Top Uncommitted '26s: Northeast Defenders

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!    Class of 2026 defensemen may have committed at a speedy rate, but there's a laundry list of Class of 2026 defenders deserving of high Division I looks and will likely be off the board soon. <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/top-uncommitted-26s-mid-atlantic-defenders/">Having covered six of the Mid-Atlantic's top uncommitted defensemen in this afternoon's piece</a>, let's shift over to the Northeast to highlight another five uncommitted defensive recruits worthy of attention.    Between his big frame and the nonstop motor that he plays with, it's pretty tough to miss Marobella, even on a club team that boasts two of the best defenders in the '26 class. Marobella was a lot of fun to watch on film for Belmont Hill, and he made a significant impact as a sophomore and gained a lot of confidence as the season progressed. An asset on the wings and in transition, he constantly applies pressure to ball carriers and has an innate knack for hunting the ball to give his team possession, and those plays often led to goals this spring. I love his approach whenever the ball is on the ground: he'll goose it to himself or a teammate when appropriate or pick it up cleanly and start a fast break.     More often than not, Duran took on the opponents' biggest attackman and made his presence felt on-ball to make life difficult for his assignment. That says a lot, of course, considering the caliber of the team his loaded LI Express squad went up against. I'd like to see him become a bit more consistent with his off-ball defense, but I love how well he plays angles, how hard he slides, and the level at which he communicates. Duran's ability to play with physicality and get out on attackmen's hands stands out, and he's great at making the right decision in the clearing game. He's another guy who I'm very intrigued to see where he chooses to play.     Brown consistently stood out in the fall and winter and brought his motor and lunch pail to work, never backing down from attackmen bigger than him. A member of Taft's varsity since his freshman year, Brown stepped in on a team that was marred by injuries this spring and did a yeoman's job. Possessing an active stick and excellent hands, he makes a lot of impactful plays both between the lines and down low, so his versatility is impressive. He's a good-looking athlete who plays bigger than he is and has all of the defensive principles that coaches look for: he sits in his stance and is poised yet aggressive, making precise checks while moving at full speed.     Sophomore All-Americans tend to be rare. Spallone earned that honor this year, and even so, I must admit that he was the only player written up in this article that I wasn't aware of heading into this summer, given that he plays for Midwood in Brooklyn. That being said, Spallone's play spoke loudly this summer as he provided a huge spark for a Shore 2 Shore squad that knocked off a bevy of teams that had more talent on paper. A tenacious longpole who roams from sideline to sideline, Spallone simply knows how to stack up impactful plays. He's got an incredible handle and uses it to his advantage both on the offensive end and when wreaking havoc and causing turnovers defensively. He's the type of LSM who needs the right system that allows him to do what he does best, but it's hard not to bet on his ability to make a difference as long as there's the right mutual fit.     Originally an All-League '25 at Horace Greeley (N.Y.), Trombley has a ton of raw upside. He showed off his athleticism and potential while earning a coveted All-Star nod at Showtime, then excelled throughout the summer circuit with Taft and Express North, demonstrating that he's got a lot of pieces to work with. There are some areas that he could stand to touch up (most players that age need to), but he showed so many flashes this summer that make him an intriguing prospect on the defensive side of the ball. He's tough when he gets his hands on attackmen, sliding hard and sometimes even putting guys on their backs on a handful of occasions. I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops with more time in Taft's program since he's only been in the program for a year.

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