I'm in the process of applying to PhD programs, and one of my friends is too. We've been editing each other's SOPs and she consistently includes a section on the professors that she would like to work with; I haven't, and every time I try to work this type of paragraph in it feels forced, and as my SOP is already too long it would mean details about my past research would have to be removed.
In short: is it necessary to discuss who you want to work with, even if this is not explicitly stated in the prompt?
Thanks!