Rankings Analysis: Top Prospects from Ohio 2026

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The PrepSoccer State Rankings for Ohio's Class of 2026 were released this week. The Ohio freshman group is a really promising group of prospects. There is depth in certain positions as well as some top talent that seems undiscovered on the national level. A couple of players earned a spot on the national rankings for this group - while a number of others are on the watch list for the national list. Check out the Ohio 2026 rankings here.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below is a scouting report on a few of the players in the rankings.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["25286"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Brilliant. Skillful. Unreal potentialu003cbru003eu003cbru003eIt took about 10 minutes of game film to see the potential in Ryan. The passes she was making in the game were different than 99% of the midfielders in this class. She sees the game at an elevated level. There is a strong technical foundation - good first touch, close control, comfortable with both feet - that sets her up for success. As long as she continues to refine her game to be able to handle the increased speed of player and physicality of the next level, Ryan should be a star at the Division I level in the future. I think she projects as a No. 10, but she has some bite to her defensively and could transition to a No. 8.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["121723"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Menace. Energy. Attacker.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eHigh-energy player. She is a menace for the defense. She can create on her own, but also get on the end of crosses. Her defensive work-rate is really noteworthy. She is making 07 defenders nervous to be on the field. Saw her play as a center forward and also on the wing. I thought she was more impactful as a center forward, but could see the reason to play her on the wing to utilize her pace and defending against an attacking outside back. Could improve on her touch - at the next level, she won't have as much time on the ball. She is a late 07 birthday so definitely one to watch from the 2026 class. Would be a top forward from Ohio in the 2025 class.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["25104"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Competitive. Tough. Winner.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eFull disclosure, Smith advocated for her state and her teammates on social media and that earned the spotlight on Ohio recently in scouting efforts. The flip side of that coin is Smith is one of the few players who backed up that request with her play. She is a shutdown outside back who was excellent during the ECNL National Event in Phoenix. I've only seen her play right back, but I believe she is versatile enough to play either outside back spot. She's comfortable on either foot. She is a late 07 birthday so she is facing off against 2025s most of the time, and she shutdown every winger I saw her against. She is quick with her first step and usually beats the winger to the ball. The one part of her game that I'd like to see improve is her decision-making in the transition. Based on in-person scouting and watching game film, it seemed like there were some times she rushed into forcing the ball down the field when she intercepted a pass when it appeared she had space to dribble. She is a skillful player, and will be a weapon in the attack as she continues to develop that side of her game. She's a hard-worker on the field and the expectation is she will be one of the top outside backs in this class in the country in the near future.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["131724"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Soccer IQ. Stalwart. Consistent.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eRight center back. Boland was a standout from game film thanks to her positioning and soccer smarts. She reads the game really well and moves to the right spots to help cover for her teammates. She is good at changing her body shape to see the whole field - and tracking marks. She does well with her technique in tackles. She is not the biggest center back from this class, but she moves her feet and showed good technical understand in how to win duels against bigger, stronger players. On the ball, she can hit a long clearance, but she looks better when she is trying to connect the short pass to a teammate. After watching her from ECNL play, it was no surprised that she has been scouted by US Soccer and called into the YNT Talent ID Center events recently.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["111759"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Boss. Ready. In control.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eIt's easy to imagine Kudla playing at the next level. She already has the physical profile of an ideal No. 6 at the college level. She has the game to back it up as well. She plays as a defensive midfielder for Internationals 08 ECNL. There is a potential she could be a center back in the future as well - a lot of the qualities that make her a great No. 6 would also make her a standout at that position too. She controls the game for her team - both with her passing and her positioning. She rarely overruns the play - she puts the game in front of her and does a good job protecting the back four. On the ball, she can ping a pass to anywhere on the field. She has a wide stance when striking the ball, which allows her to hit cross field balls, but does reveal a tell on when she will be switching the point of attack. Kudla has the player profile of a prospect who will be a contributor at the next level, which should put her firmly on the radar for all programs in the region.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["130461"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Under the radar. Set piece. Dynamicu003cbru003eu003cbru003eCompton is one of the few players from outside of the national leagues to pop up on this list. She had a good showing against the ECNL clubs at some recent showcase events. She can play either on the wing or at center forward. She was also star for her high school as a freshman - earning a number of honors. She has a well-rounded game. She is solid defensively - both in the press and when working back on the wing. She is confident on the ball and does well getting her head up to find teammates. It also looks like she takes the corner kicks for her team because she has a strong and accurate foot.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["25253"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Hard worker. Smart. Skillful.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eStevens plays as a center midfielder for Ohio Elite SA. She is a playmaker in the center of the field. She wants to be on the ball and she works to get touches. She has a good first touch and can play out of pressure. She does a good job scanning the field before receiving the ball and makes the right decisions in possession. She had some moments when she took on defenders on the dribble and could be more aggressive in the final third. Stevens showed good qualities as a leader when organizing the marks through the midfield. She also hits an excellent set piece. The Ohio Elite standout looks to be one of the best in her position in the state in this class with potential to be considered among the tops in the country. Her soccer smarts and work ethic definitely stand out from recent games.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["25254"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Shutdown. Versatile.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eTolbert is listed as a forward/midfielder on the Ohio Elite ECNL roster, but I saw her play right back on game film. She looked like she could be versatile and fill-in at a number of spots on the field. She has the athletic quality to match up with top wingers, but she also has the technical ability to join the attack and combine with teammates.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["131746"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Left-footed. Distributor. Battler.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eSnell plays as the left center back for Cleveland Force 08. She is an excellent passer for her position. She's also a rarity as a left-footed player in that role. She has potential to play left back as well - I'm guessing she can hit a good cross. Snell battled against bigger forwards and used her body to shield players off the ball. Snell's quality on the ball is her best attribute, but her defensive skill is also a bright spot.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["111773"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Sure-handed. Confident. Acrobaticu003cbru003eu003cbru003ePrezenkowski is one of the top goalkeepers from Ohio in this class. She has been a standout for her club team, Cleveland Force, in recent games. She has good hands and handles high shots with confidence. From recent scouting, she was easily the best at catching shots with no rebound. She is also good with her feet and does well as an outlet for her teammates.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_10_player":["111778"],"_player_evaluations_10_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_10_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_10_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"Strong. Dynamicu003cbru003eu003cbru003eStarr can play as either a center forward or a center attacking midfielder. She is a catalyst for her side. When she is on the ball, she looks to create for her side (either on the dribble or the pass). She can play with her back to the goal, but she is at her best when she is running down hill at defenders.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_10_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_11_player":["111780"],"_player_evaluations_11_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_11_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_11_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003ePotential. Smartu003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eZiemianski is a two-way midfielder who has a sharp soccer mind. She reads the game and anticipates where to be. There are times when she makes highlight reel plays with her interceptions and passing. I've seen her team on the back foot so she had limited chances in the final third to influence the game. There is potential there to keep improving her technical foundation and become an irreplaceable part of a midfield at the next level.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_11_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_12_player":["111775"],"_player_evaluations_12_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_12_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_12_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_12_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_12_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_12_evaluation":"u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eStalwart. Active.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eRussell stood out at left back for Cleveland Force. She is a good on-ball defender. She offers quality on the ball to be a weapon in the attack. The way she combines with teammates and works off the ball was definitely a bright spot from her game.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_12_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_13_player":["130884"],"_player_evaluations_13_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_13_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_13_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_13_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_13_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_13_evaluation":"u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eComposed. Resilient. Attentive.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eYeazell plays as a center back and stood out from the Girls Academy Mid-America Talent ID event. She looked good on the ball. She kept her head up and found her teammates. She made smart decisions on when to play back to the keeper and when to look long to break the press. Defensively, she had a solid outing against the best in that conference. She had one moment when she was caught on her heels in the open field and a player dribbled past her, but she did exceptionally well in the recovery and fought back into the play in order to make a tackle to stop the break. She is a defender to know from this group.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_13_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_14_player":["130885"],"_player_evaluations_14_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_14_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_14_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_14_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_14_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_14_evaluation":"u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eFinisher. Playmaker.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e u003c!u002du002d wp:paragraph u002du002du003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eBrown has the potential to be a top forward in the region in this class. She's already made her mark with YNT Talent ID call-ups, but she's just scratching the surface of how good she could be on the field. With her work ethic and physical framework, she has the potential that will get scouts out to her games all season. Brown's back-to-the-goal ability has been on full display in the Girls Academy. She can pin defenders on her hip and score while under pressure. She is also an excellent passer. I was really impressed with how quickly she made decisions on the ball.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eu003c!u002du002d /wp:paragraph u002du002du003e","_player_evaluations_14_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_15_player":["111763"],"_player_evaluations_15_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_15_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_15_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_15_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_15_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_15_evaluation":"Star. Maestro. Baller.rnrnYugovich probably is the player that has the most scouts excited from this class. She had a historic freshman season in Ohio - and collected a number of accolades for her contributions to her school team including an All-State selection. Yugovich is one of the most skillful and creative players in this class. She is good with either foot. She showed from the high school level that she is a difference-maker in the final third (both with her finishing and her passing). She is player who will be in national ranking consideration in the near future.","_player_evaluations_15_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":16,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-643d69e9ed183"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17937141/63a641b2386d9e0d20f1bf88' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-643d74cc95e5c"} /-->