Amid the spellbinding drama of September’s NLL Draft, all eyes were on the very top of the selection proceedings, with CJ Kirst, Ty English and Owen Hiltz headlining the Toronto Rock’s dominant top three selections. A focus on college/junior lacrosse’s most highly touted prospects makes perfect sense, as historically, many of these golden boys live up to the hype, later morphing from a reason for hope into outright superstardom.
Current examples of this phenomenon include 2020 first overall pick Jeff Teat, 2017 top dog Josh Byrne, 2016 franchise changer Lyle Thompson, and 2010’s first choice, the indispensable Cody Jamieson. No one would dispute the impact these icons have had on their teams, as well as the League and sport in general.
While the first round often captures the headlines of any draft, there are still five more rounds filled with talent and opportunity — rounds where countless dreams also come true on this always thrilling day of possibilities.
Many athletes selected outside the spotlight may not yet have fully realized their potential, but history shows that impact players can emerge from anywhere on the draft board. The 2025 NLL Draft was no exception, showcasing depth and promise throughout. One day, some of the following players may stand as examples of how greatness can come from any round.
2025 third-round pick (36) by the Oshawa FireWolves
(Via On The Clock) Jaxon Fridge won’t blow anybody away with his size or strength, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for with elite IQ and surgical stick skills, causing turnover after turnover before vacuuming up the loosey, turning on the jets, and finishing in transition.
The Oshawa FireWolves open the season on NLL Friday Night on TSN when they go up against the Toronto Rock. Friday, November 28th at 7:30 pm ET.
2025 third-round pick (41) by the Georgia Swarm
(Via On The Clock) There are few Albertan-born lacrosse players as shifty, silky, and outright talented as Kean Moon.
In 2023, Moon led the RMLL in goals with 29 in 15 games and drew a lot of eyes with some dazzling goals and jaw-dropping assists at the 2023 Minto Cup that same year.
The righty has flourished in his sophomore WLA season too, posting three points per game (17-19-36 in 12 games) and rapidly becoming a reliable fixture on the Coquitlam Adanacs’ right side, indicating that despite his slight frame, he can compete against larger defenders.
The Georgia Swarm open the season in Buffalo. Watch Saturday, November 29th at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN+, NLL+, and TSN+.
2025 second-round pick (33) by the Ottawa Black Bears
(Via On The Clock) Caught up in the Beaches roster saga last summer, Aston was forced to go and finish his 2024 season out west with the Nanaimo Timbermen in the BCJALL. He led the team in scoring in the playoffs, putting up eight goals and 13 points in four games.
He’s returned East to finish up his junior career with the Beaches, opposite longtime Nepean running mate Willem Firth. Aston finished the OJLL regular season with 55 assists and 78 points while playing in all 20 games for the Beaches.
Aston stands at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, and displays strength and athleticism in equal parts out of the front gate. He’s got a deceptive first step that gets defenders off balance, and he’s got a strong outside shot. His end of the summer will determine where he lands in this draft class, but as a CUFLA product, he’s poised to join this class and be in an NLL training camp in the fall.
Ottawa’s season kicks off on Saturday, December 12th at 7:30 pm ET when the Black Bears host the Saskatchewan Rush. Watch on ESPN+, NLL+, and TSN+.
Throughout NLL history, countless players have proven that greatness isn’t limited to those chosen early on draft night. Some of the league’s most dynamic and respected stars began their journeys as late-round selections. Their stories are reminders of what can’t always be measured by rankings or projections: drive, resilience, and the belief that opportunity, no matter when it comes, is worth seizing.
When evaluating players picked amid rounds three through six, perhaps the most noteworthy name that comes to mind is Vancouver Warriors’ stalwart Keegan Bal. In the wake of his hometown squad selecting him in the third round of the 2013 draft, the Coquitlam, British Columbia product has surpassed 30 goals on five occasions, while hurdling the 40-goal mark three times, including a 43-score, 69-assist output last season, during Vancouver’s memorable run.
Ryan Lee made his way to the Rockies after the Colorado Mammoth brought him aboard courtesy of a third-round pick in 2017. The RIT alum holds the Mammoth record for most points in a season (119, established in 2022) en route to the club’s second-ever NLL championship. After battling a devastating knee injury, Lee produced a stellar 2025 season, scoring 36 and assisting on 59 passes to his teammates.
Former mountain man/newly acquired Georgia Swarm forward Connor Kelly was a third-round pick of the San Diego Seals in 2018, later setting up shop in Denver, after stops in Southern California, New York and Albany. After turning Ball Arena into his place of business, the Easton, Connecticut native averaged 35 goals and 28 assists over the course of the last two very solid campaigns.
An afternoon to remember for Rob Hellyer, who scored a sock trick, 6 assists and the 300th goal of his career.
Roll the Hellyer highlight reel 📽️ pic.twitter.com/z8Nyhjevc9
— NLL (@NLL) March 16, 2025
Rob Hellyer parlayed a 2010 third-round position into a lengthy and productive professional career, spending his first 10 seasons with his home province, Toronto Rock, before heading west to become captain during the Las Vegas Desert Dogs’ inaugural two seasons. Prior to the 2024-25 season, Hellyer’s enduring Western exploration delivered him 330 miles further down Interstate 15 to the San Diego Seals. Scoring at least 29 goals in seven of his NLL journeys, the brand-new Ottawa Black Bear remains a commanding presence, both on the field and in the locker room.
Chris Boushy was a Saskatchewan Rush third-rounder in 2017, who would make his NLL debut wearing the uniform of the Calgary Roughnecks. Coming into his own upon setting sail to Halifax, the South African-born righty recorded 64 goals and 41 assists during his two years on the East Coast. A 2023 trade moved the forward from the Thunderbirds to the Rock, with Boushy’s strong level of productivity not skipping a beat, as he has amassed a total of 71 goals and 60 assists during his first two years in a Toronto pullover.
Toronto mainstay Dan Craig has been a cornerstone of the squad’s operation dating back to the Rock’s sixth-round gambit in 2017. The Penn State alum has built a reputation as a gritty and dependable lefty forward, tabulating 143 goals and 217 assists during his seven seasons repping the Rock. The Shelburne, Ontario lax man hopes to rebound in the goal-scoring department next season after tickling the twine only 12 times in 2024-25, despite helping his running mates to 34 additions to the scoreboard.
Buffalo Bandits’ Kyle Buchanan on May 24, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. Saskatchewan Rush @ Buffalo Bandits. (Caroline Sherman/NLL)
Kyle Buchanan was originally selected by the Washington Stealth (now the Vancouver Warriors) in the sixth round of the 2012 NLL Draft. Following stops in Philadelphia, New England, and San Diego, the former Robert Morris standout found his way to the shores of Lake Erie, where his career took a storybook turn with the Buffalo Bandits.
At 37, Buchanan has evolved from a well-traveled journeyman into a heart-and-soul leader for a Buffalo team celebrating its third consecutive NLL championship. During the Bandits’ four straight appearances in the championship round, the famous number 91 has scored a highly impressive 13 goals and 20 assists, while vacuuming up 57 loose balls.
Looking back at last season’s NLL Finals matchup with the Rush, Buchanan scored six goals and five assists in the three-game series, including a hat trick in Game 1. Despite a bumpy first few years, the clutch righty will one day leave the game with his mark on history fully realized.
