Rankings Preview: Illinois Goalkeepers shine in 2027
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USE PROMO CODE JR30 for a discount on your first PrepSoccer Subscription The PrepSoccer state rankings for Illinois will be released next week. Prior to their release, we did a deep-dive scouting report on the top five players from the…
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The PrepSoccer state rankings for Illinois will be released next week. Prior to their release, we did a deep-dive scouting report on the top five players from the rankings. Two goalkeepers highlight this freshman class from Illinois.
Read about the goalkeepers and the other top prospects from the Illinois 2027 class below.
Fowler is a goalkeeper on the FC United 08 GA team. She is part of the US U15 Girls National Team. She is the only player from Illinois on the US Youth National Team in this age group. Fowler was one of only two goalkeepers called into the recent Youth National Team training camp in Portland, Oregon. Fowler was featured last season on PrepSoccer as a top player in this class. Her performance at the Girls Academy National Talent ID event in July confirmed our lofty expectations of the goalkeeper. She showed every part of her game – organizer, distributor, and excellent shot-stopper. Fowler has the player profile and drive to be a goalkeeper at the top level.
Galt is a goalkeeper on the Chicago Inter 08 ECNL team. She is part of the Scotland U17 Women’s National Team. She has been called into a number of US Soccer Talent ID events. We wrote about Galt last year as one of the early standouts from this class. She’s continued to put in the work to improve her craft since then. Galt has made some outrageous saves recently – her instagram includes just a few of the best. Galt is the epitome of a player who loves the process. A devoted player to developing new parts of her game, she should be considered one of the best in her position in the country.
Highlights
Randall is a midfielder on the Eclipse Select 09 ECNL team. She is part of the US Youth National Team program. She made the move from Girls Academy (FC United) to ECNL (Eclipse Select) this season. Randall plays as a center midfielder for Eclipse. She tends to take a more advanced position, but she covers a ton of ground in the game. The trait that jumps out from Randall’s game is controlled. She is always measured – about her positioning, her next move, how she positions her body to shield the defender. She is a forward-thinking player that never seems to be in a panic. Randall’s arrival at Eclipse has elevated that team considerably, but it still feels like there is room to grow as a collective. She has the possibility to be a more impactful contributor later in the club season as she figures out the moments to take over the game. Randall is one to watch this season.
Rucka is a defender on the Eclipse Select 08 ECNL team. She plays as an outside back for her club team. Rucka stood out from game film for her two-way play. She is a 2027 playing in the 08 age group and has a pretty significant role on a top team in that age group.
Williams is a defender on the Eclipse Select 09 ECNL team. She plays as a center back for her club team. I’ve seen her slot in as a defensive midfielder for one game, but mainly only seen her leading the backline. Williams wears the captain’s armband for her team. She is a solid defender: fluid athlete who covers ground in a hurry, strong in the tackle, and reads the game well. Williams impressed me with her passing – not necessarily the range, but rather variety and quality. Williams was playing passes into the feet of her teammates when the defender was off, and playing passes in front of her teammates to lead them into space when the opportunity was on. There aren’t many center backs in this age group that are recognizing that or playing those types of passes in game situations. Williams has a high ceiling and the soccer brain to take her a long way in the sport.