2023 Draft – 1st overall
The 2024-25 season marked the long-awaited debut of heir apparent Dyson Williams. The son of Hall of Famer Shawn Williams did not disappoint. He put up 64 points in his rookie season, leading the crop with 26 goals and 38 assists. It took him just 15 minutes and 39 seconds to score his first goal in his first game, against Saskatchewan on November 30. Williams also got to participate in three Tucker Out Lymphoma games, a tribute to his late younger brother, who is the reason why Williams gives lacrosse everything he’s got.
There is no ceiling for Williams. Lacrosse is in his blood. He has the pedigree and the character to surpass his father’s career stats and longevity in the league and become one of the most dynamic players of all time.
2024 Draft – 1st overall
Despite limited competitive box lacrosse experience coming into the NLL, O’Neill proved himself worthy of being the number one pick last season. He finished second in rookie scoring with 25 goals and 32 assists for 57 points and was a spark of hope for the future for a Wings’ squad that struggled. He set a career high for goals in a game with four in his second-ever game. It took him four games to have an eight-point outing, which was his best game of the season.
At 6’3 and 240 pounds, O’Neill is a big body who has the potential to become a bruising forward as he gets more comfortable with how to move around in the box. O’Neill currently has 20 points with the PLL’s Denver Outlaws, where he continues to mature as a pro athlete.
2023 Draft – 2nd overall
Whitby Warriors graduate Adam Poitras finished his rookie season fourth on the Desert Dogs roster in scoring and fourth in rookie League scoring, tallying 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points. He also led all rookies with 17 caused turnovers as a forward – Kyle Buchanan-type numbers – and picked up 89 loose balls. Poitras scored three hat tricks throughout the season and set a career high in points (2G/5A) on March 8 versus Rochester.
The former Jr. A captain exudes leadership capabilities and is a truly well-rounded player. He works well under Shawn Williams’ tutelage. Poitras will most likely wear a letter in the NLL sooner rather than later.
2024 Draft – 4th overall to Vancouver
Johnathan Peshko was drafted fourth overall by Vancouver in 2024, and that’s where he started his rookie season. He took up some of the minutes that would have been allotted to Brock Haley, a 2023 first-rounder, had Haley not been traded to Saskatchewan right after Peshko was picked. But Peshko didn’t last the season in VanCity – he was having an average season for the Warriors when he was traded to the Ottawa Black Bears at the deadline. Ottawa then flipped him to Albany for Travis Longboat and two draft picks.
In 12 games for Vancouver, the former Mimico Mountaineer scored nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points, and picked up a decent 42 loose balls. Once in Albany, he scored twice and had two assists in four games. Peshko’s stats going back to junior have never been outstanding but he’s a smart player who picks his spots, and in doing so will pick up at least a point per game.
2024 Draft – 6th overall
Remo Schenato is younger than most of the players on this list, not having attended an NCAA school. He entered the draft right out of junior lacrosse, where he captained the Coquitlam Adanacs to a Minto Cup championship. Vancouver traded away Brock Haley during the draft to move up to get Schenato. The 6’4, 230 lb. defender had to wait until mid-January to make his debut, but when he did, he played consistently. He made it into 10 regular-season games for the Warriors plus all three playoff games. His first points were two assists in their final regular-season game.
Schenato used his size and strength well against older opponents, picking up 21 loose balls and blocking four shots. Of the defenders drafted in the first round, he was easily the one who made the biggest impact on his team as a rookie. By next season, he’ll be a grizzled veteran.
(Caroline Sherman/NLL)
2023 Draft – 7th overall by Vancouver
Both the Vancouver Warriors and Saskatchewan Rush were looking to shore up their identities in 2024-25, and Brock Haley would have fit in with either team. He lucked out with the trade to Saskatchewan, where he had a solid rookie season and got to play until the final buzzer sounded on the season during the Rush’s playoff run.
After a five-point debut on November 30, Haley scored multiple points in all but five games. He finished sixth in rookie scoring with 16 goals and 27 assists for 43 points, and added another four goals and five assists in six playoff games. The nerves and some inexperience did show at times, though. Haley is ripping up the MSL this summer, sitting third in scoring for the Cobourg Kodiaks with 18 goals and 18 assists in 11 games played. Cobourg has less offensive finesse than the Rush, and the experience being part of a grittier offence will help develop Haley’s game. Come November, his increased confidence should show as soon as he hits the turf.
2024 Draft – 9th overall
Trent DiCicco isn’t likely to win any scoring awards. The highly-touted prospect often shows off a mature defensive prowess despite being a forward: he’s a true two-way player. He’s just that smart when it comes to lacrosse. Coming out of his first senior season with the Victoria Shamrocks, DiCicco played in all 18 games, scoring eight goals and 14 assists while seeing action in two Mann Cup games. As an NLL rookie, he was an integral part of every game for the Seals, proving they were right to trade up to draft him. His first-year stats were consistent with his WLA numbers – he scored seven goals and 11 assists while picking up 95 loose balls (fourth among rookies) and causing five turnovers, even taking some faceoffs. His biggest game of the year was a three-assist outing on February 1 vs Saskatchewan.
DiCicco may be an offensive player, but he isn’t going to make his mark on the League offensively. He’ll be the one to clean up the garbage, grab rebounds and loose balls, and move the ball up the floor. He’ll be someone that everyone wants on their team.
2024 Draft – 2nd round, 24th overall
Defender Dustyn Birkhof only saw action in four games as a rookie, but expect his floor time to rocket in year two. Birkhof was a surprise pick going so high without playing junior lacrosse and with an abbreviated NCAA career. Still, he’s in good shape and is as tough as nails: his most memorable moment in his first season was a spirited fight against Philadelphia’s Liam Patten.
This summer, Birkhof was acquired by his hometown Peterborough Lakers from the Cobourg Kodiaks, where he’s shown a knack for scoring in transition this summer with four goals in seven games and six points overall. He’s missed time recently due to injury but will play a pivotal role for the Lakers during the playoffs. The Black Bears will be counting on him to learn to cut down unnecessary penalties next season; when he does, he could turn into one of the league’s elite defenders.
(Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)
2023 Draft – 3rd round, 28th overall
Halifax’s Mike Robinson was always going to be successful in the NLL, but it was surprising it happened so fast. The 24-year-old Delaware grad finished third in rookie scoring in the league with 22 goals, 32 assists and 54 points, behind only the two number-one picks in Dyson Williams and Brendan O’Neill. He scored three hat tricks, and his season high in points was against Saskatchewan when he was fifth on his own teamnotched seven (3G/4A) on March 14. He also had a six-point game (3G/3A) on April 18 against Toronto and then added 12 more points in three playoff games. He also finished third in loose ball scoops among rookies with 96.
Like Birkhof, Robinson is playing for the Lakers this summer on their left side and learning from veteran Holden Cattoni, whom he sometimes emulates with his hard shot. As Robinson continues to perfect his game, he’ll end up being a true impact player for the Thunderbirds.
2024 Draft – 3rd round, 34th overall
Naso is another rookie who came into the League with limited box experience but showed that he belonged nearly immediately. In addition to solid defence, Naso immediately got the better of Jake Withers on faceoffs, winning 57% of the draws. He had two games over 80% and finished the regular season fourth overall in win percentage at 61.3. He showed his consistency in the postseason at 61.2. Naso also scored two goals in transition and scooped 85 loose balls.
Naso owns career records at Duke in faceoffs won (1,001) and ground balls (554), and ranks seventh in NCAA history in faceoffs won. He’s already shown he’s capable of beating the game’s elite faceoff men, so don’t expect to wait too long to see his name in first place in faceoff percentage in the NLL.
