Tuesday, September 27, 2016

2017 Draft-Eligible Goalies

Ohio State goalie Tom Carey
In the 2016 MLL draft, there was only one goalie taken in the first three rounds of the draft, Maryland keeper Kyle Bernlohr.

In a league where there are only 9 teams, and only one goalie can play at a time, there is plenty of goalie talent out there for teams to choose from so they are not quick to gobble up talent early in the draft. John Galloway, arguably the best goalie in the MLL last season, was just a 4th round pick. Scotty Rodgers, a notable #7 overall pick from 2010, only played in 12 games from 2010-2015 before reclaiming rockstar status last season. The bottomline is that goalies aren’t a hot commodity in today’s high-scoring game. Maybe (hopefully) that changes as the league pushes for expansion.

With all that being said, here are my top 5 goalies eligible for the 2017 MLL draft.

#1. Shane Doss, Notre Dame
While Notre Dame had a disappointing end (2-3 in their final 5 games, including a playoff loss to UNC, after starting out 9-1) to their season, Shane Doss was a bright spot and tops off this goalie class. He had a 56% save percentage last season and has starting experience dating back to his freshman year. His goals against average (GAA) was below 8 last season and is under 9 for his career. It helps to play behind a dominant defense but that can only get you so far. During a 6 game stretch against the best teams in the country last season (Maryland, Denver, UVA, Ohio St., Cuse & Duke) Doss posted a 58% save percentage and 5-1 record.

#2. Tom Carey, Ohio State
Carey originally started his career at Bryant but transferred after it was evident that Gunner Waldt (2016 4th round pick) wasn’t going to give up the starting job. He’s posted back-to-back seasons with a save percentage above 51% and goals against average below 9.1. He’s helped put Ohio State back on the map and I think he can be very successful at the next level.

#3. Jimmy Joe Granito, Drexel
Not #3 just because of the name. Jimmy Joe has the numbers to back him up. The Loyola transfer posted a 55% save percentage last season and 53% two years ago.

#4. Tyler Behring, Fairfield
While Fairfield had an up and down 2016 campaign, Behring was one Stag who you could depend on week in and week out. His 57% save percentage was just 2nd among all D1 juniors last year. Two years ago he split time with Brad Nordstrom and made the most of his time between the pipes winning 6 of 8 starts and finishing with a 62% save percentage and 6.32 goals against average.

#5. Jackson Brown, Hobart
I’ll go with Jackson Brown from Hobart for my #5 spot. Hobart quietly had a nice 2016 season going 10-7 and beating St. Joseph’s in the conference championship to secure a bid to the NCAA playoffs. Brown played a big role in that playing in 99% of the team’s minutes last season and marking a 52% save percentage. His body type reminds me of a Blaze Riorden or Gunner Waldt in the fact that he takes up space in-between the pipes. He’s listed at 5’10, 212 but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s closer to weighing north of 220.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Early Look at the 2017 Draft-Eligible Midfielders

We are just over halfway through the 2016 campaign so I thought it would be appropriate to check in on some of the 2017 MLL draft prospects. Specifically, I want to look at this years draft-eligible midfield group.

Last season, I don’t think it was much of a question that Duke midfielder, Myles Jones, was the best midfielder and would be drafted #1 overall. Is Sergio Perkovic that guy this year? It is still early, and some things can change, but today I will take a look at my top 5 midfielders eligible for the 2017 MLL draft.

#1. Sergio Perkovic, Notre Dame
Although his scoring is slightly down so far this season, he is still the best midfielder in the country at the moment. At 6’4, 220 pounds, he possess elite size and is a force to be reckoned with. With the game on the line, you want the ball in his hands, and he doesn’t shy away. Take a look at his game-winner earlier this year in OT against Virginia.

#2. Jake Froccaro, Villanova
Froccaro is a player who can flat out score. He started his career at Princeton, had a 10 goal game his sophomore year vs. Yale, and then would miss last season due to injury. This year, he began fresh transferring to Villanova where, through 9 games, has 31 goals and 7 assists. That’s good for second in D1 in goals per game behind Brown’s Kylor Bellistri.

#3. Tyler Pace, Denver
Tyler Pace is a 6’0, 180 pound Canadian who has had quite the career with the Pioneers. 37 points as a freshman, 49 points (and a National Championship) as a sophomore last season, and is currently averaging a career-high 3.0 points per game, through 9 games. He’s well-coached, savvy, and could easily sneak into the 1st round.

#4. Zach Miller, Denver
Zach Miller spent his first two seasons at Denver playing attack. He’s made the transition to midfield this season and, while his numbers are slightly down, he’s a staple of that Pioneers offense. He’s a career 42% shooter, to date, and is also a member of the Iroquois national team.
Denver's Zach Miller is a crafty southpaw from The Hill Academy
#5. Zed Williams, Virginia
There are a few other names that you could throw in at #5 and make an argument for as a top 5 junior midfielder. I like Zed Williams. He was a highly touted recruit (ranked #4 by Inside Lacrosse) and broke the high school national records for total goals and total assists at Silver Creek in New York. He started to come into his own last year scoring 37 points and is being relied upon more this season. He’s still a bit raw but has the tools and the size to be successful at the next level.