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CJ Kirst

2025 PLL Mock Draft 1.0: Is CJ Kirst a lock for top spot?

By Adam Lamberti | Nov 12, 2024

I published a “Way-too-early 2025 PLL mock draft” back on July 25 while the PLL season was in full swing. With the draft order now solidified barring any more trades, I'm excited to publish my Mock Draft 1.0.

No. 1: Philadelphia Waterdogs - CJ Kirst (Attack - Cornell)

I still think Kirst is the first overall pick at this point, although the more film I watch, the more I could see attackman Chris Kavanagh (Notre Dame) or long-stick midfielder Ben Wayer (Virginia) making a case for it by the time the draft rolls around in May.

Kirst is a fierce lefty attackman who has been a bona fide star since his freshman year in 2021. Though the Waterdogs re-signed Kieran McArdle through 2026 last Thursday, Kirst is too good a prospect to pass up. 

No. 2: California Redwoods - Chris Kavanagh (Attack - Notre Dame)

The Redwoods could go a number of directions here, including the previously mentioned Wayer, a close defender like Brendan Lavelle (UPenn) or a speedy midfielder like Andrew McAdorey (Duke) or Sam English (Syracuse).

California obviously needs defensive help after recording a -32 score differential last season. That being said, 34-year-old attackman Rob Pannell is a pending free agent and has hinted at possible retirement this offseason.

If that’s the case, I think Kavanagh would be the pick at No. 2 and the Redwoods would look to bolster the defense later in the draft.

A sharp-shooting righty who recorded 44 goals and 37 assists in 2024, Kavanagh is a well-balanced and dynamic attacker who dodges with authority to the net, a skill set I think will translate well to the frenetic nature of the PLL.

Like with the Waterdogs, a would-be attack line of Kavanagh, Chris Gray and Ryder Garnsey would be a nice starting point for the Redwoods to make future runs at the title.

If Pannell decides to play in 2025 and stays with the Redwoods, Wayer, Lavelle or LSM Levi Verch (Saint Joseph’s) could be the pick here.

No. 3: Boston Cannons - Ben Wayer (LSM - Virginia) 

Boston trading Pat Kavanagh to the Outlaws shook up the draft for me. Before they traded this pick, I had the Outlaws taking Wayer in this spot. Now, I’m conflicted on what to pick for the Cannons at Nos. 3 and 4.

I highlighted five players whom I think Boston could target in these slots, but in this mock draft, I’m going to stick with Wayer, a special LSM prospect who is a force on both sides of the ball. He and Ethan Rall would be a dynamic 1-2 punch in the middle of the field.

No. 4: Boston Cannons - Sam English (Midfield - Syracuse)

Boston could draft a left-handed attackman here if they don’t sign one in free agency. However, I think there’s a good chance that one of Coulter Mackesy (Princeton) or Owen Hiltz (Syracuse) will fall to them in the second round. I also have a hunch the Cannons could be very interested in Logan Wisnauskas (Denver Outlaws) in free agency after he and Asher Nolting showed chemistry for Team USA. 

At this point in time, I have them taking English, an athletic and dynamic midfield prospect.

Cannons assistant coach Jim Mitchell coaches at Princeton (where English used to attend), so he’s already familiar with the skill set that English has, which is a terrific understanding of the pick game and lots of speed.

English is going to be a great pro and can make the midfielders on the Cannons better with his ability to draw slides and play on the wings.

No. 5: Carolina Chaos - Levi Verch (LSM - Saint Joseph’s)

Yes, I know the Chaos desperately need offensive help after scoring one goal in the 2024 semifinals. But with CJ Costabile and Ryan McNulty both being free agents and Verch sitting here, this just feels like a selection head coach Andy Towers could make.

The lefty Canadian is terrific off the ground and is more than capable in transition.

Carolina would make this pick if it felt confident it could nab an offensive prospect at No. 13, and there should be some good ones sitting there.

No. 6: New York Atlas - Brendan Lavelle (Defense - UPenn) 

The Atlas don't have any glaring needs to address in this draft. I have them taking Lavelle, the top close defense prospect.

While it would be a crowded room with Gavin Adler, Brett Makar and Michael Rexrode all under contract, Lavelle is good enough to compete for a starting spot.

No. 7: Maryland Whipsnakes - Ben Ramsey (SSDM - Notre Dame)

The glaring need for the 2024 finalists is a true lockdown SSDM.

Ramsey fits that bill and is also a capable goal-scorer in transition. A perfect fit here for Maryland.

No. 8: Utah Archers - Andrew McAdorey (Midfield - Duke)

I thought the Archers would consider taking current Atlas midfielder Jake Stevens last year. Now, they get an opportunity to draft a similar player in McAdorey, an athletic midfielder who has excellent speed and can be deployed as a threat off the wings.

He can draw slides with ease coming out of the box and is a terrific “party starter” – a player who can draw slides and move it quickly to open teammates to get the offense flowing.

The Archers’ already scary offense would get a whole lot scarier with McAdorey. 

Round 2

No. 9: Philadelphia Waterdogs - Griffin Schutz (Midfield - Virginia)

The Waterdogs could use another midfielder, and Schutz is a good one in a thin class of offensive midfielder.

Big and athletic, he moves faster than he looks and has the ability to take over games. He’s a two-handed dodger who’s tough to stop when he gets confidence.

No. 10: California Redwoods - Colin Mulshine (Defense - Princeton)

After taking Chris Kavanagh at No. 2 overall, California adds the defensive help it desperately needs.

The Woods’ close defense was not good last year -- they allowed 136 scores against, the most in the PLL. The dependable Mulshine has the potential to be a Day 1 starter.

No. 11: Denver Outlaws - Jake Taylor (Attack - Notre Dame)

With its first pick in the draft, Denver reunites the newly acquired Pat Kavanagh with his former running mate at Notre Dame.

Regardless of whether Eric Law re-signs in free agency, Taylor would be a perfect fit here. One of the best off-ball attackers in the history of college lacrosse, he could have a Xander Dickson-like impact for the Outlaws.

No. 12: Boston Cannons - Coulter Mackesy (Attack - Princeton) 

Boston gets the player it could be considering in the first round in Mackesy, a lefty attackman who plays for assistant coach Jim Mitchell at Princeton.

Mackesy can shoot with velocity and is a slick dodger on the wing. With Boston almost assuredly re-signing Nolting, an attack line of Holman, Nolting and Mackesy is a good one.

No. 13: Carolina Chaos - Sam King (Attack - Harvard)

Here's the offensive help the Chaos need.

Ross Scott had a great rookie season for Carolina, but I think King is an elite prospect at X. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound attacker is super strong and can seemingly get to his strong right hand at will.

Also a terrific feeder with 35 assists last season, King’s stock could skyrocket with another big season in the Ivy League (which could force Carolina to take him in the first round).

No. 14: New York Atlas - Owen Hiltz (Attack - Syracuse)

While New York’s attack line is pretty set in stone, I love the idea of having Hiltz coming out of the box in this offense. He and Payton Cormier would be terrific in the two-man game with superstar Jeff Teat.

Hiltz possesses an ultra-quick release and the ability to throw pinpoint skip passes, but he's also a better dodger than he gets credit for.

No. 15: Philadelphia Waterdogs - Scott Smith (Defense - Johns Hopkins)

Philadelphia’s backline is fairly uncertain heading into 2025. Second-round pick in 2024 Kenny Brower missed the season with and injury, AJ Mercurio played one game, Liam Byrnes missed the back half of the season and Ben Randall is a free agent.

Smith, like Mulshine with the Redwoods, would have the opportunity to be a Day 1 starter.

No. 16: Utah Archers - Jimmy Freehill (Defense - Denver)

The Archers should add another right-handed defender, and I like Freehill a lot.

The 2024 Big East Defensive Player of the Year has ideal size and will be battle-tested this season as the Pioneers’ No. 1 defender.

Round 3

No. 17: Philadelphia Waterdogs - Casey Wilson (SSDM - Denver)

Head coach Bill Tierney dips back into his Denver roots and picks up Wilson, a smooth SSDM who had experience playing with Team Canada in the World Games in 2023.

No. 18: Utah Archers - Jack Stuzin (LSM - Yale)

When healthy, Stuzin is a threat offensively, scoring six goals in both 2023 and 2024.

His upside is worth a look here for the Archers, who could use another LSM to complement Jon Robbins.

No. 19: Denver Outlaws - Patrick Hackler (SSDM/M - Johns Hopkins)

Two-way midfielders are all the rage in the PLL right now.

Hackler has experience playing both offensive and defensive midfield for Yale, and projects as a do-it-all player in his graduate year with the Blue Jays.

No. 20: Maryland Whipsnakes - Mike Grace (LSM/D - Syracuse)

The consensus is Grace, who transferred from D3 powerhouse RIT, will be a plug-and-play starter at Syracuse as a graduate student.

The 6-foot-5 defender projects as an LSM at the next level with his ability to roam the field and cause havoc, but he could also play down low if the Whipsnakes needed him.

Grace is a guy who could rocket up the board with big performances in the ACC.

No. 21: Carolina Chaos - Jack Gray (SSDM - Duke)

Zach Geddes, Mark Glicini and Patrick Resch are all pending free agents. The Chaos will likely re-sign Geddes, a 2024 finalist for the George Boiardi Hard Hat Award, but there’s uncertainty around the 32-year-old Glicini and 33-year-old Resch.

Gray is an athletic defender who moves his feet well and has played in some big-time matchups in the ACC.

No. 22: New York Atlas - Matt Traynor (M/A - Penn State)

I’m looking at midfield depth here for New York in the third round, as Myles Jones, Dylan Molloy and Logan McGovern are all pending free agents.

Traynor would be an excellent finisher in this offense. He moves so well off-ball and has a snappy release that is hard for goalies to track.

No. 23: Maryland Whipsnakes - Max Krevsky (Midfield - Yale)

Krevsky is an elite athlete, a trait that’s becoming increasingly important for midfielders in the PLL.

The First-Team All-Ivy Leaguer in 2024 had 27 goals and six assists as an offensive midfielder but also made numerous eye-popping plays in the middle of the field.

For a Whipsnakes team that likes deploying offensive midfielders on the wings, Krevsky would be an intriguing selection here.

No. 24: Maryland Whipsnakes -  Eric Malever (Attack - Duke)

This is a very tough pick for me to project.

The Whipsnakes don’t have a pressing “need” after adding a shutdown SSDM in Ramsey and LSM/close defense depth in Grace. They could go after another LSM here, like Notre Dame’s Greg Campisi, or more close defensive depth like Penn State’s Kevin Parnham. 

And while Brendan Krebs has played well, don’t rule out the goalie position here for head coach Jim Stagnitta.

In this mock draft, I have them taking Malever, a shifty attacker who would likely run out of the box. He has a skill set that the Whipsnakes don’t have on the roster, and I expect him to have a bounce-back year as a graduate student with Duke.

Round 4

No. 25: Philadelphia Waterdogs - Emmett Carroll (Goalie - UPenn)

The first goaltender comes off the board in the form of UPenn’s Carroll. The unorthodox goalie led the nation in save percentage in 2024 and could be the Day 1 starter.

No. 26: California Redwoods - Jack Fracyon (Goalie - Penn State)

California follows suit with a goalie selection of its own with Fracyon. A gifted ball-stopper, Fracyon gives the Redwoods a solid option in net after Jack Kelly ranked last in save percentage (50.4%) among starting goalies in the PLL last season.

No. 27: Denver Outlaws - Kevin Parnham (Defense - Penn State)

Pending free agents Jesse Bernhardt and Michael Manley are 34 and 36, respectively. 

It feels like Denver needs to come out of this draft with a young close defender, and it does so in the fourth round with the lefty Parnham, who’s played for what feels like forever in the Big Ten.

No. 28: Boston Cannons - Hugh Kelleher (Midfield - Cornell)

While it’s been reported that Kelleher entered the portal to play football as a graduate student next year, he has considerable upside, and I expect a team to draft him in the fourth round to retain his rights (similarly to California drafting Cole Kastner in 2024).

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound midfielder is a problem when he gets a head of steam running downhill and has one of the best outside shots in college lacrosse.

No. 29: Carolina Chaos - Will Coletti (Faceoff - Army)

Carolina needs a faceoff man after Nick Rowlett went 36.7% at the stripe last season. While Coletti’s status is uncertain coming from a military academy, he’s the clear top faceoff man in the draft and is very worthy of a selection if he can play in 2025.

If Coletti can’t play, Notre Dame’s Will Lynch could be the selection here.

No. 30: New York Atlas - AJ Pilate (Defense - Army)

Similarly to Coletti, Pilate’s status is up in the air, but there’s no denying he’s a lockdown defenseman who will never shy away from a matchup. New York could get a steal here.

No. 31: California Redwoods - Greg Campisi (LSM - Notre Dame)

Campisi is fast, a good trait for LSMs to have. I’m interested to see how he performs in the ACC after transferring over from Harvard, but I’d imagine he’ll be a top LSM for the Fighting Irish.

No. 32: Utah Archers - Aidan Carroll (Attack - Georgetown)

One of my favorite sleeper players in this draft (Dalton Young was my favorite sleeper player last year), Carroll has improved mightily over the course of his Hoya career and scored 37 goals in 2024. His ability to play attack or midfield makes him an interesting offensive prospect.

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