I’ll start by saying that this wasn’t the best event for evaluating defensemen since there were very few opportunities for each of the poles to show how well they could cover (with a longpole, that is). With that disclaimer in mind, I feel obligated to single out another outstanding athlete in Skeean who, like Taylor, was another ’25 who was in close consideration for a spot in late August’s Top 50 Junior Rankings but narrowly missed out. In terms of numbers, Skeean was first among poles in the 10-yard shuttle (4.45) and 40-yard dash (4.64), tying for the fastest forty overall and finishing top two at his position on his vertical (18.67), top speed (20.45mph) and stepdown (100 mph).

A lot of factors make Skeean an intriguing LSM prospect with such a high upside, but the fact that he dropped 30 goals as a freshman playing offense then picked up All-American recognition as a sophomore pole is a good place to start. Being left-handed and as athletic as he is certainly doesn’t hurt either. He possesses a motor that doesn’t quit and covers a ton of ground from sideline to sideline with a nose for the ball. When it comes to his stick skills and compete level, Skeean is tough to beat, and I’m looking forward to seeing where his game is in another two years.