2026 NLL Draft - Forwards to Watch
We’re under two months away from the 2026 NLL Draft, and the picture is starting to become a little clearer on how this year’s class will look. While we did cover most of the top individuals during our 26 Players to Watch in the 2026 NLL Draft, we wanted to provide an update on all the top names in the draft. We’re going to start things off with the forwards.
Let’s jump in and look at the top offensive talent on the board this year!
Photo: Andrew Van Every/Six Nations Rivermen
David Anderson, RF, Yale & Six Nations (MSL)
David Anderson might be the oldest prospect in this year’s draft, but luckily for him, he’s aging like fine wine.
At every single level Anderson has played, he’s filled the back of the net at an elite level. The Toronto Beaches Jr. A product possesses a lethal outside shot, but he's far from a one-dimensional scorer. He's equally comfortable using his size, strength, and physicality to attack the middle and create scoring opportunities.
With lacrosse greatness in his blood as the grandson of Gaylord Powless, Anderson's instincts and finishing ability allow him to make the game look remarkably easy when he's at his best.
- Pat Gregoire
Photo: Kaylen Lomas/WLA
Andrew Bowman, LF, Marquette & Nanaimo (WLA)
The younger brother of Calgary goaltender Colby Bowman, Andrew plies his trade on the other end of the floor, scoring goals and setting up teammates in equal parts.
After three BCJALL seasons where he had 55-plus points, Bowman has been a standout for Nanaimo as a rookie, leading the team in points (59) and sitting fifth in the WLA in goals (27). The lefty can score from anywhere on the floor, whether it’s firing a shot home from the outside or getting underneath and burying in tight; Bowman has a poise to his game already to make good on chances he gets with his hands free.
With lefty forwards at a premium in this draft, Bowman has solidified himself as a first-rounder this year with his strong play in senior.
Photo: Carter Smith/Toronto Beaches
Matt Collison, LF, Johns Hopkins & Snake Island (TNSLL)
This draft isn’t heavy on lefties, but Collison is the cream of the crop when it comes to offensive talent on that side of the floor. A mountain of a human, the Scarborough, Ontario product moves like a man much smaller, and he can rip the pill and place it wherever he wants with pinpoint accuracy.
The best pure shooter in this draft, Collison also has strong IQ and has played in his share of pressure-packed games, having gone on deep playoff runs in junior, including an appearance in the Minto Cup in 2022. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder can do it all on the floor, which will make him extremely effective no matter what role he’s asked to fill in the NLL. He can free up teammates as a deadly pick-and-roll finisher while also playing in the shooter spot on the power play. Collison is going to have a long career in the NLL with his variety of offensive abilities.
- Austin Owens
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Lucas Dudemaine, LF, Georgetown & Brampton (MSL)
Whether you believe in the clutch gene or not, Lucas Dudemaine has consistently shown an ability to rise to the occasion and deliver when his team needs him most.
The Georgetown product has never been one to shy away from the spotlight, and the bright lights of the National Lacrosse League should be the type of stage where he thrives. Throughout his junior career, Dudemaine was a nightmare matchup for opposing defenders, combining explosive speed, quickness, vision, and finishing ability to create scoring opportunities from anywhere on the floor.
While he may not have the same level of fanfare as some of the other top prospects in this draft class, Dudemaine's upside is undeniable and should have NLL general managers eager to add him to their organization.
- Pat Gregoire
Thunder Hill, LF, Onondaga & Six Nations (OSL)
A natural goal scorer with a nose for the net, Hill possesses a heavy shot and athleticism to help him get into scoring positions.
The back-to-back OSL Most Valuable Player has been a force this summer, averaging over five points a game, and he’s also been able to be a contributor with Cobourg in MSL, where he’s getting additional reps against NLL competition. He also lit up the ALL this past winter with the Six Nations Snipers.
Hill will be a player to watch as the draft gets closer.
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Bowie Horsman, RF, Cornell & Brampton (MSL)
Horsman was a dependable scorer during his time in junior lacrosse, posting multiple seasons over 70 points. While he was the centrepiece for Brampton, he found himself working as a complementary option two summers ago after being traded to Orangeville. He excelled doing just that, playing off the likes of Spallina, Deere, and Matthews extremely well while helping the Hornheads make the 2024 Minto Cup.
The Brampton, Ontario product can excel wherever he’s asked to contribute, whether it’s with his strong IQ and passing ability, or quick outside shot. He can make defences pay in a multitude of ways.
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Brian Jackman, LF, UMass & Oakville (MSL)
Jackman is one of those forwards whose efforts extend well past the scoreboard. During his time in junior — particularly with Orangeville in his final year — he was a skilled forward who also operated at full speed all the time and was extremely efficient at setting strong picks, hauling in re-possessions, and chasing down defenders to force turnovers on the breakout.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound lefty is also a strong outside shooter who is extremely creative in tight. That mix is a massive benefit in the two-man game as a roller and finisher, and that’s where he’ll find his sweet spot in the NLL. Every team can use a forward who is proficient at freeing up teammates and finishing the ball in the pick-and-roll. While he doesn’t have the gaudiest numbers of the players in this class, he makes winning plays every time he’s on the floor.
Photo: Dave Fryer/OJLL
Justin Lee, RF/T, Albany & Oakville (MSL)
Versatility has become one of the most sought-after traits in today's game, and Justin Lee embodies that value as well as any prospect in the 2026 National Lacrosse League Draft.
At 6-foot-5, Lee combines impressive size, length, and athleticism to impact the game at both ends of the floor. The UAlbany grad’s ability to fill multiple roles makes him a valuable asset for the present and future. For NLL general managers, the question won't be whether Lee fits their roster; it will be where he best fits the roster.
- Pat Gregoire
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Koleton Marquis, RF, Albany & Kahnawake (TNSLL)
Marquis is an electric offensive talent, having one of the deepest bags of any player in this draft. He’s extremely athletic and nimble, with a strong first step and ability to create his own shot. But he also excels at shooting from the outside, or pulling off dazzling finishes on top of the crease. And his vision and IQ help him to pull off some truly unbelievable plays every time he steps on the floor.
While he had solid numbers during his time in MSL with the Peterborough Lakers, Marquis has opted to stay home the last two summers and play for the Kanhawake Mohawks, where he’s posted over four points a game this summer.
With a stacked righty forward class, it’s hard to pin down where Marquis will fall in this draft. He should be a lock for the top 10, and whoever lands him will get one of the most creative and talented players in the class.
Photo: Burnaby Lakers
Silas Richmond, RF, Albany & Burnaby (WLA)
Silas Richmond is an absolute thoroughbred. The way he moves is unlike anybody of his stature. His hand speed seems to get even faster every year.
Many say he worked his way into the top pick conversation at the 2024 Minto Cup, where he was absolutely electric, but anybody who watched his rookie WLA season in 2025 will attest: he’s somehow gotten even better. While the conversation seems to stay between Finn and Spallina, it isn’t far-fetched to argue that Richmond should go number one in the NLL Draft.
- Aiden Yorke
Photo: Abby Papineau/Burlington Blaze
Will Sheehan, RF, Yale & Oakville (MSL)
Sheehan is one of the top offensive talents in this draft, but without any box under his belt since graduating junior in 2024, where will he land in this class?
The righty was a three-time 40-goal scorer in the OJLL during his junior career, and with his heavy outside shot that he can place extremely well, he can also let it go from multiple angles, making it extremely difficult for goalies to get a read on him. Additionally, Sheehan is one of the smartest players in this class. That high IQ helps him dissect defences at a high rate on the floor.
While he hasn’t had the senior reps that others in this class have, Sheehan has the talent to step into the NLL and make a difference for a team right away.
Photo: Snake Island Muskies
Joey Spallina, RF, Syracuse & Snake Island (TNSLL)
Perhaps the biggest lightning rod not only in this NLL Draft, but among lacrosse prospects in recent memory, Joey Spallina has become one of the most polarizing players available.
Goal scoring is one of the most coveted commodities in the National Lacrosse League, and Spallina has proven time and again that he knows how to fill the net. The Mount Sinai, N.Y., native possesses a laser of an outside shot with pinpoint accuracy, making him a constant threat whenever he has time and space. Although he's still refining his box game, Spallina possesses a more well-rounded arsenal than his critics often acknowledge. He competes relentlessly on the forecheck, hunts loose balls, and does the little things needed to regain possession for his team.
The Syracuse University graduate combines elite skill with an unwavering drive to improve, and that competitive edge gives him every opportunity to continue the offensive American invasion of the NLL.
- Pat Gregoire
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Finn Thomson, RF, Syracuse & Brampton (MSL)
Thomson is arguably the most pro-ready forward in this draft, combining a supreme lacrosse IQ with elite vision, finishing ability, and the knack for making an impact without the ball in his stick.
During his junior career with the Mimico Mountaineers, Thomson consistently put up video game-like numbers while making it look effortless. He also proved he can produce against grown men, recording 40 points in just nine games with Brampton in Major Series Lacrosse last summer. The Syracuse University grad can step into an offence and contribute from Day 1, while possessing the long-term upside to become the floor general of your offence in the future.
Photo: Kaylen Lomas/WLA
Jeremy Wudrick, LF, Lander & Nanaimo (WLA)
Wudrick is going to be one of the top two power forwards in this draft alongside Collison. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan product stands at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds and has been a riser in this draft class with his strong play in BC over the last two years. The big righty possesses a heavy shot from the outside, as well as a surprisingly nimble move to get underneath. If he can get that first step on defenders, he’s going to be nearly impossible to stop from getting to the cage.
His size also allows him to set hard picks and free himself and his teammates up. Wudrick also has experience in high-stakes games, having played with the Calgary Mounties at the 2023 Minto Cup.
Wudrick is a steady player who can produce and play a role within an NLL offence, and he should hear his name called in the first round of this year’s draft.