Outside defenders from California are top class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The modern day outside defender is a player that gets to feature quite a lot as most teams really rely on their wide backs to get up and down the pitch and contribute in both facets of the game. It is a position where speed, fitness, creativity and technical ability is needed. Here are five good ones from California. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["112136"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67107ae468b2f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cortez-Blanco is a nimble footed right back, one with good agility and starting block speed. She accelerates quickly and gets up and down the touch line in a flash. She's a versatile player as she can play as a wide forward as well because of her speed, her quality and her ball skills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["111242"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67107ae468b93"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gaunt is a stud left back with great tools that she loves to flash. She has great foot skills as she can carry the ball up the pitch, whip a left-footed cross into the box or play a beautiful ball on the floor up the line or between defenders in the center of the pitch. She also has a strong understanding of one-touch soccer as she is excellent about passing and moving.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Emily Griffin","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"West Coast FC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67107ae468c2f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Griffin is a clever, crafty left back who does not simply look to send the ball up the line. She looks to move the ball into space where people can meet it and be dangerous. She's got great vision and an understanding of how to attack the defense. She's very fast as she has long strides so she is hard to mark when she pushes up and can track back quickly.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["222238"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67107ae468c76"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roddick makes things look so easy and so smooth. She has such flluid and athletic movements to where she always seems to be in complete control. Even when she's being physical with a wide forward, it looks effortless and controlled. She's very smooth on the ball and does a good job of pushing the ball into space and using her speed to beat defenders. She is precise in her movements, crisp and accurate with her passes as she is fantastic about picking the right ball to play. She is a dual threat as she can go forward and help in the attack, but she always tracks backs and does not forget about her defensive responsibilities. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["223644"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67107ae468cb9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rubio is a wonderful athlete with a lot of fast twitch. She's shifty and creative as she changes directions, stops and starts and explodes with ease and she can make plays. She drives the <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2025/10/meet-the-stoppers-controlling-the-2027-back-line/?itm_campaign=wp-parsely&amp;itm_medium=smart-link&amp;itm_term=b0eff61789def98b60651037f63ac251&amp;itm_source=traffic-boost" data-smartlink="b0eff61789def98b60651037f63ac251" title="Outside defenders from California are top class">ball</a> forward and plays the right ball and then will continue a dangerous run into the right space with an underlap or she will ping a ball and explode down the side looking to play 1-2 footy and get the ball right back. She plays the <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2025/10/five-names-redefining-the-art-of-defense-in-2028/?itm_campaign=wp-parsely&amp;itm_medium=smart-link&amp;itm_term=b7de4139babe1005d44ab5aadb6e5486&amp;itm_source=traffic-boost" data-smartlink="b7de4139babe1005d44ab5aadb6e5486" title="Outside defenders from California are top class">game</a> at an advanced level and shows a developed understanding.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->