Rankings Release: The 2026 Point Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rankings week continues for the <em>Class of 2026</em> with a dive into our positional breakdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we'll start by looking at the <em>Point Guards</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the top of the class is <strong><em>[player_tooltip player_id='2563037' first='Darien' last='Moore']</em></strong> (<strong><em>#5</em></strong>). The <em>Brewster Academy</em> guard is a terrific defender that makes others better on the offensive end of the floor and has already announced his commitment to <strong><em>Seton Hall</em></strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are five more <em>Point Guards</em> of note from our rankings update:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2101863"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68b8e308be50e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Samuels, who checks in at <strong><em>#26</em></strong> overall and <strong><em>#4</em></strong> among the lead guards, is one of the better creators with the ball in his hands. He's comfortable bringing the ball up against pressure, has the ability to quickly change speeds and directions, and shows impressive vision in the half-court. He's got good strength, has the ability to finish through contact at the rim, and is a quality defender that does a great job of pressuring opposing ball-handlers. He's a Division I prospect with offers from programs in the <em>Atlantic-10</em>, <em>Big Ten</em>, <em>Big 12</em>, and <em>SEC</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1956025"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68b8e308be594"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Moore, who checks in at <strong><em>#59</em></strong> overall and <strong><em>#7</em></strong> among the lead guards, has a good feel for the game with the ball in his hands and two-way versatility as a defender. He does a nice job of playing off of two feet in the paint, plays at different speeds coming out of ball screens, and shows the ability to make different passes on the move. He has deep range on his jumper and some creativity as a scorer in the paint. On the other end, he's got quick hands and quick feet that allow him to generate a high number of steals and deflections. A former <strong><em>Stonehill</em></strong> commit, he should have a variety of Division I suitors this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2553785"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68b8e308be5e7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Smith, who checks in at <strong><em>#140</em></strong> overall and <strong><em>#23</em></strong> among the lead guards, had a strong summer on the travel circuit with his ability to impact games offensively. He gets downhill off the bounce, has both short space quickness and good athletic burst, and does a nice job of spraying it out to shooters off drives. He's a good athlete that can score it at the rim, while also showing the ability to knock down shots from behind the arc in catch and shoot situations. The high academic prospect will be a priority at the Division III level and could attract scholarship level attention with a strong season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2633437"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68b8e308be63d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Johnson, who checks in at <strong><em>#156</em></strong> overall and <strong><em>#26</em></strong> among the lead guards, is a long, twitchy athlete that does a great job of using his dribble to create space. He thrives in ball screen actions, showing the ability to turn the corner, get into the paint, and make plays for others. His quickness is an asset that allows him to get to his spots off the bounce, and when he gets into the paint, he has the touch needed to score over size. Defensively, he's capable of guarding in the half-court and in the full-court. He'll be a priority recruit at the Division III level with high academic programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2633444"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68b8e308be6ab"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">McGowan, who checks in at <strong><em>#214</em></strong> overall and <strong><em>#35</em></strong> among the lead guards, is one of the better defensive guards around. He has a nice combination of atheticism and strength, that when combined with his instincts, allow him to be a disruptive defender. Offensively, he makes shots with range from behind the arc, shows some creativity with the ball in his hands, and continues to improve his decision making in the half-court. He'll play college basketball in the future and will be able to help a program with his IQ and feel for the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Keep an eye out later this week for more positional breakdowns for the <em>Class of 2026</em>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->