Inside the Top Five: Mid-Atlantic ’26 Big Board Breakdown

On Thursday, we introduced our Midseason Mid-Atlantic Top 75 for the Class of 2026, in addition to a <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2026/04/midseason-in-the-mid-atlantic-the-regions-top-75-seniors/">free breakdown of some notable risers.</a> Over the next few days, we'll be looking at some of the most highly-ranked recruits, the biggest movers, and other storylines. In this piece, in addition to breaking down the top five, I decided to take a look back at how each player was viewed before their respective recruitment took place to add context to their current ranking. <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/national/player-rankings/2026-mid-atlantic-region-rankings/">For the full Top 75, head to the rankings landing page</a>.   #1 [player_tooltip player_id='37501' first='Brady' last='Mollot'] | A | Archbishop Spalding (Md.) | Maryland I touched on Mollot's game yesterday in the intro, but it's worth expanding. Revisiting how he was viewed two-plus years ago helps explain his true value—and why he's in the top spot. This class lacks true quarterback types, and he's one of the few attackmen who prefers to operate below the goal line rather than above it. He's two-handed, ultra-competitive, and highly intelligent; Mollot sees the field at an elite level and consistently gets others involved, entering the week with 20 goals and 37 assists.   #2 [player_tooltip player_id='18795' first='Jayden' last='James'] | D | St. John's (D.C.) | Syracuse Candidly, feedback from college defensive coordinators heading into 9/1/2024 was all over the place on James. His athleticism, flashy checks, and body of work pointed to a high ceiling, but the knock was inconsistency and stretches of disengagement. A few seasons later, he's changed that narrative and projects as a better college player than he was in high school, especially once he's under the tutelage of DC John Odierna and in a high-level S&C program. To me, he'd benefit from modeling parts of his game after Riley Figueiras, a former SJC standout himself.   #3 [player_tooltip player_id='125118' first='Gavin' last='Gilmore'] | M | Paul VI (Va.) | Richmond Gilmore's 2026 campaign has been a revelation, and he looks poised to play a significant role for Richmond right away. After earning early-season attention for his standout play against IMG, he followed it up with a five-goal performance in a win over St. John's last week and consistently got the better of James in matchup situations. Gilmore is a throwback type who can wear many hats, with an off-the-charts competitive drive that allows him to excel in whatever role is asked of him and shine when his team needs it most. The former Boston University commit is still listed as a 3-star by one publication, which feels more reflective of how he was viewed a few years ago than where he is now.   #4 [player_tooltip player_id='20017' first='Hunter' last='Metz'] | A | McDonogh (Md.) | Notre Dame Seeing opposing No. 1 defenders for the first time as a senior, Metz has answered the bell, putting up big-time numbers while carrying the load for the Eagles' offense. He was previously used more as a left-handed shooter alongside players like Luke Miller and Brendan Millon, and while that shot remains an elite trait, he's been excellent as a carrier in 2026. He simply knows where he's going with the ball when it's in his stick. The only question is how he ultimately fits into Notre Dame's depth chart, given the Irish's surplus of young lefties.   #5 [player_tooltip player_id='71567' first='Luke' last='Gouse'] | F/O | West Morris (N.J.) | Maryland Just about everybody whiffed on their initial evaluation of Gouse, except Maryland, which now has the top-ranked '26 face-off specialist coming their way in the fall. A bona fide X-factor who is anything but a FOGO, Gouse seldom leaves the field and is approaching 150 career points. So far this year, he has won 200-of-225 (89%) at the X, along with 24 goals and 17 assists. His hand speed is ridiculous, and his stick skills and offensive ability allow him to take over games. He's bound to make a four-year impact, even if reps will be tougher to come by with Henry Dodge back for another year and Jonah Carrier still in the fold.

On Thursday, we introduced our Midseason Mid-Atlantic Top 75 for the Class of 2026, in addition to a free breakdown of some notable risers. Over the next few days, we'll be looking at some of the most highly-ranked recruits, the biggest movers, and other storylines.

In this piece, in addition to breaking down the top five, I decided to take a look back at how each player was viewed before their respective recruitment took place to add context to their current ranking. For the full Top 75, head to the rankings landing page.