A nail gun from Nassau County, Watrous to Hopkins is undoubtedly one of my favorite fits of the entire ’28 cycle. He’s certainly talented enough on the offensive end that his inclusion in a defensive-oriented piece might raise some eyebrows among those who know him best, but either way, Watrous can make things happen in a plethora of ways. So much of his impact comes when he’s turning defense into offense, but his combination of hard-nosed two-way play and athleticism gives him the potential to be highly impactful in the Big Ten. He’s also highly productive, posting 42 points as a sophomore and showing flashes of brilliance on an absolutely loaded midfield unit for 91 LI this summer. I try not to be a prisoner of the moment, but this is one of the better classes of two-way midfielders that I can remember, and there were times when Watrous got overshadowed in the national conversation. That being said, I’m betting on this kid every day of the week.

Having watched plenty of 91 Long Island games, I have to admit I did not fully notice Watrous’ game until Main Stage. He is a lefty-dominant dodger with enough shake to beat defenders even when they know he wants to get back to his left hand. He has a knack for slipping right through the middle of the field to generate quality looks, and one of his best moments at Main Stage came when he split a hard double and still got to his shot. With a compact, snappy release, he gets the ball out deceptively fast, which fits well with a game built on winning in tight windows.