As draft day approaches, let’s take a look at five of the biggest wild cards in the draft.

These are guys who have the talent to be selected in the first round, but because of concerns regarding play style, positional value, fit within a team's philosophy or some other factor, they have a wide range of where they could be selected.

Ben Wayer (LSM - Virginia)

As high as: No. 5 to Carolina Chaos
As low as: No. 15 to Philadelphia Waterdogs

I have Wayer currently ranked as my No. 4 overall prospect due in large part to his offensive ability, which I think will translate exceptionally to the PLL. But I’ve spoken to some coaches who have him lower than that.

He has 23 career points (15G, 8A) and is closing in on 200 career ground balls, but a few coaches question his defensive ability, which could lead to him falling out of the first round.

The Carolina Chaos, New York Atlas, Maryland Whipsnakes and Utah Archers are in the mix to take Wayer at the end of the first round, but there are other pressing needs for these teams, such as Carolina needing a dynamic attackman and Maryland needing a short-stick defensive midfielder.

If he doesn’t go in the first round, it’s hard to imagine a world where he isn’t taken in the second round. The most likely landing spots would be the Philadelphia Waterdogs at No. 9 or No. 15, or Carolina at No. 13.

Owen Hiltz (Attack - Syracuse)

As high as: No. 4 to Boston Cannons
As low as: No. 21 to Carolina Chaos

Hiltz is one of those players who needs to be starting at the lefty attack spot to have his full value realized. He could play midfield but would likely struggle in the middle of the field due to his lack of size and athleticism.

He’s not Jeff Teat, but he has a lot of the same similar qualities – a snappy release, crisp and accurate passes, and a deceptive dodging style – but more importantly, I think Hiltz’s IQ and selflessness could elevate everyone on the offense, much like Teat.

With their biggest need being a lefty attackman, Boston is likely deciding between Hiltz and Coulter Mackesy (Princeton) at No. 4 overall.

If Boston takes Mackesy, it’s hard to say where Hiltz would wind up because not a lot of teams have a need for a starting lefty attackman after the Cannons.

Carolina and the California Redwoods could be in play to take Hiltz in the second round, and I also like the Whipsnakes as a dark horse to land him with one of their three third-round picks. 

But Hiltz could be one of the biggest draft day fallers.

Jake Taylor (Attack - Notre Dame)

As high as: No. 7 to Maryland Whipsnakes
As low as: No. 18 Philadelphia Waterdogs

I equate Taylor to a top running back in the NFL. He can't single-handedly carry an offense, but he can be that final piece to bring an offense from great to elite. 

Think Saquon Barkley. He was good with the New York Giants, but he couldn’t make New York's offense playoff-caliber by himself. But after he signed with the Eagles, Barkley was the missing piece that turned Philadephia's already dangerous offense into the best in the league.

That could be the effect Taylor has in the PLL.

Stylistically, Taylor is like Jay Carlson after finishing a Fast Twitch energy drink. He never stops moving off-ball and is so creative as a finisher like Carlson, but he’s better as a dodger.

Taylor won’t take his defender to the rack in a one-on-one scenario, but if he catches the ball on the perimeter on a defensive rotation, he uses a deceptive dodging style with a lot of windups, spin moves and hitches to get to the cage.

In the right offense, he could have 25-plus goals without breaking a sweat. But the problem is finding the right fit.

There’s no question Taylor is going to be a good pro, but which team can afford to spend an early selection on a “luxury” pick like him? 

Maryland and Utah at the end of the first round are options, but they both have defensive depth needs. Is Taylor talented enough for those teams to overlook those holes? We will see.

Emmet Carroll (Goalie - UPenn) and Logan McNaney (Goalie - Maryland)

As high as: No. 7 to Maryland Whipsnakes
As low as: No. 17 to Maryland Whipsnakes

Where these two end up is one of the most intriguing draft storylines.

The expectation is only four teams (Whipsnakes, Waterdogs, Redwoods and Denver Outlaws) will be in the mix for these two goalies.

The biggest question is how early they’ll go.

The Whipsnakes have the first opportunity to snag one of Carroll or McNaney in the first round at No. 7 overall, but there are sure to be other players Maryland is interested in at the spot, as well.

However, with the other three goalie-needy teams picking four times in the second round (Philadelphia at No. 9, California at No. 10, Denver at No. 11 and Philadelphia again at No. 15), this could change the strategy for Maryland. 

If the Whips don’t take their preferred goalie at No. 7, there’s a chance both of them could be gone by the time they pick again at No. 17.

As for whether Carroll or McNaney should be the first goalie drafted, they’re neck and neck for the top spot in this class.

McNaney has been the more consistent of the two this season. He’s in the top five in the nation in save percentage (61%), while Carroll is at 53.3%. 

But as one PLL coach pointed out, McNaney is also playing behind of one of the nation’s best defenses. The Terrapins give up shots McNaney likes to see. Carroll does not have that luxury.

As for play style, McNaney is a level-headed, unflappable goalie who consistently makes the saves he needs to. There have been a few concerns about his size, but that hasn’t affected McNaney in the slightest in college. More than one coach has compared him to Kyle Bernlohr as an undersized lefty who can lead a defense as a calming presence.

Carroll is the polar opposite of McNaney. He draws comparisons to Liam Entenmann with his size and how he takes up a lot of the cage, but he's still athletic enough to make acrobatic saves. He’ll make a few showstopping saves, but sometimes will let in one that he probably shouldn’t.

Both McNaney and Carroll look to be promising prospects at the next level. It just depends which play style a coach is looking for.