As the 2025 College Draft approaches, the debate on the top offensive players in the draft is at a fever pitch.

Presumptive Tewaaraton Award winner CJ Kirst is the runaway top player on the board, and teams will debate amongst themselves between Duke’s Andrew McAdorey, Princeton’s Coulter Mackesy and Notre Dame’s Chris Kavanagh as the next best options.

But the Denver Outlaws went another route in the draft, cashing in the third overall pick for an elder Kavanagh: Pat.

With the pre-draft process winding to a close, Denver’s decision looks better than ever. If Pat Kavanagh were placed in the 2025 class, would he even be available at No. 3? Would he even be available at two?

It’s worth comparing Kavanagh and Kirst as prospects. Both are similarly legendary players in college lacrosse. Both will (presumably) enter the league as reigning Tewaaraton winners for (potentially) national championship teams.

Comparing Kavanagh to the other offensive players in the class, it doesn’t feel like a debate unless a team fell in love with a specific fit. So if Kavanagh were in this class, there’s almost no way he ends up a Denver Outlaw.

Had Denver held on to the third overall pick, there’d be options. The Outlaws went into the offseason looking to add another dynamic dodger to the equation. At first, it looked like it’d be a midfielder such as McAdorey and Syracuse’s Sam English.

The younger Kavanagh could’ve easily filled that void, as well, bringing elite dodge-to-score ability at either a righty attack spot or in the midfield. But when the opportunity to bring in the older Kavanagh came up, Denver decided that was the better play.

Comparing Pat Kavanagh to any potential draftee is not an apples-to-apples comparison. For one, Denver also traded away a second-round pick next year, so the final grade on this trade is still years away.

It’s also worth noting that Boston also shipped the third overall pick after acquiring it, trading the selection to the California Redwoods for long-stick midfielder Owen Grant.

The Cannons were in a unique situation where their biggest need would likely be available with their original pick, but it does show there’s no slam-dunk prospect, regardless of team fit, available at No. 3.

And Boston proved last year, even if it didn’t totally work out, that Kavanagh is one of those talents.

His quiet rookie season does come with a huge asterisk. He only played in six games, and most of the time he played as a midfielder rather than as a true attackman. He wasn’t elite with Boston, but he also never played his best position.

Denver used the third overall pick to grab Kavanagh, and it’s betting on him being the elite, Tewaaraton-winning prospect that came into the league a year ago. The coaching staff certainly expects a dynamic, impact player right away.

Drafting and player acquisition is always a risk, and there’s no such thing as a sure thing. In the Outlaws’ quest to go from playoff team to genuine contender, they went all in on Kavanagh. And how many teams will be happier with their pick on draft night than Denver?