NLL Insider

In preparation of this weekend’s NLL Entry, NLL Insider hammered out the 30 best guys we see going in top two thirds of the ‘08 draft, with Hobart attacker Daryl Veltman easily taking the top spot.

This year’s draft is pretty open compared to previous years, with the combine, which will be held on Saturday, probably giving GM’s a better idea of who they’ll move up or down in their draft order, more-so than even last year.

’08’s draft might not have as many high profile names as we’ve seen in recent years, but it’s loaded with quality, athletic, two-way type players that could definitely find a spot in the league in coming seasons.

And although Veltman is the consensus first overall grab, a number of teams are extremely interested in landing Johns Hopkins middie, Paul Rabil, and are apparently willing to give up quite a bit to do so.

Although team’s needs, geography, existing chemistry, player familiarity and a host of other aspects will play a major role in how the draft plays out, after the jump make sure to check out NLL Insider’s Hot 30…

(1) Daryl Veltman - Hobart College and Coquitlam Adanacs (WLA)
He’s smart, unselfish, skilled, athletic and can play a variety of roles on O depending on where he ends up. He’ll go first overall unless something really strange plays out. Knows how to elevate his game when the heats on too.

(2) Rhys Duch - Stony Brook University and Victoria Shamrocks (WLA)
Duch is maybe the most natural goal scorer available in the draft this year. Loves having the ball in his stick and can find the back of the net like few others this year. Will definitely be taken within the top three.

(3) Curtis Manning - Simon Fraser University and New Westminster Salmonbellies (BCJALL)
The NLL courts were made for an athletic offensive defender like Manning, who took NLL Insider’s Defender of the Year nod in the Junior Player of the Year awards. He’s draft eligible but still has a year left at SFU, so might not be available to play until 2010.

(4) Jamie Floris - Bellarmine University and New Westminster Salmonbellies (WLA)
A big time winner at the junior level with St. Catharines years back, Floris is a good sized, athletic forward who brings a pretty versatile brand of ball on O, doing the little things that often go unnoticed by most.

(5) Paul Rabil - Johns Hopkins Univeristy and Boston Cannons (MLL)
Rabil is maybe the most wanted American since Ryan Powell was drafted in 2000. Many are calling him the next Jay Jalbert, just bigger and maybe even with more of a scoring touch. The best thing about Rabil? He wants to be in the NLL, something a lot of high profile US grads don’t bring with ‘em. Averaged a hat trick per game in his rookie year in the MLL.

(6) Tim Campeau - Notre Dame de Namur University and Coquitlam Adanacs (WLA)
Campeau probably has as much skill as anyone available this year, but his 5′9″ frame might scare some teams off depending on their O needs. With that said, Campeau is a smart O guy that has proved in the past that he can put up solid numbers at every level he’s played. Will probably be a better setup man in the bigs than a pure goal scorer, but like Veltman, he can fill a variety of roles on O.

(7) Kevin Huntley - Johns Hopkins University and Los Angeles Riptide (MLL)
How Huntley went 17th overall in the MLL’s draft is pretty crazy, cuz the sniper knows how to score and did it all summer for the Tide en route to a rookie of the year selection. He has Canuck roots, but has been playin’ field ball his whole life. He’s a big time shooter with a killer first step and has all the tools to make it big in pro box. Will likely go later in the first round, but on skill alone, few can hold a candle to what the former Blue Jay can throw down.

(8) Steve McKinlay - Ohio State University and Coquitlam Adanacs (WLA)
McKinlay brings a solid two way game to the table with decent speed, which should make him pretty pro ready right off the hop, an aspect of the NLL game that usually snows a lot of rooks. Outside of playing some good D, he’ll probably be capable of finishing off the press too, if he finds himself on a team that pushes an athletic transitional style of lacrosse.

(9) Cayle Ratcliff - UMBC and Victoria Shamrocks (BCJALL)
Ratcliff plays like a bulldog with absolutely zero quit in him, coming up time-and-time again when his team’s back has been up against the wall. There might be some concern from GM’s who wonder if Ratcliff can make the jump to the pros from junior ball, but if his dominance at the junior level and clutch scoring prove anything, it’s that the kid has a ton of upside and potential. Some have compared his game to Craig Conn, with some serious leadership skills.

(10) Jamie Kirk - Hobart College and Wellington Aces (OLA Sr. B)
Veltman’s (and a ton of other’s) setup-man at school and former Orangeville Northmen ball player, Kirk might slip under some team’s radar due to his lack of high quality opposition in the summer, but Kirk’s vision and feeding ability are about as slick as they come, no matter the situation.

(11) Andrew Watt - Robert Morris University and K-W Kodiaks (MSL)
Robert Morris’ high scoring attacker plays more of a multi-dimensional two way role in box, showing in recent years with the Kodiaks that he’s more than ready to bang heads with the big boys of the NLL. Not a ton of buzz around Watt heading into the draft, but look for him to go late first or early second round, just for the fact that he’s already pretty pro ready.

(12) Jon Harnett - Adrian College and Orangeville Northmen (OLA Jr. A)
Harnett is one of the best pure D prospects available this year, with his inclusion in the draft a bit of a surprise. Harnett is a phenomenal 1v1 defender who doesn’t give an inch in his own end and should put up solid LB numbers at the pro level. Won’t score many, if any goals, but is capable of working the ball up the court and owns a relentless work ethic that’ll make any pro coach happy.

(13) Ryan Campbell - Dowling College and Brampton Excelsiors (MSL)
A big time scorer with both Dowling and the Jr. Excels, Campbell has looked good this summer when given a chance to crack the Sr. Excelsiors lineup. Campbell’s got a deadly shot and is a pretty natural goal scorer who could no doubt excel in the bigs in the right environment.

(14) Nick Rose - Orangeville Northmen (OLA Jr. A)
Rose may slip a little deeper in the draft, but is definitely the first keeper on most team’s checklist. NLL Insider’s Junior Keeper of the Year comes in at a massive 270 plus pounds, but could be the best angle keeper coming outta the junior ranks over the last few years. One thing he has that just can’t be taught? The kid is as clutch as they come, making momentum shifting stops like they’re goin’ outta style.

(15) Matt Danowski - Duke University and New Jersey Pride (MLL)
The Duke scoring machine is one of the biggest question marks in this year’s draft. Most were surprised to see his name pop up on the combine list, but if he commits to the indoor game, he also could be one helluva goal scorer in the NLL. His combine performance will really dictate on where he ends up. On skill alone though, no one compares. Kyle Harrison or Ryan Boyle?

(16) Geoff Griffiths - Bellarmine University and Brooklin Redmen (MSL)
The All-GWLL Second Team defender, the school’s first, brings a multi-dimensional game to the table, one which would allow him to serve a purpose at either end of the court in the NLL. A former Toronto Beaches sniper and current Brooklin tranny, Griffiths should be a vacuum on the floor. With a solid combine prior to the draft, he might even go higher than 16.

(17) Alex Turner - Simon Fraser University and New Westminster Salmonbellies (BCJALL)
Like Manning, Turner is entering his Sr. year at SFU and will likely not be available to suit up until the 2010 season, but again like Manning, the kid has some serious game. Turner has awesome size and gives defenders all sorts of match-up challenges, but he’s also one of the most unselfish feeders in the junior game, making him well worth the wait.

Upadte: NLL Insider has confirmed that Alex Turner will not be attending Simon Fraser this year and will be able to play in the NLL in 2009, likely pushing his stock in this year’s draft a number of spots higher, potentially even into the first round.

(18) Eric Lamothe - Canisius College and Langley Thunder (WLA)
Lamothe had a pretty big impact playing his first year of Senior ball for the Langley Thunder, not only landing a spot on the team, but playing a full-time role as a WLA rookie too. He’s a pretty dependable pure defender that won’t get knocked around in the pros.

(19) Trevor Wagar - Vermont University and K-W Kodiaks (MSL)
The former U19 Canadian middie, coincidentally playing with Veltman, Watt, Huntley and Matt Hajek (who’s also draft eligible this year) and against Danowski at the 2003 Worlds, brings a hard workin’ two way game that also saw him light the lamp a number of times in his last year at Vermont. Depending on where he ends up, he has a real good shot of landing a gig this winter.

(20) Andrew Chapman - Drexel Univeristy and Ajax Pickering Rock (OLA Sr. B)
With his lack of playing time over the summer months due to his school sked, many up here seem to have forgotten about Chapman, but Chapman definitely hasn’t forgotten about box, lookin’ for a gig this NLL season. Chapman gained a rep as being one of the most natural goal scorers in the college game, scoring a ridiculous 81 goals over his two seasons at Drexel and a goofy 64 goals in his junior year at Mars Hill. Chapman played a bit for the AP Rock this summer, but don’t get too weighed down by his mediocre stats, cuz the potential here is through the roof.

(21) Mike Gilmore - Burnaby Lakers (BCJALL)
There aren’t many in this year’s crop that have the same kinda off the charts work ethic that Lakers pure defender Mike Gilmore brings to the table. He might not be as polished as last year’s top western D prospect, Tyler Codron, but Gilmore is a meat and potatoes kinda baller that will leave it all on the floor every night out.

(22) Dilan Graham - Bellarmine University and Brooklin Redmen (MSL)
Another in a long line of versatile athletic defenders available this year whose stock could rise with a strong showing at the combine. The former Beaches leader, who’s part of the Redmen’s current youth movement, is a good sized, solid, no-nonsense defender that plays a gutsy style of ball that could do well at the pro level.

(23) Matt Flindell - Victoria Shamrocks (BCJALL)
No keepers stock sky rocketed as much as Flindell’s did this past summer. Flindell went from a keeper most NLL scouts weren’t sure about, to one that will likely be taken somewhere in the second round of the draft. Flindell bucked the online BS that he couldn’t show up for the big ones, playing out of his mind for the Shamrocks in the post-season and being named the playoff MVP, all while leading Victoria to an unexpected Minto spot.

(24) Stephen Peyser - Johns Hopkins University and New Jersey Pride (MLL)
He can take draws, most likely play either an O or D heavy two-way game in the NLL, is a loose ball hog and brings good size to the hard hitting box game. The best part? He’s dying to give the NLL a go just like his bro Greg did with the Titans the last couple winters.

(25) Michael Fleming - Robert Morris and K-W Kodiaks (MSL)
Fleming, who played at Robert Morris and K-W with Watt, is being projected by some as a decent secondary scoring threat in the bigs. Looked pretty good playing for the Kodiaks this summer, putting up better digits than a lot of NLL vets on that team. Fleming has good hands, a solid work ethic and reads the floor well.

(26) Logan Kane - Onondaga CC and Six Nations Arrows (OLA Jr. A)
Kane has received a lot of buzz in the last couple weeks since declaring for the pros early. His size, athleticism and lacrosse ability have a number of GM’s thinkin’ he can transition well to the big lights of the NLL. The former OCC middie, who played a major role in the school’s 2007 championship season, was one of the Arrows’ top shut down defenders this past summer. And at 6′3″ and 220 plus pounds, it’ll be tough to knock him around at the pro box level. Comes into the draft with a ton of potential.

(27) Nick Cotter - Dowling College and Peterborough Lakers (MSL)
The former Whitby Warriors stud played minimal minutes for the defending Mann Cup champs, but when he did sneak into the lineup, he didn’t look out of place. Cotter has good hands and a decent shot, ripping home 36 goals for the Golden Lions and being named a DII First Team All-American at middie. With a decent showing at the combine, Cotter could find his way earlier somewhere in the middle of the second round.

(28) Adam Gardner - Bellarmine University and Mohawk Stars (OLA Sr. B)
Gardner’s 5′8″ frame will not doubt have some GM’s second guessing themselves when his name comes up, but after scoring 100 goals during his four years at Bellarmine as well as a junior backgournd in Toronto and Mississauga, plus this summer part-time with the Stars and with the Fireballs at the Legends tourney, Gardner could end up being a bit of a sleeper pick. Like a number of others mentioned, Gardner’s draft stock will likely hinge quite a bit on his performance at the combine.

(29) Kevin Buchanan - Ohio State and Los Angeles Riptide (MLL)
The Buckeyes’ high scoring middie tore it up last spring with an insane 44 goals and 30 assists before being taken fifth overall in the MLL’s own draft. His vision on the field, and hopefully court, is a big aspect of what sets him apart from a lot of the other Americans vying for a spot in this year’s combine. If he commits and learns the nuances of the box game, a shooter like Buchanan could do some real damage in the NLL. Also look for Ohio State teammate, Josh Funk, to get some love in the early rounds of the Entry Draft. Funk spent his 2007 summer playing for the Burnaby Lakers and has a passion for the indoor game that is rarely ever seen from an American. A solid combine combined with his amazing attitude, could see him as one of the earlier Yankees taken on the day.

(30) Mike Leveille - Syracuse University and Chicago Machine (MLL)
This is probably gonna end up being kinda low to have Leveille ranked, but with no box experience and an unfortunate no-show at the combine, it’s tough to know for sure where he’s gonna go at this point. The same goes for three other Orangemen who are interested in the NLL; Steven Brooks, Kyle Guadagnolo and face-off man, Danny Brennan. None of the four can make it to the combine due to previous commitments at Syracuse on the Saturday, but all four will no doubt go at some point in the draft.

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