Top Class of 2027 Boys' Lacrosse Prospects Ahead of Sept. 1

George Caldroney became a viral sensation after executing a behind-the-back dodge from X during the U13 PLL Junior’s Championship two years ago. Now, his time has come on the recruiting circuit.

Caldroney, who plays at IMG Academy (Fla.), figures to be one of the most sought-after attackmen in the Class of 2027.

“It feels like it was just yesterday that I was like, ‘I can’t wait for September 1,’” Caldroney said. “I remember the Mitchell Pehlke video of Brendan Millon on September 1. That was two years ago, and now that it’s me, it’s pretty crazy. It feels surreal.”

Since the viral clip, Caldroney has blossomed into an all-around offensive threat. While his dodging and short-area quickness are his best attributes, he has crafty-enough stick skills to play in the slot and enough speed to dodge from the midfield.

Caldroney said he’s been focusing on his impact on the ride on top of improving his left hand. He added that he takes pride in his ability to dodge at all spots on the offense, dismissing any theories that he’d only want to play attack in college.

He’s also prioritizing fit and a winning culture over any other aspects when choosing his school.

“I always watched the NCAA tournament with my dad growing up, and it’s always been my dream to be on that field one day,” he said. “I just want to be on a high-level team that will be able to get me to the NCAA tournament.”

Caldroney isn’t having any nerves about the process and said he’s ready to start talking to the college coaches who come knocking.

“I wish it was tonight,” he said. “I'm pretty ready for it. I'm excited.”

A potential riser as Sept. 1 nears is a savvy long-stick midfielder out of Brother Rice in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Ben Waechter has unique offensive skills that show up often in transition.

He scored the overtime winner during the MHSAA Division 1 championship over rival Detroit Catholic Central on June 6, inking Brother Rice’s 17th state title and putting his name on the recruiting map.

Waechter caught a pass from his faceoff specialist after the opening faceoff, took a crow hop and then launched the ball past the goalie before hurling his helmet into the air in glory.

“That’s just how it is; it’s what we do at Brother Rice, we win state championships,” he told local reporters after the win.

Waechter’s skills didn’t just show up at Brother Rice, though. Tyler Carpenter, the Director of Player Development at Stealth Lacrosse and the Premier Lacrosse League’s LSM of the Year in 2024, said Waechter scored 15 goals in six games during the NXT Philly Summer Invitational in July.

“If your skills are good enough, they can’t keep you off the field,” Carpenter said. “So, if you have stick skills that you know they can rely on, they don’t have to worry about, and you just find ways to make plays with your stick, it’s going to be tough for a coach to keep you off the field.”

There’s a surplus of young, exciting talent outside of Caldroney and Waechter that deserves recognition and will have coaches sending their best pitches on Sept. 1.

The usual blue-chip travel programs like Mad Dog National, BBL Elite and Team 91 Long Island all — unsurprisingly — have talent littered across the top of the class. Mad Dog National Black, which fell 5-4 to Mad Dog National Gold in the Naptown Challenge, had a few of the top-ranked attackmen play for them during the summer circuit.

Toward the top of that group is JT Cross, a 6-3 dodger from X who has the makings of an elite quarterback-style attackman at the next level. Cross — a teammate of Caldroney’s with Mad Dog National — also plays for the Colorado Kings on a team comprised mostly of his teammates from Valor Christian High School. Defender Noah Pacheco, attackman Torin Laselle and midfielder Karter Robichaud were all a part of the young core that led Valor Christian to a state championship game berth in May.

That group fell in the 5A state title to Cherry Creek, who was led by left-handed dodger Wyatt Branish. All of those names round out the talented 2027’s out of the Centennial State.

Let’s dig into some other names to know ahead of Sept. 1.

Names to Know

Here are 11 players in the Class of 2027 whose stock rose most this summer — and whose phones will be buzzing Sept. 1. 

Leif Anderson

Position: Defense/LSM 
High School: Deerfield (Mass.) 
Club: Eclipse

Anderson has played for Brunswick (Conn.) the past two seasons and was named an All-American twice. He’s set to transfer to Deerfield to cause havoc in the New England West division. He was named a five-star and a top-10 recruit in the National Lacrosse Federation's Class of 2027 rankings published at the beginning of the summer.

Wyatt Branish

Position: Midfield 
High School: Cherry Creek (Colo.) 
Club: Mad Dog

While Cross was the only sophomore 5A first-team all-state selection in Colorado, Branish was the only sophomore to earn a spot on the second team. The strong left-handed dodger finished last season with 100 points. He has the ability to play midfield or attack and is a shooting threat at any spot on the field.

George Caldroney

Position: Attack/Midfield 
High School: IMG Academy (Fla.) 
Club: Mad Dog

One of the premier dodgers in the class. The volume of highlight goals on his tape will make you forget about his skills as a passer, which could be more impressive. Caldroney made the USA U17 Youth National Team this summer and has been a mainstay on IMG Academy’s offense for the past two seasons.

Chris Colsey

Position: Attack 
High School: Ridgefield (Conn.)   
Club: Eclipse

The youngest brother of Ryan and Kyle Colsey — who play at Virginia and Duke, respectively — Chris Colsey has continued the family bloodline. Their father, Roy, is a National Lacrosse Hall of Fame player who coached at Ridgefield for 16 years before stepping down and becoming the head coach of the PLL's Carolina Chaos. Chris Colsey was a first team All-FCIAC selection last spring after scoring 42 goals and adding 35 assists.

JT Cross

Position: Attack 
High School: Valor Christian (Colo.) 
Club: Mad Dog

Cross could end up being the top overall recruit in a lot of rankings sooner rather than later. He scored 85 points for Valor Christian last season and was a 5A CHSAA first team all-state selection — the only sophomore to earn that distinction.

Griffin Hammer

Position: Defense 
High School: Highland Park (Texas) 
Club: Mad Dog

Hammer could be the enforcer of this class. The 6-4 defender’s highlight tape is littered with bone-crushing hits and brutal takeaway checks. He plays club for Mad Dog National Black and was a starter at Highland Park last season, finishing with 64 ground balls and 44 caused turnovers.

James Holbrough

Position: Attack 
High School: Berkshire School (Mass.) 
Club: Sweetlax

There’s definitely a chance that Holbrough is the first prospect on some boards when September arrives. He scored 86 points for Berkshire last season and was an All-NEPSAC selection. The X attackman has excellent vision as a feeder and great body control and contact balance as a dodger, especially around the crease.

Tripp King

Position: Attack 
High School: Loyola-Los Angeles (Calif.)  
Club: West Coast Starz

One of the best two-handed dodgers in the class, King was named a five-star in the NLF’s 2027 class rankings and plays club for the West Coast Starz. He set a school record with 115 points in the spring and has already been named a Mission League Offensive Player of the Year twice.

Moe Sobel

Position: Goalie 
High School: Chestnut Hill Academy (Pa.) 
Club: Primetime

The 6-4 goalie is as cold as ice in net and a commanding presence. He was ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the NLF’s 2027 class rankings.

Ben Waechter

Position: LSM/Defense 
High School: Brother Rice (Mich.) 
Club: Stealth

Waechter is one of the most coveted long poles in the class. His rare offensive skills and filled-out 6-2 frame will make him an attractive commodity among Division I coaches. He was named to the USA U19 Youth National Team that will compete in the Rivalry Challenge and Brogden Cup against international competition this fall.   

Jagger Zemachson

Position: Defense/LSM 
High School: Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) 
Club: Leading Edge

Zemachson was the highest-ranked defender in the NLF’s rankings. He was a second-team All-Super Essex County selection in the spring, playing both long-stick midfield and defense. His lengthy 6-2 frame paired with his active stick creates chaos for opposing offenses.