We’re on the road to the 2024 NLL Draft, and with the big day set for September 15, there are just a few weeks left until we find out where the newest crop of NLL prospects will land.

Last week, we kicked off our 2024 draft coverage by going through the top forwards to keep an eye on this year. Now, we’ll switch focus to the other side of the ball and talk defenders.

Let’s jump in and look at the top defensive names available in this year’s class.

Michael Grace, LD, RIT & Brooklin (MSL)

A future NLLer from RIT? Colour me shocked.

Michael Grace is a big body standing at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds who can bring a steady presence to any defensive unit he joins in the National Lacrosse League. He has proven he can play against grown men, playing six games with the Brooklin Lacrosse Club last season after being selected second overall in the MSL Entry Draft in 2022.

Although another discipline of lacrosse, he also showed he wasn’t afraid of the bright lights at the World Field Lacrosse Championships where he helped Team Canada secure a Silver Medal. Size, skill, and IQ is exactly what any General Manager is looking to add to throw out the back door.

- Pat Gregoire

Editors Note - Grace has transferred to Syracuse University, and as a result, his status for the 2024 NLL Draft is still unknown at this point in time. He will be available to be selected only if the NLL still allows for players who are returning to school for a medical redshirt or grad transfer year to be selected and placed on the Draft List

Luca Antongiovanni, RT, North Carolina & Coquitlam (WLA)

The former captain of the Coquitlam Jr Adanacs comes into this draft as one of the top defenders available following a strong career in the BCJALL.

A Minto Cup winner back in 2018, the Coquitlam, BC product is your prototypical NLL defender coming into this draft. He’s a 6-foot, 185-pounder who is just a steady presence in his own end, athletic, and a solid producer offensively.

He had 10 points in 13 games last year in his final junior campaign, and Antongiovanni made a seamless jump to the WLA with the senior Adanacs, posting two goals and five points for the summer. Being among the top players in this draft, expect Antongiovanni to hear his name called early in a few week’s time.

Editors Note - According to a source, Antongiovanni appears to have two years of eligibility left due to not seeing game action in either of his freshman or sophomore seasons with North Carolina. While it looks like he will not be returning to the Tar Heels for 2025, he will have to renounce his eligibility for the 2024 Draft

Trent DiCicco, LT, Ohio State & Victoria (WLA)

DiCicco is one of few players who can continue to help his stock rise just days before the NLL Entry Draft as he tries to help his Victoria Shamrocks club bring home a Mann Cup title back to the Island.

The Guelph, Ontario native, averaged over a point per game while running out the back door for the Shamrocks this past summer. Since departing a struggling KW Jr A team and heading out West, the Ohio State Buckeye has helped lead Victoria to a BCJALL title and now a WLA title.

DiCicco’s speed and skill lends itself perfectly to the modern prototype of an NLL defender.

Caleb Creasor, LD, Marquette & Nanaimo (WLA)

Speed kills and luckily for Caleb Creasor, he has a ton of it.

Creasor is a defender who has continued to hone his craft and become more responsible while playing honest defence instead of constantly trying to use his speed to create offensive opportunities. Creasor was listed as a late first- to late second-round prospect until it was deemed that he was not eligible for the 2023 draft.

With another year of senior box under his belt, the Huntsville, Ontario product should find himself hearing his name somewhere during round one.

Jakson Raposo, RT, Johns Hopkins & Brooklin (MSL)

For what he may lack in size, Jakson Raposo makes up for it in ferocity and tenacity.

Raposo first gained attention as a transition specialist with the Toronto Beaches during their 2022 Minto Cup run. The Johns Hopkins graduate has a ballhawk mentality, picking off passes and immediately pushing the ball for transition opportunities.

His size hasn’t hindered his success at the Major Series Lacrosse level, where he impressed each and every time he took the floor with Brooklin Lacrosse Club this past summer.

Photo: Sam Hossack/Brooklin Lacrosse Club

Jack Travassos, LD, Newberry & Brooklin (MSL)

Travassos was a standout for the Burlington Blaze in 2022, becoming one of their most trusted defenders and transition threats. Standing at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he’s got a great motor and can get up and down the floor in a hurry. That size and athleticism is going to go a long way when it comes to making the jump to the next level. There isn’t a team in the NLL that couldn’t use a player like that on their defence.

The Burlington, Ontario product has only played in a portion of each of the last two summers for the Brooklin Lacrosse Club, so he’ll definitely benefit from a full camp and developing what is already a solid foundation for success.

Jake Darlison, LT, Whitby (OJLL)

The ability to be able to play both sides of the ball is becoming more and more valuable in the National Lacrosse League. Jake Darlison is that Swiss Army Knife that every coach loves to have in their arsenal.

Darlison has been a weapon since first pulling the Whitby Warriors jersey over his head. Posting over 20 points in each of his three seasons, totaling 75 points in 57 OJLL regular-season games. Darlison first made a name for himself during the 2022 Minto Cup, playing steady defence and contributing on offence with six points in six games.

Remo Schenato, LD, Coquitlam (BCJALL)

Remo Schenato played a pivotal role in anchoring Coquitlam’s defence, helping to stifle Orangeville’s potent offence on the way to a Minto Cup Championship.

His combination of size and lacrosse IQ has undoubtedly caught the attention of general managers across the league, making him a highly sought-after prospect come September. Schenato's talents extend beyond shutdown defence; he's also not afraid to push the pace, recording 16 points in 17 regular season games with the Adanacs this past season.

Matt Acchione, LD, Delaware & Owen Sound (MSL)

If you’ve been tuning into the President’s Cup this week, you’ve seen Acchione’s endless gas tank and motor when transitioning the ball up the floor for the Snake Island Muskies. The defender returned to box this summer, starting off in the MSL with the Owen Sound Northstars before jumping to Snake Island to finish up 2024.

Matt and his brother, Cam, are both heart-and-soul players who are willing to do whatever their teams needs them to do to win. The compete level is high and they’re both gamers. While Cam could plug and play on either end, Matt is more of your prototypical transition player, with wheels and an ability to finish once he’s in on goal.

Acchione wore the “C” for the Toronto Beaches squad that made their first Minto back in 2022, and wherever he goes in the draft, he’ll be pushing for a spot on a roster come training camp in a few months. His efforts this summer have only boosted his stock going into the draft.

Reese Barnes, RD, Edmonton (RMJLL)

In a word, John Lintz described his star defender as an athlete. But the Sherwood Park, Alberta native is more than that. He was also one of Edmonton’s top defenders while taking draws and providing in transition. He literally did it all for the RMJALL side.

Facing off at over 70 percent while logging big minutes on the back end is something we don’t see a whole lot in lacrosse. Barnes also has two years of experience playing against older competition in the ALL West with the Black Fish. Everything points to him being a solid NLLer once the season rolls around. He should hear his name called in thefirst two rounds of this year’s draft.

Denton MacDonald, LT, Bellarmine & Victoria (WLA)

MacDonald was a pure forward to start his Jr career but made the move to a two-way specialist and it made him a more valuable asset for Victoria.

He plays with an edge and is fearless going into the corners. He’s a quiet leader and in the past couple of seasons at Bellarmine, has really grown into a more complete player.

Taylor Dooley, RD, Mercer & Ennismore (OSL)

Since graduating from Junior ball, Dooley has spent time with the Cobourg Kodiaks in MSL as well as the OSL’s Ennismore James Gang. In his final year in the OJLL, he spent more time focusing on his efforts on the defensive side of the ball, and he was arguably the Toronto Beaches’ most important defender on that Minto Squad.

A offensive midfielder during his career with Mercer, the Lindsay, Ontario man showed his transition ability more over the past two summers, finishing with two points in as many games with the Kodiaks and seven goals in 10 games for Ennismore last summer. This year, he had nine goals and 20 points in nine Senior B outings.

At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, he’s a strong defender who has shown the ability to pot the ball at the other end. Dooley would be higher on the list if he had more MSL reps under his belt over the last two summers. He’s got a solid ceiling heading into the NLL.

Jack Follows, LD, Cornell & Oakville (MSL)

Jack Follows is the epitome of a hard hat and work boots defender, a player who breathes life into any team when he steps on the floor.

A product of the Oakville Buzz, Follows earned the 2022 John "Gus" McCauley Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Defensive Player in the OJLL. The 23-year-old defender is a natural-born leader, willing to go above and beyond to secure victory for his team. Those who have coached or played alongside Follows consistently highlight his exceptional character and dedication to his teammates.

The former Cornell Big Red’s relentless work ethic and unwavering dedication make him a cornerstone of any lineup, always ready to rise to the occasion when his team needs him the most.

Robbie Turpin, LD, Simon Fraser & Coquitlam (BCJALL)

Turpin is a speedy, stay-at-home defender with underrated vision. He’s able to read and anticipate the play really well, which gives him the ability to create opportunities in transition.

You’re not going to see a lot of mistakes happen when Turpin is on the floor. He was a pivotal piece of Coquitlam’s Minto Cup squad this summer.

Carter Cook, LD, Calgary (RMJALL)

Cook, the younger brother of 2023 draftee Connor, excels on the defensive side of the ball, but he’s got the versatility that teams covet in today’s NLL. He was able to play both sides of the ball when asked to, and he finished this season with 15 points in nine games as a result.

The Lethbridge, Alberta product has another year of junior eligibility left, which gives him a chance to learn with an NLL team this season and then take that back to the RMJALL, where he’ll likely be one of the league’s top defenders for the Mounties next summer

Jacob Power, RT, Belmont Abbey & Nanaimo (WLA)

Another player that rose to prominence for the Edmonton Miners in their run to the Minto Cup final in 2022, Power is a strong transition threat who can rack up numbers offensively. In his last year of junior, he posted nine goals and 11 points in 13 games before finishing with a point per game in the Minto.

Power has battled injuries over the last few summers, and he was forced to miss the 2023 season as a result. He returned to action this year out in the WLA with the Nanaimo Timbermen, which has become a strong program for young players to wet their feet with the senior game over the last five years. Like many players in this section, if Power had more reps in senior, we’d be looking at a top defender in the draft. He’ll be a player to watch as he continues to develop as a strong transition threat in the NLL.

Chris Harland, LD, Dalhousie & Toronto (OJLL)

Another member of that Beaches 2022 Minto squad, Harland just wrapped up his junior career this summer, helping anchor the back end for Toronto all summer. But last year, he spent most of the summer with Halton Hills in Junior B.

Unlike some of his former teammates, Harland is more of the classic stay-at-home defender. He does his job and gets off the floor. But he brings it on the back end every shift. Harland is a great communicator, a very solid athlete, and possesses the strength to keep his matchup in front of him.

He’s got a pro-ready frame and everything in his game defensively to make an impact on a roster. He was one of the favourites of Beaches defensive coaches Damon Edwards and Luc Magnan for a reason. He’s a workhorse on the back end.

Davis McCulley, RT, Belmont Abbey & Victoria (WCSLA)

The younger brother of Vancouver Warriors forward Brad McCulley, Davis has shown his strength as a two-way player, playing a pivotal transition role with the Victoria Shamrocks during his junior and senior career.

McCulley is a great athlete who’s really found his form in the last few years of junior ball and at Belmont Abbey. With the athleticism he shows and the ability to put the ball in the back of the net, McCulley is best suited to play transition in the NLL. A solid Presidents Cup showing with a young Victoria Shamrocks Sr B squad will cement him among this lead crop of defenders in the 2024 class.

NLL Draft - Defenders To Watch