Welcome to the Lax All Stars 2021 PLL Rookie Spotlights series!
The PLL College Draft was held April 26, introducing 32 players into the PLL fold. The league’s training camp is set for May 28 through June 3 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, to determine the final rosters of the eight teams for the 2021 campaign.
Not all 32 of these players will make a team, but right now, the dream is alive for them all. We’re counting down the days until the PLL opens up its training camp by delving deep into every player selected in the 2021 PLL College Draft, with two players included in each post, with help from Ryder Cochrane, Ryan Conwell, Nick Zoroya, and Nick Pietras.
Next up: Jake Carraway and Jack Kielty.
2021 PLL Rookie Spotlights: Jake Carraway & Jack Kielty
Jake Carraway
School: Georgetown
Position: Attack
Who drafted him & when: Jake Carraway was selected No. 10 overall (Round 2, Pick 2) by Atlas LC.
Is this about where he was expected to go: I would’ve said he was going to go in the top 10, and this still counts as the top 10. Jake Carraway strikes me as a guy some teams probably had higher on their boards, but a few teams probably had lower, too.
What are the main skills he brings to the team: Shooting, first of all. Jake Carraway has a rocket of a shot and some nasty flick in his wrists. He can create his own shot, but he might prove to be even scarier as a pro in the Ryan Brown (or Mac O’Keefe) role as a spot-up shooter. Don’t get me wrong, Carraway is plenty good as a dodger. He’s the obvious number one option for a Georgetown team that made it to the quarterfinals. With that said, he did get blanked in the quarterfinals and similarly was quiet in the first game against Denver. Still, while he’s a good main guy, he could be a great secondary guy and focus more on off-ball stuff.
How’s the fit: Great, considering Atlas basically had nobody left at attack other than Eric Law. The team went ahead and rebuilt the entire attack, meaning that Jake Carraway will have a chance to become one of the attackmen who will start alongside new offensive cornerstone Jeff Teat. If it were me, I’d roll out Carraway and Law and just let the two of them cook as off-ball guys. Teat might have 30 assists as a rookie.
Who’s the competition & what are the odds he makes the team: Jake Carraway will make the team, even if he’s just moved down to middie. He’s too good of a shooter to let go, and he’s capable of carrying an offense in spurts. The question will be who the odd man out is between Carraway, Law, and Mark Cockerton for the final attack spot, and that’s assuming Daniel Bucaro stays at midfield.
Jack Kielty
School: Notre Dame
Position: Defense
Who drafted him & when: Jack Kielty was selected No. 9 overall (Round 2, Pick 1) by Cannons LC.
Is this about where he was expected to go: Depends on who you ask. I’m sure that some draft boards would’ve had Jack Kielty as the top defenseman on the board. Still, this is a fair draft slot for Kielty here.
What are the main skills he brings to the team: Jack Kielty has practically been a Terminator this season. He doesn’t tire. He feels no pain. He can’t be reasoned with, bribed, or intimidated. All he does is methodically destroy attackmen. Kielty has been one of the best defenders in all of college lacrosse this season, if not the best. He’s a great team defender and a great iso defender, and he should continue on with the Notre Dame tradition of developing top-tier pro defensemen.
How’s the fit: Splendid, considering there wasn’t really a lot else there in advance. Jack Kielty might end up as the No. 1 cover guy on this squad by the end of the regular season. A lot of the rest of the Cannons’ pole group are more naturally LSMs, and Brodie Merrill is (still excellent but also) old. Kielty seems like he could get a legit chance to be The Guy for this Cannons defense.
Who’s the competition & what are the odds he makes the team: He’ll make the team if he wants to. That’s not even in question for me. His competition for the No. 1 cover man spot is basically Brodie Merrill, Reece Eddy, and Curtis Corley. I think Jack Kielty is as good or better than all those guys are right now. Eddy is more naturally an LSM, or at least that’s where he’s proven successful so far in the PLL.
More PLL Rookie Spotlights
There will be plenty of PLL Rookie Spotlights to check out between now and the start of training camp. You can find information about the incoming rookie class here.
