New names to know from Texas 2026 rankings
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The PrepSoccer Player rankings for the state of Texas for the class of 2026 were released last week. While every player is new to the rankings, as this is the first ranking for the class, there were a few players…
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Continue ReadingThe PrepSoccer Player rankings for the state of Texas for the class of 2026 were released last week. While every player is new to the rankings, as this is the first ranking for the class, there were a few players who had not been mentioned on the site prior to the rankings and were worthy of a deeper scouting report.
Check out the full rankings here. And learn more about the PrepSoccer ranking process.
Wolff is not a new name by any means. He is the son of one of the US Soccer greats and has two older brothers already in the US Youth National Team system. But he has not mentioned on PrepSoccer before so the standout from Austin FC deserves a special mention here. He is the left center back on the Austin FC U15 MLS Next team. There are times when the game seems too easy for Wolff. He is just toying with center forwards during the games in MLS Next. Austin FC’s press releases mention that he has played midfield as well for the youth academy, but I’ve only seen him at left center back. However, the skill on the ball shines brightly for him as a center back. He is so calm on the ball and comfortable in playing out in the build-out. It’s very rare when he loses possession of the ball. Wolff has all the tools to be a top left center back at the professional level in the future.
Aristizabal might be the most eyebrow-raising ranking for this class. The Austin FC goalkeeper does not have the same hype and news as others in the position for this state, but the Prep scouts put him as No. 1 for the position. He is capable of the highlight save, but he does the mundane things equally as well. He’s smart in his distribution and rarely puts a teammate under pressure with his passing. He is confident in his role and his teammate seem to get a lift when he is playing. Nico is one who should be getting more looks in the future from scouts.
San Antonio FC is loaded in the 2026 class. The 07 and 08 age groups both have plenty of players on this list and even more that will be in the spotlight in the future. Leo Urrutia is a technical center midfielder who plays on the 07 team. He is clean on the ball and quick with his decisions. Urrutia has been identified as part of the US Soccer Talent Identification events in Texas in the past.
Elhousy is a center back who is very comfortable on the ball. He impressed scouts with his athleticism as well. He was comfortable stepping up a level with the ball at his feet. He showed good vision to attack space when the opportunity was available to him. Defensively, he matched up well with quick wingers thanks to his foot speed, and he held his own against bruising center forwards.
Highlights
Arana is a center forward for Rise SC. He has been a prolific prospect in the attacking third at the MLS Next 08 level. He is right-footed, uses body fakes really well, and gets into the right spots to finish. He is not a breakaway speedster, but he is effective because he times his runs well and plays off the shoulder of the defender. He is strong in his lower body and tough to knock off the ball. He is good at letting the ball run across his body while forcing the defender to dive in if they want to knock the ball of him. Arana’s crafty game has been a standout for Rise this season and led to him scoring a number of goals against MLS academies.
The left back from FC Dallas is a new name to Texas after moving from IMG Academy (De Anza Force before that). Dozier is a high work rate player who loves to fly up and down the touch line. This ranking could be way off for Dozier, but he’s relatively new to the scene. In the game film, he has shown that he could be the best outside back in this class in the state. He is one to watch in the Spring.