Defenders to Watch: New Jersey Class of 2026

Following my piece on <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/08/goalies-to-know-new-jersey-2026/">New Jersey's Top Goalies in the Class of 2026</a>, we now look at defenders looking for continued success as they head into another year of varsity lacrosse. There are impact defenders all around New Jersey for the 2026 class. In this article, we take a look at seven guys to keep an eye on:      Hayes was a beast at LSM for Seton Hall Prep last spring, finishing with one goal, two assists, and 52 ground balls, while helping out in other aspects that don't appear in the stats. His motor seems never to stop and he is always making his presence felt whether it's annoying an opponent with constant pressure or bursting up the field in transition as a threat to score. The 3-star recruit is also confident with the ball in his stick and doesn't get rattled when an opposing defender comes to challenge him. He is a smart defender and exhibits good technique, positioning, and an ability to pressure his matchup into a turnover or bad decision.     McDowell had a great year for Scotch Plains-Fanwood last spring, going against some tough competition. The 4-star recruit is an athletic defender with quick feet and a physical presence at six foot two. He has good ground ball skills and uses his speed to kickstart transition chances for the offense. When playing on-ball, he is a pest, always keeping his stick active and timing out takeaway checks. He finished his sophomore season with one goal and 52 ground balls and he'll look to be a big part of the Raiders defense once again this year.     Marino had a solid summer with BBL while getting numerous invites to various showcases around the country. The 4-star recruit has good size and athleticism, making him a tough defender to dodge. When playing on-ball, he provides constant pressure and uses his body, as well as his footwork, to cut down angles for a shot. When defending off-ball, he keeps his feet and stick active and sees the field well to anticipate skip passes. He can lay the body when he has to, but he is a smart player and he doesn't allow himself to get out of position a lot.     Truncale is exactly the kind of LSM that you want on the wing for your team. He has great ground ball skills, and good speed and plays a very physical style of lacrosse. He doesn't go out of his way to make unnecessary hits, but when the chance presents itself, he will take advantage and put someone on their back. He is always moving his feet and keeping his head on a swivel when playing off-ball, when he's on the ball, he is able to press out and throw some checks, looking to cause a turnover. He shows good open-field speed and solid stick skills, combined with an aggressive mindset with the ball. He finished with one goal, two assists, and 60 ground balls.     The 3-star recruit has the size and strength to have a huge impact season this year for the Ironmen. In the summer, he plays from Towermen and is a punishing force on defense, often delivering hard hits, but he is also technical enough to break down and cause a turnover with stick checks and good footwork. He likes to press out a little but is patient and times out his checks well while keeping his man in front of him. He likes to push the ball in transition and is a threat offensively with his hard shot, but if nothing is there he doesn't mind slowing it down and letting the offense set up.     Donovan Catholic had a first-round exit in last year's state tournament, but Nascimento played well and anchored the defense while leading the team in ground balls (78), and also adding in two goals and one assist. The 3-star long-pole is an aggressive defender who likes to press out and pressure his matchup and if by chance he gets beat, he has good quickness and makeup speed to get back into the play. When playing off-ball, he keeps his stick in the passing lanes and when he slides to the ball, he slides with his body. He is a smart player with good decision-making and he'll be the leader of this defensive unit once again this spring.     McCall had a great sophomore season for Sparta, totaling 81 ground balls, with one goal and five assists. He is an extremely active defender, always looking to slide for a double team or stick his nose in a ground ball scrum when off-ball. When defending on-ball, he does a good job of meeting his matchup with his stick in front, breaking down and moving his feet. He shows good technique and positioning and if his opponent has a step on him, he can throw any number of recovery checks that he has in his arsenal. With the ball, he possesses good stick skills and a solid shot but will settle the ball down if the opportunity isn't there in transition.

Following my piece on New Jersey's Top Goalies in the Class of 2026, we now look at defenders looking for continued success as they head into another year of varsity lacrosse. There are impact defenders all around New Jersey for the 2026 class. In this article, we take a look at seven guys to keep an eye on: