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NLF Class of 2026 Rankings
Dylan Faison ascends to the No. 1 spot
Nos. 2-10
2. James Gillis, attack/midfield, Chaminade (N.Y.) / Long Island Express Channy
Closer to No. 1 than No. 3, Gillis clearly established himself as the premier lefty offensive weapon in a class flush with them. He had an outstanding sophomore campaign for Chaminade this spring, finishing with 32 goals and 16 assists, and was even better this summer. He shined wherever he went, including an Offensive MVP nod at One Percent and leading Long Island to its second straight National All-Star Games championship.
Gillis’ versatility and compete level also help him stand out from the pack. At 6-2 and around 170 pounds, he’s got a great frame to add size in college. He’s a gifted shooter and feeder, and also relishes the opportunity to compete on the defensive end.
“He can do it all and he wants to be great. He wants to do it all, and that very much excites me,” one ACC assistant coach said.
“Gillis can play wherever he wants,” another ACC assistant remarked. “I love his game. He’s just so tough to play against. You look around this class and ask, ‘who’s going to be a college All-American?’ That guy’s going to be an All-American.”
It seems extremely likely that Gillis ends up somewhere in the ACC.
3. Hunter Mezzatesta, goalie, Yorktown (N.Y.) / Express North
The most consistent goalie in a class with a ton of quality keepers, Mezzatesta stays put as the No. 3 player in the class and No. 1 goalie. Name an individual event that he’s played in, he’s been named an All-Star. The One Percent All-Star nearly backstopped Express North 2025 to an upset of powerhouse Team 91 Maryland this summer at the NLF National Championships, going toe-to-toe with ’25 No. 1 goalie Aidan Seibel (McDonogh, Md. / Maryland). Mezzatesta’s mechanics are outstanding, he’s as good as it gets in the clearing game and he’s battle tested. He posted a save percentage of 64 percent this spring for Yorktown, where he’s on pace to break the school record for saves. Expect him to end up at a top ACC or Big Ten school.
4. Ethan Bramoff, LSM/defense, St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) / Long Island Express
Bramoff injured his hamstring in St. Anthony’s state championship win, and it took a long time for it to heal. As a result, he was nowhere near 100 percent this summer. Take that out, and you’ve got a player that could reclaim his title as the No. 1 player in the class in future rankings. He was excellent as a sophomore starter for the Friars. Bramoff is the class’ best takeaway artist with the elite stickwork and propensity for havoc in the middle of the field that you want out of a top-flight LSM. He is exceptional off the ground and started to look like his usual self later in the summer, and he was very good in helping Express reach the NLF National Championship game.
5. Lucas Garcia, attack/midfield, Brunswick (Conn.) / Prime Time
An incredibly versatile threat who put together a 27-goal, 22-assist sophomore campaign for a loaded Bruins team, Garcia’s going to be a hot commodity Sunday because of his ability to beat defenses in so many ways. There aren’t a ton in the class with a better first step, and he’s a two-handed threat.
“He does a little bit of everything,” one ACC assistant said.
“Garcia’s got a pretty high floor and if he hits his ceiling, he could be really special,” one Ivy coach remarked.
6. Jace Banks, attack/midfield, Hill School (Pa.) / FCA
One of the summer’s breakout stars, Banks erupted with a lights-out performance at NAL and proved that he’s one of the top dogs in the class throughout the summer. In terms of sheer athleticism, Banks might be the closest thing to Dylan Faison. He’s so explosive, fast and agile, and that kind of athleticism translates really well to the next level. Banks scored 31 times and added 19 assists for Hill, a testament to his versatility and ability to get others involved.
“He’s the type of athlete that can take over a game and you don’t see a lot of those on the board,” one ACC offensive coordinator said.
“He gets to where he wants to go on the field, and you can’t teach that. Not many people can do that,” an Ivy League offensive coordinator said. “He’s very tough to put your hands on and he can run by your best cover guy, which changes a defensive gameplan.”
7. Hunter Metz, attack, McDonogh (Md.) / Crabs
Metz came into the summer with a reputation as somewhat of only a finisher, but he’s way more than that. The lefty is still an outstanding finisher, as he showed with his 31 goals for three-time defending MIAA champion McDonogh. But he’s better than advertised as a dodger and is also a very capable righty finisher as well.
“Metz can be a little bit of a dodger. He just hasn’t needed to (with McDonogh) and his best lacrosse is still ahead of him,” an ACC coach said. “He’s going to develop quickly.”
Metz understands coverages and is very adept at finding open spots. He’s a big body and could eventually top out at 6-3 or 6-4, so he’s got a frame that’s tailor-made for the next level.
8. Jayden James, defense, St. John’s (D.C.) / Next Level
The 2026 class isn’t perceived as the best defensive class, but James is basically the unanimous choice as the No. 1 close defender.
“Athletically, he’s different than everyone else,” an ACC coach said.
“People didn’t really challenge him this summer,” another coach from a top-5 program said.
James is going to be a four-year starter at St. John’s, one of the top programs in the country. He can reportedly throw down a windmill dunk, a nod to his elite athleticism. He loves to apply pressure because he knows that few offensive players can run by him, and his frame can handle a bunch more weight once he gets in a college weight room. There’s been a lot of smoke linking James to Syracuse, but he’ll get interest from everyone.
9. Tedy Frisoli, attack, St. Sebastian’s (Mass.) / Laxachusetts
The production’s there with Frisoli, as evidenced by a 38-goal, 42-assist sophomore campaign for St. Sebastian’s. He was lights-out at the NLF Elite 120 this summer and consistently produced for Laxachusetts before his summer ended with a foot injury. He’s not afraid to get to the paint and does his best work inside. Frisoli’s got the toughness and handle to be a consistent scoring threat without needing the ball in his stick too much.
“He’s a great athlete and he can play anywhere,” one coach at a top-5 program said.
“He’s one of my favorite players in the class,” another added.
Frisoli has two brothers that played at Duke, so the Blue Devils will almost certainly be high on his list. He will still have his pick of many of the other best schools in the country, too.
10. Dylan Malone, midfield, La Salle (Pa.) / Big 4 HHH
Malone’s the incredibly rare case of a player moving up despite missing the summer with an injury. He’s also an incredibly rare player, which helps. Very likely the most two-handed player in the class, the 6-3 middie racked up 31 goals and added 18 assists in 18 games before tearing his ACL in the state quarterfinals. The ball just looks different coming out of his stick, lefty of righty. His explosiveness is so impressive for a bigger player. It’s very unlikely that missing his recruiting summer will affect his recruitment even in the slightest. Had he played, he would have pushed for a top 5 spot, and he’d fit in perfectly in an ACC midfield.
