Griffin Garnett is an 18-year-old right footed center back for Richmond Kickers in USL League One. He signed his first professional contract in August and made 31 appearances (2,478 minutes) in 2024. The American also contributed an assist and was only booked once last year.
Garnett is tall (1.88 m) and skinny but mature physically for his age, allowing him to hold up against much older competition over the course of the season. Although strong physically for his age, he must continue to fill out his frame as veteran opponents get the better of him in both aerial and 50/50 duels regardless of size. His pace is average for this level, but due to his height his long strides aid him well in his recoveries. In addition, Garnett is quite agile for his stature and position, a trait best utilized when man marking off ball.
As a youthful and confident defender, stepping up from his line and being front-footed is in his nature. That agility allows him to stick closely to markers that quickly change direction on runs after flashing short. That and his recovery pace via long strides make him a reliable off ball defender in a man marking system. Additionally, Garnett has range off ball to sweep from the middle out wide in cover of his fullback or when recovering on the counter. From there, he helps to halt progression with his positioning, either immediately poking it out of play or getting lined up in a 1v1 and taking a fundamental/conservative approach that allows him to track his opponent’s movement while keeping ahead before lunging into a stand challenge for precision or getting in the way for a block. Garnett must build consistency in his 1v1 defending in this coming season. As a young defender, he was prone to an ugly mistake. Getting caught switched off and allowing a runner in behind him is a weakness in awareness the 2006-born center back must focus on.
On set pieces, Garnett is a back post threat with his height and timing of runs. He must improve his strength in aerial duels to be useful going forward, though. In the buildup, his first touch could use a bit more control and his passing range is limited. On the contrary, Garnett is building trust in his weak foot and is reliable in short distribution, even when facing pressure. He can operate on either side of a back four and typical builds up out of a narrow position. There is some room for him to grow as a distributor.
Overall, Garnett is an American center back prospect with an impressive athletic profile and astute defensive instincts for his age and league. Building consistency and expanding his distribution range will determine whether he truly has the potential to develop past the USL Championship. Judging by his 2024 play, Garnett has the defensive acumen from a young age to move abroad or into the MLS within a few seasons.
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