Behind the Scenes: PrepSoccer’s National Rankings

The PrepSoccer National Player Rankings for the Class of 2025 were released this week. The list comes after over three months of extensive research at a state level for the current sophomore class. The national and state rankings were a cumulative effort from the PrepSoccer National Analysts who have decades of experience with high school, club, and college soccer. 

From scouting events, showcases, and games in person to reviewing game film, the rankings process was a measured, deliberate process that attempted to scout and review as many players as possible for the initial rankings release. 

How?

The rankings were brought together throughout the end of last club season and the start of this club and high school season with scouting at various events of both high school and club soccer as well as conversations with scouts from all levels of soccer (professional, college, club, and youth national teams). 

The feedback and insight helped shape these rankings, along with the expertise of the PrepSoccer National Analysts, who have been in this industry for decades. 

The starting point for any player was: Who is making an impact at the top levels in the big games? Beyond finding those players who were leaving an imprint on the game at the highest levels, we looked for players with the highest ceiling/most potential. Our player rankings will always be a balance of top contributors now as well as players we rate as having the potential to reach the top level in the game. 

Why?

While rankings are not the be all, end all, they are a great database for college coaches and scouts trying to navigate the massive scope of youth soccer in the United States. The player rankings also provide a point of reference for future scouting as they help new scouts for PrepSoccer adjust to the level expected of a player to be considered for the national or state level rankings. 

Who was considered?

All players from high school and club soccer based in the U.S. were considered for the rankings. The lone disqualification for players is they must still retain amateur status. Players who had already signed professional contracts with MLS, MLS Next Pro, USL, or NWSL were not included in our national rankings or state rankings. Players that were in limbo (i.e. Axel Perez) were also not considered for the rankings. 

While this is not to say that we saw every player who plays soccer at those levels, we did not discount any player beyond those who were already signed to professional contracts. 

Why are some players higher in the national rankings than the state rankings?

The national rankings represent our most recent update to the rankings. The state rankings will be updated again in the near future. For the players who made a big jump forward in the rankings, this is a reflection of more recent in-person scouting efforts and feedback from coaches. 

What's Next? 

PrepSoccer will continue to update the national and state rankings - with a new look at the 2023 and 2024 classes plus some new state rankings for those classes.