Sweetlax Summer Challenge: Six 2028 Defenders Who Stood Out

Photo: [player_tooltip player_id='171161' first='Oswald' last='Soderberg'] (Courtesy)   By this point in the summer, some of the events start to blend together. These defenders caught my eye at Maverik Showtime, Main Stage, but mostly at the Sweetlax Summer Challenge. They showed off multiple layers of their game and quickly put themselves on the radar in a 2028 class that still lacks much depth at the defensive position. Here is a look at six defenders who stood out at the Sweetlax Summer Challenge:    [player_tooltip player_id='181639' first='Anders' last='Gerosa'] is one of those mean defenders who has been on my radar all summer, starting at Showtime. His best trait is the one you want most from a close defender: one-on-one defense. He moves well enough to handle all types of dodgers, but his strength is what really sets the tone. When matchups get to dangerous spots, he can cross-check them out of there, and even before that, he makes every rep uncomfortable for ballcarriers. He pushes the limits with checks on the hands and arms, and attackmen will feel it after playing against him. When the ball hits the ground, he navigates well with his pole to avoid checks, and he has also been steady in the clearing game.     Ozzy Soderberg caught my attention at the Sweetlax Summer Challenge for the way he consistently clogged up opposing offenses with timely slides. He lands hard checks on the hands that make it difficult for offenses to move the ball cleanly. When I really focused in on him, I came away appreciating the different layers in his game, starting with the fundamentals. He is one of the loudest defenders on the field, communicating effectively and helping organize the defense beyond his own assignment. He also takes strong athletic approaches that keep him from getting beat on the first step. His athleticism shows up everywhere, from one-on-one matchups to shot closeouts, groundballs, and transition.     One of the first matchups I saw when I rolled up to Showtime was [player_tooltip player_id='181655' first='Jason' last='Miller'] against one of the top players in the 2028 class. Miller quickly showed off his strength with an impressive reverse V-hold that stunned the bigger attackman. He has absolutely mastered that move against lefties. His length is also a major problem for opposing offenses. On the ball, he uses it to lift and get over the head of his matchup to force turnovers. Off the ball, he covers a ton of space in passing lanes and as a slider. As a dodger, you do not want him coming your way because he can get a lot on his checks, and they do not feel good when he lands them.     Paddy Cougovan's upside is obvious when you watch his off-ball IQ, physicality, and the way he plays angles on the ball. I really liked what I saw from him at the Sweetlax Summer Challenge, especially with how he timed his double teams to force turnovers. At Main Stage, I appreciated even more the way he handled ball carriers. He has the physicality to push dodgers off their line while still playing the right angles. He also came up with a timely check to force a turnover against one of the top attackmen in the country in the All-Star Game. When the ball hits the turf, he often scoops it cleanly the first time, and he has the strength to box out and play the man to make sure his team wins it.     At 6-foot-4, Lombardi uses his length really well to impact the game. He might not be the fastest or strongest defender out there, but he makes up for it with timing and the way he leverages his reach. He looks to initiate contact on the hands in his matchups, and if dodgers get into him, he lands checks that often catch them by surprise. He also stood out to me off the ball by anticipating a two-slide and arriving with heavy hands to erase what looked like a major advantage at the Sweetlax Summer Challenge.     William Voccola is a defender you might overlook at first glance, but he plays much bigger than his size. His feet are a huge plus, and that shows up in the athletic approach he takes, with short, choppy steps and against quicker, change-of-direction-type dodgers. He also packs a punch with his pole, using subtle holds to kill momentum and violent slap checks to disrupt matchups. The ground game and ball handling are also major strengths, as he is comfortable in transition and steady under pressure.

Photo: Oswald Soderberg Oswald Soderberg 6'2" | 169 lbs | D/LSM | Left Hand Proctor Academy | 2028 NH (Courtesy)