Texas 2028: 6 Must See Guards (6'2"+ Edition)

The Class of 2028 in Texas is brimming with size and skill at the guard position, and this edition spotlights six up‑and‑coming 6′2″+ guards making their mark. Film‑first evaluation reveals a blend of scoring versatility, defensive activity, and tournament polish across a range of systems. From catch‑and‑shoot mechanics to sequence‑level decision‑making, these guards offer college coaches translatable traits right now. Below are six rising prospects whose skill sets stand out on both ends of the floor.    [player_tooltip player_id='2635242' first='Monta' last='Ellis Jr.'] – Prosper Walnut Grove (2028, Shooting Guard) | AAU: Ellis Elite   A high-IQ off-ball guard known for his poised spacing reads and burst into secondary breaks. He consistently flashes a high-effort weak-side tag on pick-and-rolls and rotates quickly to seal baseline lanes. Offensively, he spaces the floor and attacks closeouts with a rhythm pull-up; defensively, he shows competence defending Spain action and rotating through zone windows. ✅ Spot-up catch-and-shoot touch ✅ Help-side drag rotation ✅ Two-dribble mid-range pull-up       A rangy guard with a lean frame and strong hands for contesting or intercepting passes. He's one of the more reliable perimeter shooters in his class—shoots it with balance from multiple spots and shows versatility off of flare cuts. On defense, his size enables him to disrupt passing angles, while at the rim he times weak-side swats effectively. Listed at 6′4″ with a long wingspan, giving him extra value in closeout situations. ✅ Off-ball flare timing ✅ Weak-side rim deter ✅ Rhythm spacing control       A heady scoring guard who uses footwork to create separation before pulling. He has strong control with one-leg hop-backs to reset rhythm for mid-range shots. Defensively, he shows toughness on ball-screen tags and fights through low-post help to contain stagger actions. He's quick to re-establish guard-level spacing after his own shot attempts. ✅ One-leg hop-back pull-ups ✅ On-ball screen anchor recovery ✅ Shot-to-lane push in transition       A near-prototypical catch-and-shoot specialist who consistently steps into rhythm triples without drifting off balance. His compact footwork allows him to get shots off quickly from the perimeter. On defense, he plays the passing lanes effectively and displays active hands when rotating into traps. Ryland is one of the top catch-and-shoot options in his class. ✅ Spot shooting footwork ✅ Passive-to-active hand transitions ✅ Help-rear awareness off ball       A dual-threat guard with feel for tempo and leverage on drives. He shows poise when navigating actions and can trigger assist reads out of mismatches. He plays with balance, absorbs contact, and operates well against drop coverage. In the future, he will be primarily used at point guard for Allen while retaining combo-guard scoring ability. ✅ Moving assist reads ✅ Spain action coverage ✅ Body-lean shield drives       A fluid off-ball threat with a smooth, repeatable release. He excels coming off pin-downs and shows awareness in rescreening or slipping into open space. Defensively, he competes with active weak-side denial and holds his ground well in ball-screen mismatches. ✅ Catch-flip release ✅ Pin-down screen reads ✅ Weak-side cross guide

The Class of 2028 in Texas is brimming with size and skill at the guard position, and this edition spotlights six up‑and‑coming 6′2″+ guards making their mark. Film‑first evaluation reveals a blend of scoring versatility, defensive activity, and tournament polish across a range of systems. From catch‑and‑shoot mechanics to sequence‑level decision‑making, these guards offer college coaches translatable traits right now. Below are six rising prospects whose skill sets stand out on both ends of the floor.