Well… we’re here. It’s our favorite day of the year!

The 2026 NLL Draft takes place tonight, starting at 6:00 pm ET. You can tune into the first round on the league’s YouTube page or Facebook. The rest of the draft will be able to be followed on the league’s socials and website.

By now…you know the drill. We take our picks of what the respective 12 franchises will do with their picks in the first round. Let’s jump in!

2026 NLL DRAFT ANALYSIS

26 Players to Watch in the 2026 NLL Draft

2026 NLL Draft - The Big Board 1.0

2026 NLL Draft - Team Needs

2026 NLL Draft - Stock Watch

2026 NLL Draft - Forwards to Watch

2026 NLL Draft - Defenders & Goalies to Watch

2026 NLL Draft - Americans to Watch

2026 NLL Draft - Others to Watch

2026 NLL Draft - The Big Board 2.0

Another Quick Note

We usually operate our mock drafts without trades being factored into the equation. It’s just too difficult to try and forecast what a team is going to try and move and for what pick. But with this year’s class, there is very clearly one pick and one prospect that a specific team is looking to acquire this year.

Silas Richmond is going to be a star in the NLL, and he’s easily the top prospect from British Columbia in this class. Vancouver needs some help on the right side, and adding a future franchise player hailing from nearby Delta is a win-win for both sides.

If you are Toronto, you can take Richmond if he’s your top player on the board. But you could also move one pick back and acquire more assets from Vancouver, who want this player badly. So, with our assumption that there will be an early deal struck, we still went along without a trade in this mock.

But should Vancouver trade up, it would be to land Silas Richmond, which, in theory, would leave Toronto in a place to grab one of Spallina, Bowen, or Collison, who are the next best prospects available.

The biggest question surrounding the draft: What will Rochester do off the top of the board?

In this case, Thomson is the man off the top of the board. The Mimico, Ontario standout spent the first year of his junior career playing under new Rochester Head Coach Troy Cordingley, and he also coached his brothers previously. So there’s familiarity there.

Pairing up a star playmaker with the IQ and abilities of Thomson in one of the deepest offensive units makes Rochester scary this coming year. He’ll be able to link up with former Mimico running mate Thomas McConvey, along with Ryan Lanchbury, Ryan Smith, and former NLL MVP Connor Fields.

The addition of Thomson could also allow for Rochester to bolster its back end, as Zed Williams took shifts on defense at the end of last year. It’s a big win for a franchise coming off a tough year.

The draft could get very interesting very early on with the Rock’s pick. But they do have a need at righty forward after Tom Schreiber stepped away from the team following some injury issues.

Regardless of how this situation goes down, the Rock are going to land an extremely talented righty. In this case, we have them taking Richmond, who we have as our top player in the 2026 class. Quite simply, Toronto letting Richmond get past them to Vancouver, who was the league’s top regular-season team, would only strengthen one of the best rosters in the NLL and make a title defense harder.

With Ty English joining the team after finishing up at North Carolina, Toronto is already landing last year’s second pick on the back end this coming season. Now, they add a star in the making who can do it all on the floor. That 2025 trade deadline has set Toronto up for the next 15 years, and seeing Richmond with the likes of Challen Rogers, CJ Kirst, and Owen Hiltz feels unfair to the other NLL teams.

Again, we have a very clear top three forwards on the board in this draft class, and one of them would be sitting here for Vancouver to pick. But it’s hard to imagine Vancouver missing out on Silas Richmond and adding Spallina because of the cross-country flight every week from New York State. Maybe they move this pick if they can’t find a way to get Richmond. But the next best forward is an anomaly of a player in Matt Collison.

The lefty from Toronto is a mutant on the floor, combining a bullet of a shot with a 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and incredible athleticism to go along with that frame. Adding a dynamic playmaker who’s a huge body could definitely help give some space to the other Vancouver forwards, and Collison with Jesse King in the two-man would be an absolute treat to watch — not if you’re the other 11 NLL teams though.

It’s hard to see Spallina fall outside of the top three, but, while we think Vancouver might not be a landing spot for him, we know Joe Tsai loves his American prospects on his teams. Would Shawn Williams pass on Michael White, an outstanding defender who he coached in junior? For a talent like Spallina, it’d be very hard for the Desert Dogs to pass on.

One of the best American prospects to ever jump from the field game to box, Spallina was special with Orangeville in the OJLL. He’s one of the best shooters in this draft, and he’s a threat to let the ball go from anywhere on the floor. His IQ and playmaking abilities is off the charts, and he’s just going to continue to get better with time in the box. One overlooked aspect of Spallina’s game is his drive and relentless motor, whether it’s competing for a loose ball or tracking down a player on the breakout, he’s always working to create chances or regain possession.

With Vegas likely without Sean Westley for a bit because of injury, Spallina can slide in alongside Donville, Fraser, and Shanks and be another option out the front gate for one of the most exciting offences in the league.

This would be a big get for the Seals, who loaded up at Dispersal and had Brennan O’Neill fall into their laps at five a week ago.

Bowen would be an incredible piece to add on the back end with his size and athleticism. With Zach Currier, Trent DiCicco, Ari Steenhuis, Marquez White, and Cam Acchione already back there, San Diego is building a great stable of two-way menace’s on their team. Bowen would just continue to strengthen that. He’s a pain to go up against because of his frustrating ability to match feet and overpower opposing forwards. His anticipation and IQ is also top-notch, making him an immediate impact defender.

Buffalo has a good chance in this spot to go best player available. The dispersal draft helped them add some depth to their roster, so they can land a stud who can jump in the lineup right away.

Michael White is a physical freak at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, with great footwork and intellegence on the back end. He’s someone who makes the smart play and doesn’t try and play too far outside of himself. Adding a big body with the skill set of White is a big win for Buffalo, who are already imposing on that side of the floor. He’ll fit right in and be a steady force in Banditland.

The Roughnecks were able to do some tidy business at the dispersal draft, acquiring a top-10 pick for the fourth overall selection in that draft. That gives them a pair of selections in short order to open the draft.

Calgary could look at a forward here. There are more than enough righty options available. But passing on a defensive talent like Toguri feels like a bad idea for the Roughnecks. The former OJLL Defender of the Year and reigning MSL Rookie of the Year is heavy and relentless on forwards, using his motor and talent to make life extremely difficult on opponents. His hard-hat style will fit right in at the Rough-House for years to come.

Simard to Saskatchewan just always felt like a match made in heaven in our eyes. An extremely efficient and talented defender who is extremely good at getting under the skin of his opponents sounds like a player who would be perfect for a team coached by Derek Keenan and Jimmy Quinlan.

Additionally, the Rush just shipped out Holden Garlent following the Dispersal Draft for a package that included Connor Kearnan and Jaxon Fridge. Simard could step into the lineup and be a difference maker right away in Saskatchewan, and his game will be one that the fans fall in love with right away.

Lee feels like a pick akin to Jacob Hickey back in 2023. The Mississauga, Ontario product is tall, rangy, and played forward back in junior before transitioning back to defense a summer ago with Brooklin. He returned to that front door role with Oakville this summer and was productive. But that versatility is what Georgia should love out of the 6-foot-5 Lee.

Whether it’s the front or back gate, he’s going to fit in well with this group, bringing his height and stick skills to produce at either end.

We have the Roughnecks grabbing defensive help in Toguri with their top pick, which leaves the offense to be addressed three picks later at 10. Bowman feels like the perfect addition for this team, who already has familiarity with his family, with brother Colby serving as the backup in Cowtown.

Bowman also has some built-in chemistry with Noah Manning from this past summer in Nanaimo, which should help the transition be a little easier into the NLL. It gives Calgary some added depth on the lefty side, and Bowman can blossom into a big-time contributor alongside some of the other established stars on the team.

Vegas was able to land a stud in the top five with _, and following that pickup with Tasse seems like a slam dunk of a one-two punch in the first round for a squad looking to improve in a hurry.

Yes, Tasse is a draft-and-stash player who won’t be able to suit up for Las Vegas until he’s done at Penn State this coming spring, but he’s also the best defender on the board in this spot, and someone worth taking and waiting a year for. Vegas also did the same last year with Casey Wilson — whom they ultimately traded for Tyson Bell at last year’s deadline.

Tasse stands at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, and is a pure athlete who was a matchup defender in junior for the Beaches. He’s also got great ability to get up in transition and be a difference maker. Tasse could be another piece that helps Vegas turn into a contender in the coming seasons.

The first big shock of this mock draft. We are high on Maguire for his rock-solid defensive ability, athleticism, and defensive IQ in the field game. That earned him a first overall selection in the PLL. Most teams understand that short-stick defensive midfielders usually have the easiest time transitioning to the box game, and the Thunderbirds would know it better than almost anyone.

They swung on Ryan Terefenko and hit a home run back in 2020. He’s become one of their best defenders and a consistent Transition Player of the Year candidate. While Halifax could also look to pull a move similar to Alex Marinier last year and take a stash name like Tasse or Crowley, they could also take another swing on a high upside defensive talent who could be a star on the back end if he commits to the NLL.

Photo: Brandon Taylor/Six Nations Arrows

Halifax isn’t a team that needs much in terms of this draft. They can stand to add depth, but they got five bodies in dispersal and have two 2025 draftees coming in with Marinier and Ethan Lee. So could they look to move back?

Again, we’re not doing trades, so we have Halifax going first for a goaltender. While it doesn’t seem like they are in need of someone in the cage, it’s more of a long-term play for them. Long-term starter Warren Hill signed a one-year extension but will be 35 before the start of next season. Riley Hutchcraft and Justin Geddie are in-house but haven’t proven to be full-time starters.

Thompson feels like a fit for the Thunderbirds as a project for the future. The son of former NLLer Mike Thompson, Saka is an athletic goaltender who sees the ball well and has great angles.

Calgary is one of those squads that could use a little bit of everything as they look to retool on the fly. With a defender and a lefty forward already taken, more depth on the righty side could be the move here.

Marquis is uber talented and creative with the ball in his stick, and he’s a cerebral playmaker who doesn’t mind taking it himself to finish when needed. He’s the full package but will need some touches and reps to grow into his potential. Calgary could give him that chance.

The Kahnawake product will be well known to coaches Josh and Phil Sanderson from his time in Orangeville. He played alongside Shooter’s sons with the Northmen, so they’ll have a great idea of the talent they’re bringing into the fold.

Photo: Andrew Van Every/Six Nations Rivermen

With their second pick of the first round, Georgia can look to grab the best player available, and after a slide in this particular mock, a top-10 player for us in David Anderson falls right into the laps of the Swarm.

Anderson proved as the summer went on that he was not only an elite offensive talent, but also a deft player without the ball, working as a pick-setter and roller with the Six Nations Chiefs. He also was able to gain a rapport with fellow lefty Lyle Thompson during that stretch, which will play big into Georgia’s high-powered offensive unit.

The grandson of lacrosse legend Gaylord Powless, Anderson makes difficult things look extremely easy with his talent. While he’s one of the oldest players in the draft, he’ll be ready to step in right away and be a difference-maker.

There’s not a whole ton the Warriors need with this pick. But a goalie of the future would be nice while they concurrently have one of the best goalies of the present.

“But why would they take a goalie in the first round when they have Christian Del Bianco?” we hear you ask…Well…Khan is just 18 and has three more years of junior ahead of him. He’s not in any position to be pushing for a starting job right away. Del Bianco trained Khan in BC and will know him well. With Connor O’Toole backing up Delbs, Khan just gives the team another option to develop and prepare for the future as an option behind their franchise shot-stopper.

With the final pick of the first round, Toronto can go a number of ways with this pick. But Sheehan is someone who just feels right going to Toronto.

Sheehan hasn’t played box since he graduated from junior ball over two years ago. But when he was playing in the OJLL, he was a three-time 40-goal scorer who was dangerous every time he had the ball. Jamie Dawick will know firsthand what Sheehan is able to do, as he played for the Oakville Buzz with Dawick’s two youngest sons, Luke and Jake.

The Oakville, Ontario native is local to the Rock’s home base and fills a need as more righty depth who could be a legitimate player for the Rock down the line.

2026 OTC NLL Mock Draft

2026 NLL DRAFT ANALYSIS

Another Quick Note

2026 NLL Draft - The Big Board 2.0