The Rochester Knighthawks selected Syracuse forward Finn Thomson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft on Sept. 24, beginning a six-round draft that featured 67 selections.

Toronto Rock followed by selecting Albany's Silas Richmond at No. 2, while Vancouver Warriors drafted Johns Hopkins standout Matt Collison third. Calgary Roughnecks traded up to take Syracuse star Joey Spallina fifth, and Buffalo Bandits selected Dante Bowen sixth. The draft brought established college lacrosse names and experienced box lacrosse prospects into the NLL.

The league's 40th anniversary season begins Nov. 27, with all 12 teams competing in an 18-game regular season. Games and the NLL playoffs will stream on FloLacrosse and the FloSports app through a new exclusive global streaming partnership.

Who Was The No. 1 Pick In The 2026 NLL Draft?

The Rochester Knighthawks selected Syracuse forward Finn Thomson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NLL Entry Draft. Thomson joins an offense that already features two of the league's most productive players. Connor Fields recorded 119 points during the 2025-26 season, while Ryan Lanchbury finished with 106, including 82 assists.

Rochester scored 205 goals, the fourth-most in the league, despite finishing 6-12.

General manager Dan Carey highlighted Thomson's ability to contribute with and without the ball, giving Rochester another offensive option alongside its established playmakers.

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Thomson also has previous junior lacrosse experience alongside Thomas McConvey, who scored 32 goals for the Knighthawks last season.

Rochester addressed another area of need by trading back into the first round for goaltender Saka Thompson. The Knighthawks allowed a league-high 239 goals in 2025-26, making improvements at both ends important heading into the new season.

2026 NLL Draft First-Round Results: All 17 Picks

The first round featured 17 selections, including four compensatory picks. Rochester selected Finn Thomson first overall, followed by Toronto's selection of Silas Richmond and Vancouver's selection of Matt Collison.

No. 1: Finn Thomson — Rochester Knighthawks

• Right offense | Brampton MSL/Syracuse

No. 2: Silas Richmond — Toronto Rock

• Right offense | Burnaby WLA/Albany

No. 3: Matt Collison — Vancouver Warriors

• Left offense | Snake Island TNSLL/Johns Hopkins

No. 4: Michael White — Las Vegas Desert Dogs

• Right defense | Brooklin MSL/Queen's

No. 5: Joey Spallina — Calgary Roughnecks

• Right offense | Snake Island TNSLL/Syracuse

No. 6: Dante Bowen — Buffalo Bandits

• Right transition | Brampton MSL/Syracuse

No. 7: Chad Palumbo — Calgary Roughnecks

• Left offense | Princeton

No. 8: Aaron Toguri — Saskatchewan Rush

• Left defense | Cobourg MSL/Jacksonville

No. 9: David Anderson — Georgia Swarm

• Right offense | Six Nations OSL/Yale

No. 10: Aidan Maguire — San Diego Seals

• Left defense | Duke

No. 11: Owen Tasse — Las Vegas Desert Dogs

• Left defense | Cobourg MSL/Penn State

No. 12: Nick Crowley — Halifax Thunderbirds

• Left defense | Peterborough MSL/Rutgers

No. 13: Saka Thompson — Rochester Knighthawks

• Goaltender | Akwesasne TNSLL/SUNY Potsdam

No. 14: Zach Moen — Calgary Roughnecks

• Right defense | Calgary Raiders RMJLL/Ottawa CUFLA

No. 15: Jack Cascadden — Georgia Swarm

• Right transition | Cornell

No. 16: Marcus Khan — Vancouver Warriors

• Goaltender | Langley BCJALL

No. 17: Alexis Simard — Toronto Rock

• Left defense | Brampton MSL/Canisius

The final four selections of the first round, Nos. 14-17, were compensatory picks. Calgary, Georgia, Vancouver and Toronto each made one of those selections.

Complete 2026 NLL Draft Results By Round

The remaining 50 selections were made across five rounds. Here is the complete order, including the selecting teams, positions and player affiliations.

2026 NLL Draft Second Round: Picks 18–31

No. 18: Cole Teeple — Colorado Mammoth

Right transition | Owen Sound MSL/RIT

No. 19: Justin Lee — Oshawa FireWolves

Right transition | Oakville MSL/Albany

No. 20: Xavier Delormier — Saskatchewan Rush

Goaltender | Awkesasne OJBLL

No. 21: Owen Rice — Buffalo Bandits

Right offense | Six Nations OJLL

No. 22: Lucas Dudemaine — San Diego Seals

Left offense | Brampton MSL/Georgetown

No. 23: Will Sheehan — Toronto Rock

Right offense | Oakville MSL/Yale

No. 24: Koleton Marquis — Las Vegas Desert Dogs

Right offense | Kahnawake TNSLL/Albany

No. 25: Ryan Stines — Colorado Mammoth

Right offense | Mimico OJLL/Utah

No. 26: Alex Lemieux — Saskatchewan Rush

Right defense | Langley WLA/Queens

No. 27: Jeremy Wudrick — Vancouver Warriors

Left offense | Nanaimo WLA/Lander

No. 28: Blake Young — Vancouver Warriors

Right defense | Port Coquitlam BCJALL

No. 29: David Peterkin — Halifax Thunderbirds

Right transition | Six Nations OSL/Hobart

No. 30: Andrew McMeekin — Toronto Rock

Transition | Princeton

No. 31: Kaden Kublinskas — Calgary Roughnecks

Right defense | Brampton OJLL

Calgary's selection at No. 31 was a compensatory pick.

2026 NLL Draft Third Round: Picks 32–42

No. 32: Joel Mullen — Vancouver Warriors

Left defense | Nanaimo WLA/Utah

No. 33: Andrew Bowman — Oshawa FireWolves

Left forward | Nanaimo WLA/Marquette

No. 34: Nathan Pouliot — Las Vegas Desert Dogs

Right transition | Cobourg MSL/Newberry

No. 35: Bowie Horsman — San Diego Seals

Right offense | Brampton MSL/Cornell

No. 36: Brinley Wilson — Georgia Swarm

Right offense | Raiders RMJLL

No. 37: Brian Jackman — Saskatchewan Rush

Left offense | Oakville MSL/UMass

No. 38: Max Neeson — Georgia Swarm

Right defense | Ladner WCSLA/Albany

No. 39: Brooks English — Toronto Rock

Right offense | Oakville Rock MSL/Johns Hopkins

No. 40: Connor Gorman — Halifax Thunderbirds

Left offense | Kahnawake Hunters OJBLL/Utah

No. 41: Obrigh Tallchief — Buffalo Bandits

Right defense | Six Nations OJLL/D'Youville

No. 42: Matt Vilas — Rochester Knighthawks

Left defense | Oakville MSL/Hofstra

2026 NLL Draft Fourth Round: Picks 43–51

No. 43: Aiden Long — Halifax Thunderbirds

Right transition | Orangeville OJLL/Cornell

No. 44: Frank Coyle — Rochester Knighthawks

Right defense | Peterborough MSL/Hamilton University

No. 45: Luke Soenen — Calgary Roughnecks

Right defense | Mounties RMJALL/Simon Fraser

No. 46: Blake Malamphy — Las Vegas Desert Dogs

Transition | Salisbury University

No. 47: Greyson Beggs — San Diego Seals

Goaltender | Victoria BCJALL

No. 48: Raymond Cortes — Buffalo Bandits

Right defense | Six Nations OJLL/D'Youville

No. 49: Blake Eiland — Georgia Swarm

Defense | Ohio State

No. 50: Jayden Richards — Saskatchewan Rush

Right defense | Calgary RMJLL

No. 51: Alex Ross — Calgary Roughnecks

Left defense | Penn State

2026 NLL Draft Fifth Round: Picks 52–63

No. 52: Brenden Boyle — Georgia Swarm

Left defense | Peterborough MSL/Marquette

No. 53: Owen Tovell — Rochester Knighthawks

Left defense | Whitby OJLL

No. 54: Zach Vanderwal — Calgary Roughnecks

Right defense | Toronto OJLL

No. 55: John Alie — Las Vegas Desert Dogs

Offense | Bellarmine

No. 56: Owen Wills — San Diego Seals

Left defense | Brooklin MSL/Ottawa CUFLA

No. 57: Micah Hanson — Buffalo Bandits

Transition | Canisius

No. 58: Kyle Lewis — Georgia Swarm

Right offense | Adelphi University

No. 59: Cal Brennan — Saskatchewan Rush

Right offense | Owen Sound MSL/Robert Morris

No. 60: Zach Constantopoulos — Colorado Mammoth

Goaltender | Oakville OJLL

No. 61: Henry Dodge — Vancouver Warriors

Transition | Maryland

No. 62: Rory Graham — Halifax Thunderbirds

Left defense | Brampton MSL/Denver

No. 63: Troy MacDonald — Toronto Rock

Left transition | Elora OJLL/Western University

2026 NLL Draft Sixth Round: Picks 64–67

No. 64: Kyle Gonsiorek — Buffalo Bandits

Right defense | Alleghany CANAM/Jacksonville

No. 65: Nate Ruff — Buffalo Bandits

Left transition | Brampton MSL/Robert Morris

No. 66: Joel McCormick — Vancouver Warriors

Right offense | Burnaby WLA/Robert Morris

No. 67: Niky Lowe — Buffalo Bandits

Goaltender | Brampton OJLL

• Buffalo's final selection was an honorary tribute to Lowe, a former Jr. Bandits goaltender who died before the draft. His selection carries significance beyond the team's roster-building plans.

Biggest Names And Top Prospects From The 2026 NLL Draft

Finn Thomson — No. 1, Rochester Knighthawks

Rochester made Finn Thomson the first overall selection after his career at Syracuse, adding another offensive prospect to a team that already produced plenty of goals.

Connor Fields and Ryan Lanchbury combined for 225 points last season, while Thomas McConvey scored 32 goals.

Thomson's ability to contribute without dominating possession could make him a useful complement to those established players.

The Knighthawks already had one of the NLL's more productive offenses. Thomson gives them another potential scoring option as they try to improve on a 6-12 season.

Silas Richmond — No. 2, Toronto Rock

The defending champion Toronto Rock selected Albany's Silas Richmond second overall, adding another right-handed offensive prospect.

Toronto scored 195 regular-season goals last season, seventh in the league.

CJ Kirst and Owen Hiltz combined for 66 goals from the left side, while Chris Boushy, Challen Rogers and Josh Dawick contributed from the right.

Richmond's shooting ability could provide another option for an already established attack.

Toronto also recorded 22 power-play goals, the fewest in the league, identifying another area where additional shooting options could prove valuable.

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Matt Collison — No. 3, Vancouver Warriors

Vancouver selected Johns Hopkins' Matt Collison third overall after finishing the 2025-26 regular season with a 13-5 record.

At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Collison brings a physical presence to an offense featuring Keegan Bal and Curtis Dickson.

Bal recorded 124 points last season, while Dickson scored 42 goals.

Warriors coach Curt Malawsky highlighted Collison's ability to create space for teammates.

That skill could make Collison valuable even when he isn't scoring himself, giving Vancouver another way to generate opportunities around its established offensive players.

Joey Spallina — No. 5, Calgary Roughnecks

Calgary traded up to select Syracuse star Joey Spallina fifth overall, making one of the draft's most notable moves.

Spallina finished his Syracuse career with 333 points and brings international box lacrosse experience with Team USA.

The Roughnecks scored 187 goals last season, with Tanner Cook and Tyler Pace accounting for 80.

Spallina could help distribute Calgary's offensive responsibilities while complementing Pace, who recorded 72 assists.

The Roughnecks also selected Princeton's Chad Palumbo seventh overall, giving the team two highly drafted offensive prospects.

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Dante Bowen — No. 6, Buffalo Bandits

Buffalo selected Dante Bowen sixth overall, adding a defensive and transition prospect with Syracuse and Brampton box lacrosse experience.

The Bandits already feature an established offense led by Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne, who recorded 118 and 113 points, respectively, last season.

Bowen could contribute by winning possessions, helping move the ball up the floor and creating opportunities for those established scorers.

Buffalo led the NLL with 158 blocked shots last season, giving Bowen a strong defensive foundation to join as he competes for a professional role.

Jack Cascadden — No. 15, Georgia Swarm

Georgia selected Cornell faceoff specialist Jack Cascadden with the 15th overall pick.

The Swarm won just 98 of 420 recorded faceoffs last season, a 23.3% success rate.

Cascadden won 62.7% of his faceoffs at Cornell in 2026, making him an intriguing prospect for a team looking to improve its possession opportunities.

Those percentages come from different versions of lacrosse, and success in college field lacrosse does not guarantee the same results in professional box lacrosse.

Cascadden also is returning to Cornell, making his selection a longer-term investment.

Biggest Trades From The 2026 NLL Draft

Three trades involving future draft selections helped shape the 2026 NLL Entry Draft.

Calgary Trades Up To Draft Joey Spallina

The Calgary Roughnecks acquired the fifth overall pick from the San Diego Seals in exchange for the No. 10 selection and Calgary's first-round pick in the 2027 NLL Entry Draft.

Calgary used the fifth pick to select Syracuse star Joey Spallina.

San Diego moved down to No. 10 and selected Duke defensive prospect Aidan Maguire.

The trade gave Calgary another high-profile offensive prospect while allowing San Diego to add a defender and secure an additional future first-round selection.

Rochester Trades A Future First-Round Pick For Saka Thompson

The Rochester Knighthawks acquired the 13th overall selection from the Halifax Thunderbirds in exchange for Rochester's first-round pick in the 2028 NLL Entry Draft.

Rochester used the selection on goaltender Saka Thompson.

The move addressed an area of concern after the Knighthawks allowed a league-high 239 goals during the 2025-26 season.

Thompson provides another goaltending prospect, although his eventual role remains to be earned.

Buffalo Acquires Two Sixth-Round Picks

The Calgary Roughnecks traded the 64th and 65th overall selections to the Buffalo Bandits in exchange for Buffalo's sixth-round pick in the 2027 NLL Entry Draft.

Buffalo used the selections on Jacksonville defensive prospect Kyle Gonsiorek and Robert Morris transition player Nate Ruff.

Both selections added depth to the Bandits' defensive and transition pipeline.

Other picks throughout the draft had previously changed hands, but the supplied transaction details establish these three exchanges involving future selections.

Which College Lacrosse Stars Were Selected In The 2026 NLL Draft?

The 2026 NLL Entry Draft featured players from major college lacrosse programs, including Syracuse, Albany, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Duke, Yale, Cornell, Rutgers and Maryland.

Syracuse was represented by Finn Thomson, selected first overall by Rochester, and Joey Spallina, taken fifth by Calgary. Dante Bowen, drafted sixth by Buffalo, also played at Syracuse.

Albany's Silas Richmond went second to Toronto, while Johns Hopkins' Matt Collison was selected third by Vancouver.

Princeton's Chad Palumbo joined Calgary at No. 7, and Duke's Aidan Maguire went 10th to San Diego.

The draft also featured prospects with Canadian box lacrosse experience, including players from Brampton, Burnaby, Six Nations and other programs.

Not every drafted player will immediately appear in the NLL. Several prospects have continuing college commitments, and being drafted does not guarantee a contract, roster spot or professional debut.

When Does The 2026-27 NLL Season Begin?

The 2026-27 National Lacrosse League regular season begins Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, when the Saskatchewan Rush visit the Oshawa FireWolves.

The league's 40th anniversary season features 12 active teams competing in 108 regular-season games.

Each franchise plays 18 games, including nine at home and nine on the road.

The regular season concludes April 25, 2027, before the eight-team postseason begins.

The schedule will give fans opportunities to follow the development of the 2026 draft class, although individual appearances will depend on contracts, roster decisions and player availability.

How To Watch The 2026 NLL Draft Class On FloLacrosse

Fans can follow the teams that selected the 2026 NLL Draft class on FloLacrosse and the FloSports app throughout the 2026-27 season.

FloSports and the National Lacrosse League announced an exclusive multiyear global streaming partnership covering the complete regular season, postseason and marquee league events.

FloLacrosse launches Nov. 5, 2026, ahead of the Nov. 27 NLL season opener.

All 12 franchises will be featured on FloLacrosse during the season, giving college lacrosse fans a way to follow their favorite players as they pursue professional opportunities.