-5 and roster limits, specialists seem to be getting the short end of the stick early in the recruiting process. With colleges giving goalies and face-off specialists less attention than before, these players deserve a closer look. Here's why these three goalies and three FOGOs, all featured in our 2028 regional rankings, shouldn't stay uncommitted much longer.

Parker Lee

HEIGHT 5'8"

POS G

CLASS 2028

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Parker Lee

State: California

School: Monte Vista-Danville

Club: Hilltop, ADVNC NDP

Parker Lee, a recent transfer from De La Salle (Calif.) to Monte Vista, is one of the best uncommitted goalies. His demeanor, technique, and hand speed stand out. A shorter goalie, he plays with a slight crouch to take up more of the net, and that stance fits his controlled approach. He's cool as a cucumber in the cage, tracking the ball without wasting steps and settling smoothly back into his stance as it moves. Even when he steals one going pipe to pipe or reacting to a rebound, he makes it look easy.

If you're a shooter looking to go high, you'd better hit your spot, because Lee catches just about everything up there. He also gets the ball out fairly quickly to start transition the other way. He's effective down low, too, though he's more likely to throw a stick or leg at those shots than get his whole body behind them, which fits his relatively upright stance.

Highlights

Brayden Swiney

HEIGHT 5'11"

POS G

CLASS 2028

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Brayden Swiney

State: Ohio

School: Upper Arlington

Club: Resolute, Project Midwest

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Chase Renschen

HEIGHT 5'10"

POS G

CLASS 2028

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Chase Renschen

State: Colorado

School: Denver East

Club: Colorado Kings

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Hudson Russell

HEIGHT 6'1"

WEIGHT 170

POS FO

CLASS 2028

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Hudson Russell

State: Georgia

School: Blessed Trinity

Club: Crabs

Russell battled with the best this summer, holding his own and then some. He has a lot going for him that will translate to the next level. At 6-foot-1, he has the frame to be tough to move and the length to stretch out and get to groundballs first. At the X, his quick-twitch reactions, swipes, and explosive pops stand out. When he gets into tie-ups, he has the natural strength and flexibility to work his way out with the ball more often than not. I'd like to see his counter game improve when he's not winning the hand-speed battle, but overall, Russell has a high ceiling and is one of the better FOGOs still uncommitted.