Owen McElroy had a successful first year as Denver’s full-time starting goalie, filling in for an injured Sean Sconone after Opening Weekend. The Georgetown product re-signed with the Outlaws and is the team’s goalie of the present and future.

However, with Sconone retiring and third-choice keeper Matt Knote signing with the California Redwoods, there’s a clear need for a second goalie who can back up and challenge McElroy.

Goalies are rarely high draft picks in the PLL – only three have been taken in the first two rounds in the PLL era – and with the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft, Denver could have its pick of the litter between the pipes.

Who are the top net-minders in this class, and who would be the best fit to join the Outlaws in the draft?

Emmet Carroll, Penn

Adam Lamberti’s Big Board: No. 11 Overall, No. 1 Goalie

If there’s one goalie in this class who could go ahead of Denver’s first pick, it’s probably Carroll. The senior netminder has been one of the best in the country since taking the reins at Penn, including leading the country in save percentage a year ago.

As a prospect, he brings excellent size for a modern goalie, standing 6-foot-3, 205 pounds. He definitely plays up to his size, standing with a huge base that covers the entire goal line and takes up most of the six-by-six frame.

Oftentimes he makes more saves with his body than his stick, a by-whatever-means-necessary approach that works because of his angles and size.

The flip side of that is his rebound control is inconsistent and he doesn’t make as many clean saves, which can be a huge X-factor in the PLL. Additionally, his hands aren’t as explosive as other top goalies in the world, which can be an issue against truly elite shooters.

He’s struggled more this season compared to his breakout 2024, including one of the worst games of his career in a 15-5 loss to No. 1 Cornell. However, in flashes this year and certainly last year, Carroll’s shown he’s the best bet to become an All-Star goalie in this class.

Logan McNaney, Maryland

Adam Lamberti’s Big Board: No. 15 Overall, No. 2 Goalie

McNaney is one of the most experienced goalies in college lacrosse, and he looks the part. He’s a four-year starter who set the Maryland all-time save record, earned Most Outstanding Player in the Terps’ championship run in 2022 and became the first goalie to don the coveted No. 1, a tradition reserved for standout players and leaders at Maryland.

His poise and command jump off the film. There’s little wasted movement with McNaney’s game, as he always looks under control and makes quick, precise decisions. When he sees routine shots, it’s almost always a clean save.

He’s also great inside and capable of stealing a goal from time to time with his quick hands.

The big question about McNaney is his upside. His poise and technique would make him at worst a decent backup in the league tomorrow, but how good can he be at the pro level?

At Maryland, he’s playing behind one of the best defenses in the country. To borrow a cross-sport analogy, he’s like a really good system quarterback.

McNaney has excellent command and does everything Maryland asks of him. But he doesn’t do a whole lot outside of that. He’s also undersized for a PLL goalie (5-foot-10, 165 pounds), another important point to consider.

However, McNaney is a proven winner currently having one of the best seasons in the country. There’s a world where he becomes an elite pro goalie, not unlike another undersized Maryland star, Kyle Bernlohr.

Jack Fracyon, Penn State

Adam Lamberti’s Big Board: No. 20 Overall, No. 3 Goalie

At one point, Fracyon was viewed as the top shot-stopper in the class alongside Carroll, but he now looks more like a late-round pick. He earned All-American honors a year ago and saved over 55% of his shots in consecutive seasons, but 2025 has been a slight regression.

The star potential still flashes – like when he made 18 saves (66.7%) against Yale – but the game-to-game consistency isn’t the same as it was the past two years.

He reminds me a little bit of McElroy as a prospect, both in terms of his frame and his skillset. There are no specific traits that jump off the screen, but a three-year starter and All-American is a three-year starter and All-American.

As a developmental option, Fracyon would be a fitting understudy to McElroy.

Connor Hapward, Manhattan

Adam Lamberti’s Big Board: NR

An off-the-board goalie pick? You bet. At the professional level, there’s a proven pipeline of small-school standouts becoming impact players in goal.

Brett Dobson, Brendan Krebs, Tim Troutner and Dillon Ward all dominated at the mid-major level before becoming stalwarts in the PLL.

This year’s top candidate for mid-major goalie with pro upside? To me, it’s Manhattan’s Hapward. While the MAAC isn’t an elite test for pro lacrosse, he’s delivered in the big moments this season.

His showcase game came in an 18-2 drubbing by Syracuse, where he managed to impress with a ridiculous 24 saves (57.1%). He also made 21 saves (72.4%) in an 8-7 loss to Fairfield.

The downside with Hapward is that he doesn’t have the same size or athletic traits as those other mid-major standouts. He does play with a wide base and can get big when need be, though, and he’s big enough for a pro (6 feet, 170 pounds), even if he’s on the smaller side.