Who is the top prospect from Illinois 2026 class?
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The PrepSoccer Player Ranking for the state of Illinois class of 2026 was released on Monday. The extensive ranking came after months of scouting and researching this class. Learn more about the PrepSoccer scouting process here. Below is a rundown…
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Continue ReadingThe PrepSoccer Player Ranking for the state of Illinois class of 2026 was released on Monday. The extensive ranking came after months of scouting and researching this class. Learn more about the PrepSoccer scouting process here.
Below is a rundown of some of the players at the top of the rankings in the Illinois 2026 class. This
Center midfielder – attacking. Clean on the ball. Didn’t make many flashy plays, but she hardly make a wrong decision. She connected passes and let her teammates shine. Key catalyst for the stellar CIU 07 GA team.
Defender. Right back. Good defender. She is smart about possessions, comfortable on the ball. Tends to play the way she is facing but she doesn’t force the pass until her teammate is open. She gives a bit too much space at times on the wing, feels like she has the athleticism to close down quicker and really dominate her side of the field. Overall, really good prospect for the position.
Highlights
Center forward. Likes to play off the shoulder of the defender. Quick burst. Strong on the ball, hard to dispossess. She gets past the first defender most times, but she’s been slowed down by the second defender. Would like to see her drop into a full speed sprint more with the ball at her feet. She’s been fouled four times in the first 20 minutes in this game. She’s creating chances even without actually passing or shooting the ball.
Midfielder. Good first touch. Can play under pressure. Box-to-box player. Well rounded game. Good quick decisions. Rarely caught in possession. Doesn’t stand out on the box score, but she is never taken off the field because she is irreplaceable to her team’s style of play. Connects a very high percentage of her passes. Solid defensively too – had a couple of toe-poke tackles in open field.
Highlights
Midfielder. She is one of those players who is keenly aware of when to exert the most energy – whether it’s making a run to get into the box for a cross or turning it on to jump the passing lane and take out an option. Krakowski is one of the top prospects from this class as a high-pressing attacking midfielder.
Defender. Left center back. Right footed. Comfortable passing with either foot. She is the high profile player on this Eclipse team after the youth national team call-ups. She is easy to spot based on her size. She is solid in aerial duels, but she could be more aggressive in that aspect of her game. She was caught in possession a couple of times when the ball was stuck to her foot. Overall, it is easy to see why the Youth National Team scouts identified her. She has elite traits for the position. She has a knack for blocking shots. Her long strides will go step for step with any forward. When she was caught in possession, it came in the transition. During the build-out, she made excellent decisions with her passing. Increasing her speed of play will put her in the discussion for best defender in this class in the country.
Highlights
Midfielder. Box-to-box type. Right footed. Has impressive moments – capable of making key passes, also dictating the game for her team. Needs to be sharper in the transitions. Smart player, fully capable of being one of the top midfielders in this class. ODP, Youth National Team Regional ID center player.
Highlights
Goalkeeper. Active off her line. Stood out for her comfort in coming out to collect the ball. Stopped the option of over the top passes with how well she did off her line. Good with her feet too. Right footed. Pretty consistent in her drop kick. Hits the same spot nearly every time. Not the biggest leg, but accurate.
Defense. Center back. Right footed. Raptors like to play through her when building out of the back because she is good on the ball. Looks like a good athlete: quick, fluid runner. A bit shy in the tackle at times, could add more bite to her game. Has some flashes that suggest she could be a great outside back too.
Midfielder. Right footed. Lots of potential. She has the qualities to be a top center midfielder, but needs to continue to improve on consistency. She can easily be the most influential player for her club team and has moments when that is the case. She is great when the game is open and she receives clean passes. Does well getting her head up, can run at players, and delivers a great cross on the move. Improving on the first touch and defensive work rate will make her one of the top players in this class.
Center forward. High activity player. Often left on an island up top, but she is a willing runner and will press the opposition. Could be a winger as well. Looks good when she gets a touch, but usually quickly surrounded by defenders.
Center back. Right-footed. Physical player. Good at using her body to defend. Did well against Nationals Blue, one of the top teams in the country. Good recovery speed.
Highlights
Technical player. Defensive midfielder. Good first touch. Showed good soccer intelligence. Always in the right spots.
Defender. On the short list for best outside back in this class. She plays right back for the FC United 08 GA team. She has been called into the US Youth National Team Regional Talent ID events. Probably the best two-way player on the wing. Has the wheels to get up and down the touch line.
Defender. Left footed. Best left back I’ve seen from this class in Illinois. Reliable player for the role. She has it all – quality on the ball, strong defender, elite creativity in 1v1s. Uses body fakes really well to create space. Capable of burying a shot from outside of the box into the upper 90.
Highlights
The scouting report here starts with the honors: Golden Glove winner from USYS National Championship. She is over 6-feet tall, athletic, and quick. She has good hands and does well on diving saves. The one knock is that she does not look super comfortable using her feet on game film, but it’s obvious she is improving on it and testing herself with more difficult situations when in possession with her feet. The quality she has to win a game with a save no other keeper can pull off is more than enough to put her at the top of the rankings for this position in this class. Illinois is a powerhouse for keepers so that’s quite a big honor to carry.
Highlights
Midfielder. Wigfield stood out from highlights for her versatility. She looked like she could play any wide spot. She has a quick burst first step and creates separation. She is a good finisher. She is a player to watch during the high school season as one of a few to make the varsity roster for the high school season.