The Premier Lacrosse League draft is — understandably — dominated by the top of the draft. The first round is where the premium superstars and first-team All-Americans come off the board.
But each year, we see a handful of late round picks stick on a roster and become premier contributors for their teams. Tim Troutner, Justin Anderson, Stephen Rehfuss and Nakeie Montgomery were all third or fourth round picks who are now crucial pieces on their respective rosters.
Here are four late round picks from this year’s draft who could not only stick on a roster, but potentially become star players in the PLL.
Garrett Leadmon, Duke – M (Whipsnakes, 3rd Round)
Whipsnakes re-tooled their midfield in this draft by selecting Georgetown superstar Tucker Dordevic in the first round and versatile Duke playmaker Garrett Leadmon in the third. Leadmon hasn’t always had the easiest college career, but the DeMatha High School legend finally found his feet on offense this year.
Leadmon scored a career-high 22 goals and put up a career-high 30 points while helping the Blue Devils to the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Before this season’s breakout, Leadmon also played well as a short-stick defensive midfielder.
He also played a starring role in Duke’s run to the National Championship game this season. Leadmon scored seven goals and added a pair of assists for the Blue Devils. The biggest goal came in overtime of the Final Four against Penn State.
Leadmon attacked the Nittany Lions defense and dove to the crease for the game-winning goal. Although replay showed he was in the crease, the play was non-reviewable and the goal stood. Leadmon followed up that game-winner with a similar crease dive goal to start the 2023 title game, despite finishing on the losing end of the scoreboard.
The mix of skill, athleticism and versatility will make Leadmon perfect for the PLL, and he could become a fixture for Whipsnakes for a long time.
