2024 College Draft Prospect Profile: Shane Knobloch
By Hayden Lewis | May 1, 2024
Start to familiarize yourself with the league’s newest high-octane shot-creating midfielder. Shane Knobloch (Rutgers) has the tools to become an elite All-Pro midfielder in the PLL and is one of the top prospects of the 2024 PLL Draft.
Shane Knobloch puts the moves on and fires from deep!!!
— Rutgers Men's LAX (@RUmlax) April 19, 2024
He cuts the deficit to one, down 6-5 with 11:34 left in the second.#RUMLAX pic.twitter.com/QGyDErg8U7
Knobloch might be the most explosive dodger in the draft class, which features Connor Shellenberger (Virginia), Brennan O’Neill (Duke), TJ Malone (Penn State), Eric Dobson (Notre Dame), and Pat Kavanagh (Notre Dame).
The 5-foot-9, 200-pound midfielder from Moorestown, N.J. has a high-end offensive upside that mirrors his high motor. Knobloch’s ability to knife through defenses with agility and speed is similar to 2023 Rookie of the Year Tucker Dordevic's skillset on the lacrosse field.
Knobloch takes it himself!!!
— Rutgers Men's LAX (@RUmlax) April 19, 2024
He ties the game 2-2 with 10:00 left in the first#RUMLAX pic.twitter.com/k0krIcKCbr
Not many players can beat one pole as cleanly as Knobloch beat Penn State’s Sam Sweeney in this clip, but Knobloch also takes on a second pole in Will Costin and dices him up like an onion before scoring on the partial crease dive.
Knobloch started with an emphatic roll dodge before a quick hitch step to freeze Costin to create a lane underneath for the shot. Knobloch used Jack Hannah-esque movement to free himself up for the goal.
Knobloch stings the top shelf!
— Rutgers Men's LAX (@RUmlax) April 7, 2024
He puts #RUMLax ahead at Michigan, 5-2 pic.twitter.com/GVKPRYYz2r
In this last clip, Knobloch turns the afterburners on to blow by Beau Pederson, a talented SSDM in the 2024 draft class.
Knobloch will fit best on a team that needs offensive midfield help where he can get high-volume touches throughout the season. The team that drafts Knobloch will have to live with his tendency to take a high volume number of shots and eliminate his trouble with turnovers.
Knobloch’s motor and raw talent echo Dordevic and the shot-creating ability lies in the same realm as Hannah’s.
The Boston Cannons and Carolina Chaos are both teams that could utilize Knobloch’s skillset to bolster their midfield rooms.
Player Comparison: 75% Tucker Dordevic and 25% Jack Hannah
Lewis’s Projected Draft Pick: #6 Overall to the Boston Cannons
