Rankings Analysis: Florida’s best play defense
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USE PROMO CODE JR30 for a discount on your first subscription The PrepSoccer state rankings for Florida’s 2027 class were released this week. Check out the full list here. Read more about our ranking process here. As part of the…
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The PrepSoccer state rankings for Florida’s 2027 class were released this week. Check out the full list here. Read more about our ranking process here.
As part of the rankings process, we do a deep-dive into each position group from the rankings. Below is a scouting report on the defenders and goalkeepers who appear in the 2027 rankings for Florida.
Florentino is the top ranked player in Florida from the 2027 class. He plays defense for Inter Miami U15 MLS Next. He has primarily played as a left back this season. He’s had some experience as a left center back as well. Florentino is an elite player at the youth level. He is part of the US Youth National Team in his age group, but he didn’t make the roster for the trip to Europe. Florentino should still be in the mix after his performance at the MLS Next event in December. He’s got the tools that every outside back needs for that level. His game reminds me a bit of Julian Araujo (former Barca Academy/LA Galaxy). The way he tackles and dribbles out of pressure has a lot of the same feel as the Mexico National Team defender. Florentino lacked a bit of the impact one might expect from a national team player in some of his club games. He can drift out of the play at times and not make the most of every chance on the ball. Imposing his quality more frequently at the youth level will help get him the experience to develop and refine all the aspects of his game.
Dearmin is an outside back on the Inter Miami U15 MLS Next team. He typically plays right back for his club team. He has been part of the U.S. Soccer Talent ID Center Mini-Camp last year for the U14 age group. Based on his social media profile, it appears he is also eligible for the Scotland National Team. Dearmin wears the captain’s armband for his club team. He is a standout two-way player. Quick with his feet in tackles, an endless supply of energy, and a good first touch, Dearmin shows the qualities that should take him a long way in the game. He delivers a good cross from the run of play with his right foot. I was impressed with his tenacity. He is a scrappy player who does well in 1v1 defending with his unrelenting approach. The outside backs are a strong point of this Inter Miami side and Dearmin will continue to be a player to watch from this group during the Spring.
Trombino is a defender/midfielder on the Orlando City U15 MLS Next team. He earned some experience playing up with the U15 team last season. I saw him feature as a defensive midfielder with that group. He was playing left center back for the U15 team during the MLS Next event in Arizona last month. Trombino has been identified by US Soccer Scouts as a top prospect in his age group in the country and was part of the U14 BNT California ID Camp last year. Trombino stood out from the MLS Next event for his quality on the ball. He is good with either foot and comfortable playing out under pressure. He might show his arrogance a time or two during the game as he invites pressure and then calmly scoots around them. Trombino is a good defender. He uses his body – especially his hands. He’s active in controlling the forward and dictating the terms of the duel. Trombino has the tools to be a top level player at his position.
Krajewski is a defender on the Tampa Bay United MLS Next team. He is a left back for his club team – he is listed as a forward on his player profile though. Krajewski has been part of a number of US Soccer Talent ID events in the past. He is a two-way player from the outside back spot. His passing impressed me from his offensive contributions. He has excellent vision and can pick out diagonal passes to exploit the opposition. He also hits a variety of passes that show his mastery of on the ball control. Defensively, he is agile and quick on his feet. He can lung in the tackle with his dominant foot, which needs to improve for the next level. Overall, he has the potential to be an outstanding outside back.
Nokaj is a defender on the Orlando City U15 MLS Next team. He previously played for Tampa Bay United in MLS Next. He has been part of the US Soccer Talent ID events in the area as well. Nokaj was another standout from the MLS Next event. He played right center back against St. Louis City SC. He was sharp in the tackle and did well in possession. He impressed me with his movement off the ball. His effort to get open for his teammates showed the right mentality for a player who knows what it takes to help his team in possession. Nokaj has the quality to shine at the top levels in the club game.
White is a center back on the Inter Miami U15 MLS Next team. He plays one the right side of the defense. White impressed me in the game against FC Dallas with his ability to read the game and anticipate where to be to support his teammates. White has had a good season for Inter Miami and continues to improve as a center back. There are times where he is a second too slow in getting the ball out of his feet. I’d love to see him work on increasing his speed of play throughout the rest of this club season. He’s a good defender – he matches up against quick forwards as well as physical center forwards. As he continues to improve on his tools while in possession of the ball, White’s game will reach the international standard.
Lynch is a goalkeeper on the IMG Academy U15 MLS Next team. He is listed as 5’7 on his player profile. I believe he is a bit taller than that now. The shot-stopper offers quick reactions and good athleticism. He’s already compiled a long list of highlights from saves during the MLS Next season. Lynch is good in traffic on crosses and can highpoint the ball well. He has strong hands. He has been beat over the top on high shots once or twice this season, as he could improve on his positioning off his line prior to the shot. Lynch is one of the more promising prospects from the position in Florida.
Bradshaw is a defender on the Inter Miami U15 MLS Next team. He primarily plays as the left center back with his club team. Bradshaw has been part of the U.S. Soccer Talent ID Mini-Camp last year. He is also part of the Jamaica Youth National Team. Bradshaw has the potential to be the best player in this age group at the professional level. He was recently named Inter Miami Academy Player of the Month. His coach sited his improvement in passing under pressure and 1v1 defending. Those are two areas where Bradshaw will need to continue to grow for the next level. He goes to the ground a bit too early at times. He needs to improve on his timing in the tackle. He possess elite attributes as defender in terms of aerial duels and physicality. I noticed that he sprints to his spot when giving his goalkeeper a passing option, which is something that scouts love to see on film. The framework is there for an elite center back, some of the polish to come could really take his game to the top level. Bradshaw is being held to a higher standard because his potential is so high.
Campbell is a center back on the Jacksonville FC MLS Next team. He has been part of the US Soccer Talent ID Center events in the past. He can be a right center back or even the center of a back three. He’s good on the ball and could even be a defensive midfielder in the right system. Campbell impressed me with his anticipation and ability to read the game. He does well in knowing when to step into the pass and the timing of his tackle. I think he played more of a right center back role last season, but it looks like he is in the center of the three center backs in recent games this season. He had some trouble with tracking runners in recent games. As he goes up in levels, he needs to improve on adjusting his body shape off the ball so he can track the runner and see the ball. It’s a position specific skill that is attainable – especially for a player with the determination like Campbell.