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Some of college lacrosse’s top talents will find out where they’ll be playing professionally this season when the 2025 PLL draft is held Tuesday night (7 ET on ESPN+).
Every team — even the reigning back-to-back champion Utah Archers — has a roster need to address ahead of the season opener on May 30.
We take a look at Tuesday’s draft, from each team’s most pressing need to my overall big board:
Philadelphia Waterdogs
Need(s): Physical dodger
Carcaterra’s take: Michael Sowers is one of the most electric dodgers from the attack spot the game has seen. He consistently takes a pounding. Give his lightning some thunder.
Player(s) who fit: CJ Kirst (attack, Cornell)
California Redwoods
Need(s): Playmaker, goaltending
Carcaterra’s take: When you are second to last in goals per game, and last in goals allowed and save percentage, it’s fair to say there are needs on both ends of the field. A dodging threat who can force a slide and be used in a variety of ways is a start. Drafting a goalie to compete for the starting spot has to be a priority as well.
Player(s) who fit: Andrew McAdorey (midfield, Duke), Emmet Carroll (goalie, Penn), Logan McNaney (goalie, Maryland)
Boston Cannons
Need(s): Lefty attackman
Carcaterra’s take: In 2024, the Cannons explored many options at the lefty attack spot, oftentimes asking midfielders to play that role. The bottom line? It didn’t work. Why not draft a lefty sharpshooter who you can bookend with one of the best wing shooters of this generation in Marcus Holman, while giving Asher Nolting the balance to be an even better passer?
Player(s) who fit: Coulter Mackesy (attack, Princeton), Owen Hiltz (attack, Syracuse)
Carolina Chaos
Need(s): Proven scorer, face-off
Carcaterra’s take: No team in the PLL scored fewer goals a season ago than the Chaos. You can’t score if you don’t have the ball, so a 37% win rate at the stripe didn’t help the cause. This elite defense needs help!
Player(s) who fit: Chris Kavanagh (attack, Notre Dame), Will Lynch (face-off, Notre Dame)
New York Atlas
Need(s): Versatile midfielder
Carcaterra’s take: The Atlas have an elite attack, defenders who can cover and proven midfield scorers. Why not add a Swiss Army knife in the middle of the field who can play anywhere? The issue is that type of player doesn’t grow on trees in the modern game, but I know one.
Player who fits: Sam English (midfield, Syracuse)
Maryland Whipsnakes
Need(s): LSM who can trigger offense
Carcaterra’s take: The Whipsnakes — and the lacrosse world for that matter — were spoiled watching Mike Ehrhardt dominate his position for years. Although Jim Stagnitta’s bunch adjusted well to life without Big Mike, who wouldn’t want another game wrecker with a 6-foot pole roaming the middle of the field?
Player(s) who fit: Ben Wayer (LSM, Virginia), Jack McDonald (LSM, Maryland)
Utah Archers
Need(s): Offensive swing player
Carcaterra’s take: It’s really hard to find a need for the back-to-back champs. They have the stars and chemistry to win it again. However, each of the past three seasons they have seen one of their offensive stars (Grant Ament, Connor Fields and Tom Schreiber) on the shelf with a season-ending injury. Why not draft with insurance in mind and get a player who can play attack or midfield?
Player(s) who fit: Matt Traynor (attack/midfield, Penn State)
Denver Outlaws
Need(s): Defensive thumper
Carcaterra’s take: Statistically, the Outlaws were a middle-of-the-pack defense in 2024. Their close defense will eventually have some turnover; veterans can’t play forever. It would benefit them to start thinking about the future and bringing in a physical defender who can complement JT Giles-Harris’ ability to play quicker dodging attackmen.
Player(s) who fit: Brendan Lavelle (defense, Penn)
Carcaterra’s overall big board
1. CJ Kirst (attack, Cornell)
2. Chris Kavanagh (attack, Notre Dame)
3. Sam English (midfield, Syracuse)
4. Levi Verch (LSM, St. Joseph’s)
5. Coulter Mackesy (attack, Princeton)
6. Andrew McAdorey (midfield, Duke)
7. Matt Traynor (midfield, Penn State)
8. Brendan Lavelle (defense, Penn)
9. Jake Taylor (attack, Notre Dame)
10. Sam King (attack, Harvard)
11. Emmet Carroll (goalie, Penn)
12. Owen Hiltz (attack, Syracuse)
Carcaterra’s positional rankings
Attack
1. CJ Kirst (Cornell)
2. Chris Kavanagh (Notre Dame)
3. Coulter Mackesy (Princeton)
4. Jake Taylor (Notre Dame)
5. Owen Hiltz (Syracuse)
Midfield
1. Sam English (Syracuse)
2. Andrew McAdorey (Duke)
3. Matt Traynor (Penn State)
4. Mic Kelly (Denver)
5. Aidan Carroll (Georgetown)
Defense
1. Levi Verch (St. Joseph’s)
2. Brendan Lavelle (Penn)
3. Jack McDonald (Maryland)
4. Scott Smith (Johns Hopkins)
5. Ben Wayer (Virginia)
Goalie
1. Emmet Carroll (Penn)
2. Logan McNaney (Maryland)
3. Jack Fracyon (Penn State)
4. Michael Gianforcaro (North Carolina)
5. Jamison MacLachlan (Stony Brook)
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