2025 Nike Boys Philly Showcase Player Preview
2025 Player Preview
The 14th annual Nike Boys Philly Showcase takes place Friday & Saturday at Capelli Sports Complex in Tinton Falls, NJ. Widely regarded as North America’s top individual recruiting event, the Nike Boys Philly Showcase is expected to welcome 650+ athletes from the class of 2026, 2025, and 2024.
The class of 2026 will compete on Friday, and the 2024s and 2025s will compete on Saturday.
Below are a few players to keep an eye out for in the class of 2025 – and what they’re listening to pregame!
Luke Gerne (M) 2025
Tristate | Westfield
Luke Gerne has footwork that defenders just can’t seem to read and makes it look effortless. Gerne is a complete midfielder in every aspect of the game. On offense, it doesn’t matter where he is, he can shake his defender and rip it in any corner. In transition, he’s constantly an option for the goalie and stays strong while carrying the ball. On defense, he stays strong and is relentless, never giving up until his man is out of scoring position. Gerne is fast and can easily scoop ground balls and turn them into scoring opportunities for him or his teammates. Looking forward to seeing Luke Gerne making plays all over the field at the Showcase.
Pregame playlist:
1) Migos – Walk It Talk It
2) Kanye West – Father Stretch My Hand
3) Kanye West – All The Lights
4) Drake – Jimmy Cooks
5) Lil Baby – Drip Too Hard
Dan Villa (D) 2025
Team 91 Long Island | The Woodlands HS
Attackmen beware when Dan Villa starts throwing checks; they’re lethal. Dan Villa is the product of a top-10 club team, Team 91 LI. The Houston native is a selfless player who demonstrates what it means to be a good teammate. He knows exactly when to send the slide and how to put the attacker in the worst possible position. Villa excels in ground balls and transition; he is strong and can confidently carry the ball in either hand. Dan Villa is going to absolutely thrive in the Showcase Saturday.
Pregame playlist:
1) Meek Mill – Dreams And Nightmares
2) Kendrick Lamar – Maad City
3) J. Cole – Rise and Shine
4) Kanye West – No More Parties In LA
5) Faneto – Cheif Keef
Cam Taylor (G) 2025
Team Ten | Salesianum
Cam Taylor is a product of one of the top 15 teams in the country and is ranked third in the state for goalies. Taylor is athletic in the cage, tracks the ball very well, and has no problem dropping low. His clears are quick and accurate, and he’s able to see the field clearly. Taylor is comfortable going out of the cage to scoop up ground balls and starting transition on his own. Excited to see Cam Taylor stuffing shots at the Showcase.
Pregame playlist:
1) Meek Mill – Dreams And Nightmares
2) The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
3) Kanye West – Follow God
4) Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West – Run This Town
5) Endor – Pump It Up
Oskar Magnusson (M) 2025
Team MN | Mahtomedi
Oskar Magnusson is a true playmaker, regardless of where he is on the field. On the defensive end, Magnusson locks it down in great defensive form, keeping his man from attacking the cage. In the midfield, he is clearly hungry for a caused turnover and uses his speed to ride the ball wherever it goes. On the offensive end is where he shines most, using good speed and explosiveness to wind up and find the back net. A true two-way middie, we are looking forward to Oskar Magnusson marking up the stat sheet all Showcase long.
Pregame playlist:
1) Motley Crue – Kick Start My Heart
2) Tee Grizzley, Lil Yachty – From The D To The A
3) Eminem – Till I Collapse
4) Bones – HDMI
5) Rage Against The Machine – Guerrilla Radio
Chaz Dechene (D) 2025
LI Express | St. Anthony’s
Good luck getting a shot off when Chaz Dechene is in the game. Dechene is the product of another top-20 team in the country. He has strong stick skills and uses that to his advantage, constantly stripping attackmen of the ball and sometimes even their sticks. He can read attackmen and knows when to throw the check and send the double to shut down the shot. Dechene excels in transition; he’s solid and remains unaffected by attackers in the ride, he stays calm and collected and gets the pass off. Chaz Dechene will surely hold down his team’s defense on Saturday.
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Stay up to date on future Showcase announcements:
Showcase Twitter: @NXT_Showcase
Showcase Instagram: nxt_showcase