Connor Kirst – Villanova/Rutgers
Connor Kirst is a big, powerful, athletic midfielder with a heavy right-handed shot that you can feel through the TV screen. A physical dodger with a mighty 6’2’ frame, Kirst doesn’t get moved off his spot. He often uses a bit of a bull rush to dislodge his defender to get some space, which he does not need much of, before unloading the cannon. The amount of power Kirst can generate with limited time and space is impressive, and he is equally deadly off the catch when both of those things are afforded to him.
His scoring is the biggest asset in his game, but he reads slides well and finds the open man if the pass is the right play. Kirst can play both ends as well and his versatility will be valued with the 19-man rosters in the PLL, although the main draw is clearly what he can do on offense. Kirst is projected widely to be the first midfielder drafted and teams will look to him to contribute as a scorer right away.
Roy Colsey’s Take: I knew [Connor’s] father Kyle, who was an unbelievable guy; as good of a guy as you’ll ever meet. All of his boys are incredible players and Connor is no exception. I saw him at the USA box tryout and he was the real deal. He’s a phenomenal athlete, scorer and teammate. His range is going to be a huge asset for the team that drafts him. Connor is at the top of the list of can’t miss guys.
