2026 NLL Draft - Defenders and Goalies to Watch
Yesterday, we went over the top forwards available in the 2026 NLL Draft, and we’re switching our focus to the back end today. With some strong defensive options in the draft, it’ll be exciting to see how everything shakes out and who takes a run at the best names available off the top of the board.
There are some franchise altering names in this year’s class, both out the back gate and in the crease. Without further adieu, let’s get to it!
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Dante Bowen, RT, Syracuse & Brampton (MSL)
Dante Bowen is an athletic specimen who has the tools that will translate perfectly into the pro box game.
The Brampton, ON native has a heavy cross-check, lightning-quick feet and the ability to hunt the ball and push it in transition. Oozing with confidence and swagger, Bowen’s ceiling is incredibly high, making him one of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s draft.
Whoever selects him this year will have a pro-ready defender who can be a difference-maker from day one on the back end.
- Pat Gregoire
Photo: Chris Andersen/Minto Cup 2023
Brenden Boyle, LD, Marquette & Peterborough (MSL)
Boyle is a name that you’re going to hear more and more heading into the draft. The Burlington, Ontario native was the heart and soul of the Burlington team that took home the 2023 Minto Cup. Whether it was leading by example in the room or on the floor, Boyle was a staple on the back end for Dan MacRae and Co.
After graduating from the OJLL, Boyle jumped to the WLA, where he suited up for Nanaimo for two summers before returning home this year to play with Peterborough. He excels at being a physical force on the back end, making life exceptionally hard on opposing forwards. He’s heavy on his stick and throws hard checks and slashes, but he also proved last year with the Timbermen that he can also provide transition help, as he put up just shy of a point per game.
He might not have the highest ceiling of any player in this draft, but his floor is one of the safest in this draft. Teams looking for immediate help on the back end should be targeting Boyle, as his three years of senior ball will let him step in and be comfortable in the NLL right away.
Photo: Kaylen Lomas/WLA
Ben Coghill, RT, Albany & Coquitlam (WLA)
Ben Coghill is an absolute lacrosse rat. Not many can say they love the game as much as he does. Beyond just his love for the game is his unrelenting work ethic and drive to continually get better.
We are talking about a guy who tore his ACL and was told it was unlikely he’d play in 2024, but worked his way back into the lineup by the playoffs and played an integral role in winning the 2024 Minto Cup with his Junior Adanacs. Oh, and he won another Minto the next season as an assistant captain on Pat Coyle’s defence.
Coghill plays defence; he can play a little bit of offence, as we saw in the WLA a bit this summer, and he can take face-offs. Who doesn’t love a player like that?
- Aiden Yorke
Photo: Peterborough Jr Lakers
Nick Crowley, LD, Rutgers & Peterborough (MSL)
Crowley is another hard-nosed defender out of Peterborough, Ontario, who checks all the boxes of a modern NLL d-man.
Combining grit, high-end lacrosse IQ, and the ability to push the pace in transition, Crowley brings a well-rounded skill set that projects well to the professional game. Fresh off helping Princeton capture the NCAA Division I National Championship, he'll return to the collegiate ranks after transferring to Rutgers for his final season of eligibility.
While he won't be available for the 2026-27 NLL season, his long-term upside is significant enough that general managers should have no hesitation investing in his future.
- Pat Gregoire
Photo: David Pickering/Peterborough Lakers
Rory Graham, LD, Denver & Brampton (MSL)
We had Graham as one of our defenders to keep an eye on in last year’s class. However, he was ineligible, pushing him to this year’s draft.
The defender has played parts of the last four summers in MSL, giving him some of the best experience against senior competition in this class. An offensive midfielder who won a National Championship in field with Cornell before transferring to Denver, Graham is taking that offensive game to his play on the back end with Brampton this summer, as he has just under a point per game in transition.
A big body at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Graham can log shifts on the back end while being a pain to play against while also showing more promise in transition than in previous summers. He’s a steady presence who can step in and be dependable for an NLL team.
Photo: Dillon Dunlop/Owen Sound North Stars
Eoin MacKay, RD, Binghamton & Oakville (MSL)
The younger brother of the Bandits’ Ian MacKay, Eoin doesn’t have the same transition acumen, but he excels in being a settling presence on the back end for his team, helping to sort out the unit and being a strong matchup player.
A short-stick defensive midfielder in college, he’s dependable wherever you deploy him, whether it’s outletting a ball, maneuvering the two-man game, or killing penalties. He’s someone who will make an NLL team very happy with his solid defensive game.
- Austin Owens
Photo: Kaylen Lomas/WLA
Joel Mullen, LD, Utah & Nanaimo (WLA)
If you watched the BCJALL playoffs last year, you’d know what Mullen brings to the table. He’s a very strong defender, whether it’s one-on-one or in the two-man game. He can also play the pest for his squad, doing his part to get under the skin of opposing players.
After graduating junior, the defender has posted half a point per game in transition with the senior Timbermen this summer. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has solid athleticism and footwork in the defensive end while also displaying a strong IQ. If he can continue to contribute in transition as he has to this point in senior ball, he’ll be a regular in an NLL lineup.
Photo: Carter Smith/Toronto Beaches
David Peterkin, RT, Hobart & Six Nations (MSL/OSL)
Peterkin is lightning in a bottle. One of the most athletic players in junior, he can fly up and down the floor.
A finalist for the OJLL’s Transition Player of the Year, he’s a player who has a limitless gas tank and work ethic, which will suit him well at the senior levels. Peterkin was good for multiple chances in transition every game. Add that to his playoff experience with the Beaches and the Kawartha Lakes, Ontario native is going to be a very intriguing prospect in the NLL.
He’s shown off his versatility this summer, playing up front in both MSL and OSL with Six Nations. That will only help him, as a team can go into camp and plug him in wherever he fits best.
- Austin Owens
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Nate Ruff, LT, Robert Morris & Owen Sound (MSL)
A two-time finalist for the OJLL Transition Player of the Year, Ruff excels at disrupting opposing offences through his strong one-on-one coverage and an ability to anticipate plays before they develop.
He consistently creates turnovers with well-timed stick checks and has a knack for separating ball carriers from possession. Once the ball is loose, his acceleration and determination allow him to turn loose balls into transition opportunities at the other end of the floor. His speed in open floor situations makes him a legitimate transition threat rather than simply a defender who can carry the ball.
The Caledon, Ontario product has proven that he can be a contributor at the junior and senior levels, which has set the table for him to make the jump and be a solid two-way option at the pro level.
Photo: Burlington Blaze
Alexis Simard, LD, Canisius & Brampton (MSL)
Simard is a steady, reliable defender who checks every box an NLL general manager looks for when adding talent to the back end. Big, strong, and fundamentally sound, he combines excellent footwork, a high lacrosse IQ, and the ability to transition the ball safely and efficiently up the floor.
The Terrebonne, Quebec, native also brings the sandpaper and edge every defence covets, becoming a thorn in the side of every opponent he's matched up against. The former Canisius Golden Griffin competes hard every shift and makes life difficult for opposing forwards.
A Minto Cup champion with the Burlington Blaze in 2022 and a President's Cup finalist with Brooklin last summer, Simard has consistently played in high-pressure games. That championship experience and poise in big moments should help him thrive under the bright lights of the NLL.
- Pat Gregoire
Photo: Carter Smith/Toronto Beaches
Owen Tasse, LD, Penn State & Cobourg (MSL)
Luc Magnan called Tasse “The Hybrid” for a reason. He is a defensive cornerstone who is also a transition threat every time he has the ball in his stick.
Tasse came off an ACL injury in 2024 and was a standout with the Beaches in 2025, anchoring their defence. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder is a massive body on the back end who is extremely smart and can fly up the floor. The Ottawa, Ontario product is a proven winner, having a 2022 Founders Cup championship with Nepean and a 2023 Minto Cup with Burlington under his belt.
While Tasse will be transferring to Penn State for his graduate season, the NLL-calibre size and ability are undeniable. He’ll hear his name called in the first round of the NLL Draft this year.
- Austin Owens
Photo: Dave Fryer/Orangeville Northmen
Aaron Toguri, LD, Jacksonville & Cobourg (MSL)
It's rare to find a young defender who combines exceptional poise with relentless tenacity, but that's exactly what makes Aaron Toguri one of the premier defensive prospects in the 2026 NLL Draft.
Toguri routinely neutralized the opposition's top offensive threats throughout his junior career and projects as a reliable shutdown defender at the next level. While his defensive prowess is his calling card, the 2025 OJLL Defender of the Year is equally comfortable pushing the pace in transition, showing the awareness to pick his spots, join the rush, and either generate offence himself or make the smart outlet to his forwards.
- Pat Gregoire
Photo:
Michael White, RD, Queen’s & Brooklin (MSL)
If you were building the prototype for an NLL defender in a lab, you'd probably end up with someone who looks a lot like Michael White. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 222 pounds, White possesses the size every coach covets, but it's his surprisingly nimble footwork that truly sets him apart.
Night after night, he embraced the challenge of matching up against the opposition's top offensive threats and consistently found ways to take them out of the game. While he won't wow anyone with flashy stick skills, White is a dependable decision-maker who values possession, makes the simple play, and consistently gets the ball to the right spots on the floor.
White has the tools to become a key building block for a top-tier defence in the National Lacrosse League.
- Pat Gregoire
GOALIES
Photo: Shelly Fey/Coquitlam Jr Adanacs
Marcus Khan, Langley/Coquitlam (BCJALL)
Khan could end up being the largest return-on-investment pick in the entire draft. The 2008-born keeper may be one of the youngest players in the draft, but he is fundamentally sound, possesses an elite blend of size and reaction speed, and is the human embodiment of “calm is contagious”.
Marcus tracks the ball extremely well and rarely gets caught guessing even against the elite shooters in the BCJALL. Widely considered the best ball-moving goalie in Junior A, his ability to move the ball on fast breaks and long bombs is also breathtaking.
He may require a little time to marinate behind a veteran, but some patience will pay some tremendous dividends for whatever team is lucky enough to call his name at the NLL Draft.
- Aiden Yorke
Photo: Brandon Taylor/Six Nations Arrows
Saka Thompson, Akwesasne (TNSLL)
Thompson is following in the footsteps of his father, Mike, an NLL champion with Buffalo and a Mann Cup champion with Peterborough, as he looks to become a future starter in the NLL.
Following a pair of seasons in the OJLL, he had over an .850 save percentage for the Six Nations Arrows, Thompson was acquired by the Cobourg Kodiaks from the Chiefs. However, he’s chosen to stay home and play for the Akwesasne Bucks to this point in the summer.
With a 5-foot-10, 195-pound goaltender does a good job of taking up space in the net despite his smaller frame. His footwork andnanticipation are also very good, while he can move to the ball extremely well. There are some goalie-needy teams in this draft, and Thompson shouldn’t have to wait a long time to find a home. Whether it’s in the first or second round, someone will look to shore up their depth in the crease.