Here we are. The most important day for the Launch since the day they drafted Lyle Thompson and Connor Buczek back to back at #1 an #2 a few years ago. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out in the long run due to the Thompsons not prioritizing MLL in their professional lives. It’s one of the biggest risks any GM faces with this draft in general.  MLL does not pay what NLL does at this point and that definitely affects how a roster ends up playing out.  When you look at how the MLL draft plays out you have to keep in mind that the teams have to consider potential availability down the line, not just the biggest names.  One coach last season, during the weekly conference call the league held in mid-week, acknowledged that he wouldn’t draft a player who was a Finance Major, because they felt the likelihood of the player being available was too low to take the risk on them. Another issue to deal with for GM’s is the character and discipline the player brings to the table.  Players have to mostly set their own training schedule, they don’t have the luxury for the most part of having a support team around them to keep them focused.  A lot of that has to come from within themselves.  And one last issue, that the Launch franchise has found over the years, is that of summer travel.  A player who lives in the team’s general geographical area is a valuable asset.  Chazz Woodson, Duncan Clancy and Adam Fullerton are all full time residents down here and that’s very helpful.   The Draft Order as of 5/26/17 at 1:00pm:  

	ROUND 1
1	Florida Launch
2	Boston Cannons	From Atlanta
3	Charlotte Hounds	From Atlanta through Chesapeake
4	Florida Launch	From Boston through New York through Rochester
5	Chesapeake Bayhawks	From Boston
6	Atlanta Blaze	From Charlotte
7	Ohio Machine	From New York through Boston through New York
8	Florida Launch	From Chesapeake through New York through Ohio
9	Denver Outlaws
	ROUND 2
10	Florida Launch
11	Chesapeake Bayhawks	From Atlanta
12	Ohio Machine	From Chesapeake
13	Rochester Rattlers
14	New York Lizards	From Boston
15	Charlotte Hounds
16	Chesapeake Bayhawks	From New York
17	Denver Outlaws	From Ohio
18	Denver Outlaws
	ROUND 3
19	Chesapeake Bayhawks	From Florida
20	Atlanta Blaze
21	Atlanta Blaze	From Chesapeake
22	Rochester Rattlers
23	Boston Cannons
24	Charlotte Hounds
25	Florida Launch	From New York
26	Ohio Machine
27	Charlotte Hounds	From Boston through Denver

 

	ROUND 4
28	Florida Launch
29	Florida Launch	From Atlanta
30	Chesapeake Bayhawks
31	Charlotte Hounds	From Rochester
32	Ohio Machine	From Boston
33	Charlotte Hounds
34	Denver Outlaws	From New York
35	Ohio Machine
36	Denver Outlaws
	ROUND 5
37	Florida Launch
38	Chesapeake Bayhawks	From Florida through Atlanta
39	Rochester Rattlers	From Chesapeake through Atlanta through Chesapeake
40	Rochester Rattlers
41	Boston Cannons
42	Charlotte Hounds
43	New York Lizards
44	Ohio Machine
45	Denver Outlaws
	ROUND 6
46	Chesapeake Bayhawks	From Florida
47	Atlanta Blaze
48	Chesapeake Bayhawks
49	Rochester Rattlers
50	Boston Cannons
51	Charlotte Hounds
52	New York Lizards
53	Ohio Machine
54	Denver Outlaws

 

	ROUND 7
55	Florida Launch
56	Denver Outlaws	From Atlanta
57	Chesapeake Bayhawks
58	Rochester Rattlers
59	Boston Cannons
60	Charlotte Hounds
61	Denver Outlaws	From New York
62	New York Lizards	From Ohio
63	Ohio Machine	From Denver
	ROUND 8
64	Florida Launch
65	Denver Outlaws	From Atlanta
66	Chesapeake Bayhawks
67	Rochester Rattlers
68	Boston Cannons
69	Charlotte Hounds
70	New York Lizards
71	Ohio Machine
72	Denver Outlaws
	ROUND 9
73	Florida Launch
74	Atlanta Blaze
75	Chesapeake Bayhawks
76	Rochester Rattlers
77	Boston Cannons
78	Charlotte Hounds
79	New York Lizards
80	Ohio Machine
81	Denver Outlaws

 

	ROUND 10
82	Florida Launch
83	Atlanta Blaze
84	Chesapeake Bayhawks
85	Rochester Rattlers
86	Boston Cannons
87	Charlotte Hounds
88	New York Lizards
89	Ohio Machine
90	New York Lizards	From Denver

  For some resources concerning the draft, here’s a few links to Kyle Devitte’s columns leading up to the draft on Inside Lacrosse: Kyle Devitte’s MLL Draft Big Board The MLL Draft Position Primer   Also, here is a mock draft from CollegeCrosse.Com from May 4th College Crosse Mock Draft   Okay, let’s take a look at how I see the Launch’s picks playing out.  I’ll only concentrate on 1, 4, 8, 10, 25, 28 and 29. First, some parameters.  I’ve obviously talked to those on the Launch who are making decisions but please note that these are not names that anyone with the Launch have confirmed will be the picks.  On Thursday Head Coach Tom Mariano was interviewed on LSN and we put that segment on the Launch Preview article but here it is again:     Coach Mariano indicated during the video that he has not made his mind up yet for the 1st overall and I firmly believe that to be true, so the pick I name at #1 overall is my opinion only.  Coach Mariano is certainly far more qualified to make that decision then I will ever be, but what fun would it be if I didn’t at least give this a shot? For the purpose of this draft I have to admit I don’t have any great insight into the availability issue I laid out up top so the players are not considered for location for the most part. When I look at the team I certainly see a harder edge to the team and more intensity than last year.  And remember that the Launch get back Kieran Mcardle this week and likely Liam Byrnes next week and both of them have no trouble adding to that intensity.  Coach Mariano also indicated in the video he felt that this was about adding pieces for depth and maybe even coming out with a balanced approach . . . an attackman, a middie and a defender among the Top 10. Given all this, this is my version of what could be the optimal way the draft works out for the Launch.  One other thing to keep in mind is that I expect at least one of the picks to get traded and likely for a 2018 pick, as the probability of playing 11 rookies in one year is pretty much slim and none, and slim is walking out the door.  But for the purpose of this I’ll assume the Launch make all the picks.   #1 Overall There really are three top notch attackmen available and each has their own style that would make them valuable additions to the Launch:  Matt Rambo of Maryland, Dylan Molloy of Brown and Connor Cannizzaro of Denver.  Rambo has a powerful left hand shot and has really learned how to draw a double and find the open man this year.  Molloy is a unique talent in that he can physically beat a defender and get a shot off quickly.  Cannizzaro is very similar to me to Kevin Rice, who was leading MLL in scoring last year before injuring himself.  Cannizzaro is shifty and very comfortable working behind the net.  I think that the Launch can use another player comfortable at ‘X’ behind the net, to compliment Jimmy Dailey, who has settled nicely into that role.  Chazz Woodson also can play that role and Kieran McArdle likes to set up his own shot too.  Unlike Rambo and Molloy, Cannizzaro can also play up top and dodge downhill.  It seems to me that Cannizzaro is still the best fit for the Launch as it gives them a lot of depth in a way that the MLL tends to score in settled situations. Connor Cannizzaro will be the Launch pick at #1   #4 Overall In any interview or analysis of the Launch over the past seasons the issue of not having enough midfielders always comes up.  And at #4 overall I expect the Launch to look in that direction.  The sentiment throughout the state is to look up north, and Winter Park, and look at Sergio Salcido for that pick.  But I think that would be wrong to do so with this pick.  As great as Sergio’s story is concerned, and how much his offensive skills should translate to MLL, I think the Launch have to go in a more versatile direction with this pick.  One thing to remember with MLL is that they only dress 19 players for game day and almost all the time that means dressing 2 goalies and 17 field players.  Once in a while a team will dress 2 FOGO’s but that’s a pure luxury.  So a middie that can get up and down, put points up and be able to take faceoffs in case of injury (the Launch experienced a FOGO injury last year early in a game last season that they might have won with more faceoff wins).  That is not something Salcido will give you.  But Zach Currier of Princeton can.  On IL today there was a tweet by I believe Christian Swezey, comparing Currier’s stats this season with Florida native Doug Shanahan’s Tewaaraton winning season of 2001 and they are pretty much the same. Zach Currier will be the Launch pick at #4   #8 Overall Going with the theme of looking at a defender with this pick (which most people think is relatively deep this year) there are two players both graduating from the same school that have shown the LSM skills of defending, wing play and great stick skills that lead to point production on the fast break.  There are probably a few more but these are the two that stand out to me.  Liam Byrnes played that position in college and for the Launch last year but Liam is an NLL player too so you can’t just have one!  Transition ability in a long pole is worth their weight in gold in this league, as Scott Ratliff of Atlanta has shown.  What it comes down to is that in this position we should look for the Launch to take this special skill set.  The choice is between Larkin Kemp and Alec Tullet of Brown.  Kemp is the first choice and Tullet is close behind If available, Larken Kemp of Brown will be the Launch pick at #8, or Alec Tullet if not.   #10 Overall This is where it can get interesting.  Assuming the first three play out the Launch have great flexibility here.  It can be Best Player Available (BPA), it could be another middie or a Close Defender.  There are plenty of great close defenders available here and later so we can probably hold off on that until the 3rd round.  I think you still have to look at the midfield with this one.  There’s a good chance in my opinion that Salcido or his Syracuse cohort Nick Mariano will be available (that will be an interesting decision given that Nick is Tom’s blood relative . . . :).  Mariano can play either middie or attack, has a rocket of a left hand he can get off in a phone booth and gives the team another flexible option for a 19-man roster. If Salcido falls here the Launch can get a 2-1 . . . a high energy middie who can draw defenders and dish off combined with a Florida upbringing that can be marketed heavily.  If Salcido is here the Launch should take him.  One factor in his favor is that growing up in the Orlando area makes him used to the heat and humidity of the summer, not something to be taken lightly. Should Salcido not be there at #10 and Coach Mariano does not want to go to family for whatever reason, then the choice should be the best defensive middie in college lacrosse this season, Jack Adams of Towson.  Those who watched Adams and Towson this season know how effective he is in a 1-on-1 matchup and that’s an important skill for any MLL team. The Launch will pick either Sergio Salcido, Nick Mariano or Jack Adams with the #10 pick.   With the three picks in the 20’s . . . 25, 28 and 29 . . . the Launch will likely pick one of the top close defenders available and then face the probability of going BPA, although I would be tempted to add another goalie to the mix.  It’s not a great year for goalies but many NFL teams will make sure to draft a QB even if they don’t need one every couple of years and there’s no rush to play them given how well Austin Kaut is currently playing.   #25 Overall Looking at the possible available close defenders that could be available it might take a player sliding to make the Launch pretty happy.  A possibility for this would be if someone like Scott Firman of Syracuse falls to this slot.  There are other possibilities but someone like Nick Fields should be off the board by now.  And since I am trying to make this best case scenario, there could be someone like Tanner Scales of Virginia possibly being here too. Assuming he is available the Launch will pick Scott Firman at #25   #28 Overall Another two-way middie would be great.  One who stood out in the last season and might be available here is Adam Osika of Albany.  Great size, plays the wing on the faceoff and can chip in offensively.  Another possibility here would be Romar Dennis of Loyola, a big middie who can create his own space. At #28 overall the Launch will pick either Adam Osika or Romar Dennis   #29 Overall If the Launch want to take their chance on another goalie to fill the pipeline the best regarded goalie in this year’s draft pool is Ben Pugh of Richmond.  This would be a luxury pick for the Launch but great value if available. At #29 the Launch will pick Ben Pugh   There will be some surprises along the way, as so happens every year, and there are plenty of other players that Coach Mariano will have his eyes on . . . we’ll just see what they are on Sunday!   For those who are already subscribers, the LaxSportsNetwork will televise the draft live at 11:00am Sunday, so tune in!  For those who don’t . . . besides WHY NOT . . . you can tune in here to see me live blog the proceedings (until at least 90 minutes in depending on my schedule) at FLN! Get the Bloody Mary’s ready and sit back and watch the Launch build their future!