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In addition to No. 1 overall player Ethan Bramoff (St. Anthony’s, N.Y. / Long Island Express), the NLF’s first class of 2026 top 10 includes…
2. Dylan Faison, midfield, Saint Andrew’s (Fla.) / Team 91 Long Island – Notre Dame football
The fact that Faison was one of Notre Dame football’s first offers in the 2026 class should tell you all you need to know about his athleticism. He’ll join his brother and Irish two-sport standout Jordan Faison in South Bend for a year. While he still can’t talk to Notre Dame’s lacrosse staff until Sept. 1, Faison has expressed interest in walking on to the two-time defending national champions’ roster.
He’s a more advanced lacrosse player than his brother was at this stage, which is a scary thought. Named a U.S. Lacrosse All-American as a sophomore at Saint Andrew’s, he posted 97 goals and added 45 assists in leading the Scots to the state title game. Fast, explosive and smooth, Faison’s got the alpha mentality needed to take over games. He draws ridiculously early slides and yet finds a way to constantly produce for both Saint Andrew’s and a top-5 Team 91 squad.
3. Hunter Mezzatesta, goalie, Yorktown (N.Y.) / Express North
No ’26 goalie résumé can match Mezzatesta’s record of success between the pipes. He’s an All-Star at every individual event that he competes in, like this winter with a nod at NLF at IMG and the Defensive MVP award at the One Percent Showcase. A thick 5-11, 190-pounder, Mezzatesta will steal a couple of shots every game and is remarkably consistent. He’s going to be a four-year starter for Yorktown, which just won its second straight Section 1 Class B championship. Mezzatesta also earned All-Section honors and has stopped 63.8 percent of shots this spring. He’s also on pace to break the school record for saves.
Mezzatesta’s clearing game is pristine, as rare are the times that he doesn’t connect on a pass to spring a midfielder loose. An early 2008 birthday, Mezzatesta has played up with the ’25s forever and shined bright, a testament to how good he really is.
4. Lucas Garcia, attack/midfield, Brunswick (Conn.) / Prime Time
It doesn’t matter where Garcia lines up. He’s going to find a way to make an impact, and your defense is going to be scrambling to figure out how to stop him. The sophomore racked up 49 points for top-5 Brunswick this spring, including four goals and an assist against Salisbury (Conn.), two goals and three helpers against Deerfield (Mass.) and a goal and four assists against Hill Academy (Ont.). Garcia played primarily midfield and racked up an almost even split with 27 goals and 22 helpers, a nod to his ability to beat defenses in a number of ways.
He’ll be one of the hardest covers on the summer circuit because of his explosiveness, change of direction and rocket of a shot. Garcia was an NLF at IMG All-Star after putting forth a dominant outing at the IMLCA Players’ Summit in December. He has already elevated Prime Time’s ’26 team after dropping down from the loaded ’25 group.
5. James Gillis, attack/midfield, Chaminade (N.Y.) / Long Island Express
Gillis’ ascension over the past year or so has been remarkable. He’s always been a gifted scorer who could take over a game, but he’s gotten significantly better at cutting out some of the mistakes that he used to make. The result is one of the most consistent players in the class, and the 6-2, 160-pound lefty is a tough cover for anyone. He started as a sophomore for top-15 Chaminade and, against a stacked schedule, compiled 32 goals and 16 assists. Gillis hit top-10 McDonogh (Md.) for a hat trick, put up a goal and two assists against top-10 Salesianum (Del.) and bagged a hat trick against Connecticut power Darien, proving that he can get it done against some of the best competition in the country.
Gillis’ game is so smooth. The NLF at IMG All-Star is crafty with the ball in his stick and changes planes well on his shot. He’s likely to make his greatest impact at attack, but he can also dodge from up top and create mismatches as a midfielder. He’s become the most consistent offensive player on a loaded Express team.
6. Jayden James, defense, St. John’s (D.C.) / Next Level / Hilltop
The No. 1 close defenseman in the class, James is a 6-2, 180-pound lefty who’ll venture out to the parking lot to cover his man if need be. He’s not afraid of throwing checks and finds a way to put the ball on the ground a lot. James will be a four-year starter at D.C. powerhouse St. John’s and he’s already been tasked with covering everyone’s best attackman. James had a terrific showing this winter with Hilltop at IMLCA, and guys know to avoid him.
7. Timmy Plunkett, attack/midfield, Iona Prep (N.Y.) / Express North
Plunkett has experience at both attack and midfield, but the general consensus is that most see him as a midfielder at the next level. He has exceptional burst, shooting ability and the toughness to get to the rack. He’s not shy about shooting at all, and he routinely gets to his spot to shoot. Plunkett shined this winter with an all-star nod at NLF at IMG after securing Offensive MVP honors at One Percent. While he’s not overly tall, Plunkett’s extremely strong and can drive through contact to get to where he wants to go. He scored 56 goals and added 44 assists for an even 100 points and became the first sophomore to ever be named a New York Catholic League All-American.
8. Tuck Gilbane, attack, Noble & Greenough (Mass.) / Laxachusetts
Named a five-star earlier this spring, Gilbane put up another impressive campaign for the ‘Dawgs. He tallied 35 times and dished out 20 helpers on a new-look Nobles squad, good enough for third in points among ISL sophomores. That came on the heels of a 90-point freshman season for Nobles. A solidly-built attackman who’s also a good hockey defenseman, Gilbane has a nose for the cage and can beat you in a multitude of ways. He’s thrived as both an off-ball lefty – as a righty – and an X attackman for Nobles. His future is an as ambidextrous X guy who can provide mismatches.
9. Rick Giordano, midfield, Brunswick (Conn.) / Prime Time
The best pure midfield shooter in the class, the NLF at IMG All-Star can absolutely hammer the ball. He was one of the best ’26s all day long at the NLF Fall Invitational, showing his ability to get downhill and scorch a shot home. A little undersized, Giordano makes up for it with his quickness and shot, and he was able to carve out a role for himself at Brunswick this spring. He finished with 25 goals and 12 assists, all from the midfield, for a Bruins team that went 17-1.
10. Hunter Metz, attack, McDonogh (Md.) / Crabs
The class’ top off-ball attackman, Metz is one of the driving forces behind a very good Crabs 2026 team. He’s been a steady presence as an underclassman for the Eagles, helping McDonogh to back-to-back MIAA titles as a freshman and sophomore. This year, he started throughout the season and produced 31 goals and 14 assists. The 6-1, 190-pounder has elite hands and doesn’t need the ball in his stick for very long to score.
