Rankings Preview: Illinois’ Best from 2028
In this article:
USE PROMO CODE JR30 for a discount on your first subscription The PrepSoccer player rankings for the Illinois 2027 class were released this week. Check out the rankings here. As part of the ranking process, we came across a number…
Access all of Prep Soccer
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingUSE PROMO CODE JR30 for a discount on your first subscription
The PrepSoccer player rankings for the Illinois 2027 class were released this week. Check out the rankings here.
As part of the ranking process, we came across a number of players from the 2028 class who were impressive against the top performers from the 2027 group.
Ellie McLaughlin is a midfielder/defender on Eclipse Select 09 ECNL. McLaughlin impressed scouts with her play at the recent ECNL showcase event for this age group. It seems like she can play in a number of roles from box-to-box midfielder to defensive midfielder to outside back. With her willingness to run and her long stride, it seems like the future for her might be at outside back. She has all of the tools to be a star in that role. Good 1v1 defender, confident on the ball, and an engine that does not quit, McLaughlin is a standout from the 2028 class already.
Blachewicz is a forward/midfielder on the Eclipse Select 09 ECNL team. I’ve mainly seen her play as a midfielder. Blachewicz impressed with her quality passing and vision. She was a force in the center of the field for Eclipse. She is clean on the ball with a good first touch. She hits an excellent corner kick too. Blachewicz also did well in the press. She is a strong defender and does well in the tackle in the open field. She is going to be a top talent in the 2028 in the future.
Highlights
Johnson is a defender on the Chicago Inter 09 ECNL team. She played for Chicago Rush 09 last season. I’ve seen Johnson play as the left center back for her current club team. She is listed as a midfield/defender on her player profile. She has that versatility and soccer IQ to play numerous roles on the field. She looks comfortable dribbling out of pressure and confident to hold onto possession of the ball when surrounded. Johnson is a good defender – does well in anticipating the play and getting to the right spot. She can overrun the ball at times but she is hungry to put in the tackle so it’s rare her side is punished for her being active in the pursuit. Johnson is good on the shield and keeps her composure to find her outlets. She is a key piece for the Chicago Inter ECNL side and looks to be a top players from the 2028 class.
Blain is a midfielder on the Chicago Inter 09 ECNL team. She plays as a defensive midfielder for her club team, but could probably fit in at any role in the midfield three. She is a versatile and dynamic player. Her defensive instincts are outstanding and she does a lot of work in the center of the field to help her team keep control of the game. When Blain is on, Chicago Inter is difficult to beat. She was identified as one of the top players in the region by US Soccer and called into the US Soccer Talent ID events.
Tamillow is a midfielder on the Eclipse 09 ECNL team. She plays as a defensive midfielder. She hsas been part of the US Soccer Talent ID Center events in the past as one of the top 09 midfielders in the region. Tamillow is a great two-way player. She offers a full compliment of attributes for the position and the raw talent to
Latawiec is a midfielder on the Evolution 09 ECNL RL team. She also plays for Chicago House Futsal. She impressed scouts with her play in recent games for Evolution and looked like one of the best players in that age group. As a 2028, she is shaping up to be an early standout. She is a smart soccer player with a good technical foundation. She strikes the ball well with her right foot and has hit some exquisite free kicks this season. Her combination play through the center channel has also been a bright spot as she clearly has a knack for playing in tight spaces. Latawiec is a name to know from this group.
Whittington is a forward oh the Rush Phenoms 09 team. She is a center forward. She is a target player with the quality to turn on goal and run at defenders. She has a long stride and good pace. She is a good finisher around the box and does well when played in on goal through diagonal balls. Whittington being a 2028 and performing at the level she has this season suggest a very bright future for the forward.