One of the aspects of this new era of recruiting — amid 5-for-5 and roster caps — that had me most curious was what it would mean for players with raw potential. With fewer spots in each recruiting class, would coaches still be willing to take risks? Well, Georgetown’s decision to snag a 6-foot-4 defender who has only been playing lacrosse for two years speaks to the belief Kevin Warne has in Lombardi, and I can’t help but be intrigued by where his development goes from here. So many clichés can be thrown around with a guy like Lombardi, but they’re true in that he’s just scratching the surface of what he’s capable of and could be a monster as he continues to learn the game and commit himself to the weight room. His arms are crazy long, and he knows how to use them to his advantage, causing disruption and using his stick to his advantage. He does so many things well already, and it’s exciting to think about what he could look like in a few years.

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.