Rising Stock: East Coast 2028s That College Coaches Need to Know

2028s are in the headlines with summer tournaments approaching. These 2028 players college coaches need to add to their boards.    Birkholz has a lot of upside that I don't think has been unlocked yet. She's a fundamental player, not flashy at all. When looking at Birkholz long-term, she fits in at the low attack position, but using her up top in different situations could reap benefits for a college program. This shows how versatile a player Birkholz is and will make her more recruitable come September. The Georgia native can play anywhere on the field and can feed the ball all over as well. She takes the draw and also comes in off the circle. Her burst of speed to chase down a loose ball is impressive. Off-ball Birkholz can kill a defense. She's aggressive on the defensive side of the ball and is gritty when she wants a ground ball. Her shot is fluid and has many different release points. As she keeps getting older, she keeps getting better.     Ellis is an athletic and fast 2-way midfielder. On her dodges, she gets downhill quickly and can drive through contact. She is an explosive dodger and a good initiator to start the offense. Her overhand shot is good, and she places the ball well. Ellis has good vision and makes good feeds. Her tall 5'9” frame helps her when she comes in off the circle on the draw; she reads the ball really well. On the clear, she is extremely reliable and will run the floor by herself. Ellis has a high ceiling and great potential for the college level. A lot of colleges will want her.     Murphy is an extremely shifty dodger and super fast. She turns the corner quickly on her dodges and gets downhill easily. Murphy absorbs contact on her dodges, and she can split through defenders on the way to the goal. Her on-the-run shot is accurate and powerful. At the next level, Murphy could be used as an offensive midfielder coming out of the box. She is a good initiator to start an offense because she gets the defense to move and slide . Off the ball, she has perfectly timed cuts. She is very explosive and quick at getting ground balls. On the clear, she is amazing, she is so fast and explosive. Murphy has a lot of upside for the college level.     Manger is a quick, explosive, and crafty dodger who gets to the goal. She has a variety of dodges that she showcases. The attacker has the ability to re-dodge her defender after her initial dodge and will successfully get to the goal. She can dodge anywhere on the field. Manger turns the corner quickly, and her change of speed and direction is lethal. She has quick feet and a quick first step. This 2028 class has great offensive initiators. Manger is up at the top of the list with the best of them. She creates slides and causes the defense to move and rotate. Manger has a powerful shot that she can get off quickly. Her ability to finish with defenders closing in is next level. She feeds the ball well and can work off-ball. Looking into the future at the college level, Manger will make a great college attacker.     Gilbart is so fun to watch. She has a fast on-the-run shot when she blows by her defender. Gilbart is crafty back at “X” or wherever she has the ball. She normally plays back at “X” or low on the goalie's right side. Her vision is great, and she always finds her teammates cutting. When she dodges, she weaves through defenders and is going to make an impressive finish on goal. From a scouting report perspective, it is hard to game-plan for Gilbart. You have to respect her as a dodger, shooter, and feeder. Off-ball, she does damage too. Gilbart rides hard to win the ball back and is so scrappy for loose ground balls.

2028s are in the headlines with summer tournaments approaching. These 2028 players college coaches need to add to their boards.