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The third edition of the Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft is now complete. A total of 39 players were selected across three rounds with all 11 teams from the 2022 season participating. LA had already traded their three allotted selections, while Austin’s 33rd overall pick was traded to Utah for salary cap considerations. Another last minute trade saw ATL acquiring the 4th overall selection from Utah in exchange for the 9th overall pick and salary cap considerations.
As in 2021, Lindenwood University had the most players selected with five, while all three Kutztown University picks went in the first round. The most sought-after position was prop with 11 players picked while only two hookers were selected.
Eight Canadians were picked, up from five in 2021, with four going in the first round including three of the top five. Other nations represented include Italy, England, Argentina, Zimbabwe, and Ireland. 24 players have achieved national age-grade or development recognition.
ROUND 1
#1
Sam Golla
Dallas Jackals
School: University of California, Berkeley
Home Town: Arlington, Texas
Position: Lock / Blindside Flanker
Age: 23
Height: 6’4″ (1.93m)
Weight: 245lbs (112kg)
2019 USA u20
2022 D1A Collegiate All-American (1st team)
2022 Rudy Scholz Award Finalist
#2
Sebastiano Villani
NOLA Gold
School: St. Bonaventure University
Home Town: Parma, Italy
Position: Scrumhalf
Age: 22
Height: 5’9″ (1.75m)
Weight: 190lbs (86kg)
2018 High School All-American
#3
Cali Martinez
Old Glory DC
School: University of British Columbia
Home Town: White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Position: Prop
Age: 25
Height: 5’9″ (1.74m)
Weight: 240lbs (108kg)
2011 Canada u17
2015 Canada u20
2016 Canada u20
#4
Seth Purdey
Rugby ATL
School: University of California, Berkeley
Home Town: Mill Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Position: Center
Age: 23
Height: 6′ (1.84m)
Weight: 200lbs (92kg)
2016 Canada u18
2017 Canada u19
2018 Canada u20
#5
Owain Ruttan
Toronto Arrows
School: University of British Columbia
Home Town: Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
Position: Flanker
Age: 24
Height: 6’3″ (1.90m)
Weight: 230lbs (104kg)
2017 Canada u19
2018 Canada u20
#6
Chase Jones
NOLA Gold
School: Saint Mary’s College
Home Town: Davis, California
Position: Lock / Blindside Flanker
Age: 23
Height: 6’4″ (1.94m)
Weight: 230lbs (105kg)
2017 High School All-American
2019 USA u20
2022 D1A Collegiate All-American (1st team)
#7
Trent Rogers
NOLA Gold
School: Kutztown University
Home Town: Cincinnati, Ohio
Position: Tighthead Prop
Age: 22
Height: 6′ (1.83m)
Weight: 285lbs (130kg)
2017 High School All-American
2021 USA u23
#8
Ethan Hager
Dallas Jackals
School: University of Victoria
Home Town: Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Position: Wing
Age: 23
Height: 6’2″ (1.88m)
Weight: 200lbs (91kg)
2017 Canada Maple Leafs 7s
2018 Canada Maple Leafs 7s
2019 Canada FISU 7s
2019 Canadian University All-Star
#9
Tai Kauwe
Utah Warriors
School: Kutztown University
Home Town: Orem, Utah
Position: Scrumhalf
Age: 23
Height: 5’10” (1.78m)
Weight: 195lbs (89kg)
2017 North American Lions 7s
2021 NCR D1 All-American
#10
Matt Gelhaus
Rugby ATL
School: Kutztown University
Home Town: Cincinnati, Ohio
Position: Lock
Age: 22
Height: 6’5″ (1.96m)
Weight: 240lbs (108kg)
2020 USA u20
2021 USA u23
2022 USA u23
#11
Gabe Kettering
Utah Warriors
School: Lindenwood University
Home Town: O’Fallon, Missouri
Position: Loosehead Prop
Age: 23
Height: 6’3″ (1.90m)
Weight: 260lbs (118kg)
#12
Shane Barry
Seattle Seawolves
School: University of California, Los Angeles
Home Town: London, England
Position: Flyhalf
Age: 22
Height: 5’11” (1.81m)
Weight: 180lbs (82kg)
2021 USA Selects
#13
Doyle Hedgepeth
Rugby New York
School: Queens University of Charlotte
Home Town: Greenville, South Carolina
Position: Loosehead Prop
Age: 23
Height: 6′ (1.83m)
Weight: 245lbs (111kg)
2021 USA u23
2021 NCR D1 All-American
2022 USA u23
ROUND 2
#14
Kyle Fulton
Dallas Jackals
School: University of Arizona
Home Town: Conte Madera, California
Position: Wing
Age: 22
Height: 5’9″ (1.75m)
Weight: 195lbs (89kg)
2021 USA u23
#15
Collin Grosse
Old Glory DC
School: Army West Point
Home Town: Spokane, Washington
Position: Lock / Blindside Flanker
Age: 24
Height: 6’3″ (1.91m)
Weight: 245lbs (111kg)
2021 USA u23
2022 USA u23
2022 D1A Collegiate All-American (3rd team)
#16
Sam Wegert
Seattle Seawolves
School: Trinity Western University
Home Town: Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Position: Center
Age: 22
Height: 6’3″ (1.90m)
Weight: 220lbs (100kg)
#17
Tomás Casaras
New England Free Jacks
School: Thomas More University
Home Town: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Position: Number Eight
Age: 23
Height: 6’4″ (1.93m)
Weight: 230lbs (105kg)
2021 NCR D2 All-American
#18
Greg Janowick
Utah Warriors
School: University of Tennessee
Home Town: Barrington, Illinois
Position: Lock
Age: 23
Height: 6’5″ (1.96m)
Weight: 265lbs (120kg)
#19
Jack Manzo
Old Glory DC
School: University of California, Berkeley
Home Town: Queens, New York
Position: Hooker
Age: 23
Height: 5’8″ (1.72m)
Weight: 205lbs (94kg)
2015 EIRA u16
2017 High School All-American
2019 USA u20
2019 Collegiate All-American (1st team)
2022 USA u23
2022 D1A Collegiate All-American (1st team)
#20
Matías Caramuti
Dallas Jackals
School: Thomas More University
Home Town: Rio Cuarto, Argentina
Position: Flyhalf
Age: 23
Height: 5’10” (1.78m)
Weight: 190lbs (87kg)
2021 NCR D2 All-American
#21
Oliver Kane
San Diego Legion
School: University of San Diego
Home Town: Nashville, Tennessee
Position: Tighthead Prop
Age: 25
Height: 6’4″ (1.93m)
Weight: 270lbs (123kg)
#22
Jack Shaw
Rugby ATL
School: Bishop’s University
Home Town: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Position: Center / Wing
Age: 22
Height: 6’2″ (1.88m)
Weight: 205lbs (93kg)
2020 Canada u20
#23
Nolan Buckley
Dallas Jackals
School: University of Massachusetts Lowell
Home Town: North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Position: Back Row
Age: 22
Height: 6’3″ (1.90m)
Weight: 205lbs (93kg)
2021 NCR D2 All-American
#24
Mazvita Nyamarebvu
Dallas Jackals
School: Arkansas State University
Home Town: Mashonaland, Zimbabwe
Position: Center
Age: 22
Height: 5’10” (1.78m)
Weight: 210lbs (95kg)
2017 Zimbabwe u18
2018 Zimbabwe u20
#25
Neal Moylett
Seattle Seawolves
School: Lindenwood University
Home Town: Ballina, Ireland
Position: Back Row
Age: 22
Height: 6’2″ (1.89m)
Weight: 225lbs (102kg)
2018 Ireland u19
#26
Alex Balladares
Old Glory DC
School: Queens University of Charlotte
Home Town: Silver Spring, Maryland
Position: Loosehead Prop
Age: 22
Height: 5’10” (1.78m)
Weight: 235lbs (107kg)
ROUND 3
#27
Christian Olney
NOLA Gold
School: Ohio State University
Home Town: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Position: Wing / Fullback
Age: 23
Height: 6’2″ (1.88m)
Weight: 200lbs (90kg)
#28
Mike Weir
Old Glory DC
School: Dartmouth University
Home Town: Schwenksville, Pennsylvania
Position: Flyhalf
Age: 22
Height: 5’10” (1.78m)
Weight: 175lbs (80kg)
2017 High School All-American
2019 USA u20
2022 USA u23
#29
Bill Whiteside
Rugby New York
School: Lindenwood University
Home Town: Piedmont, California
Position: Lock
Age: 22
Height: 6’5″ (1.96m)
Weight: 235lbs (107kg)
2021 USA u23
#30
Sam Buckley
Utah Warriors
School: Lindenwood University
Home Town: Northampton, England
Position: Tighthead Prop
Age: 23
Height: 6’1″ (1.86m)
Weight: 260lbs (118kg)
#31
Gabe Casey
Toronto Arrows
School: University of Victoria
Home Town: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Position: Utility Back
Age: 23
Height: 6’3″ (1.90m)
Weight: 205lbs (93kg)
2017 Canada u18
2018 Canada u20
2019 Canada u20
2022 Canada West Selects
#32
Denver Fatt
Toronto Arrows
School: University of Victoria
Home Town: Delta, British Columbia, Canada
Position: Tighthead Prop
Age: 21
Height: 6’2″ (1.89m)
Weight: 260lbs (118kg)
#33
John DuPree
Utah Warriors
School: Central Washington University
Home Town: Lincoln, California
Position: Openside Flanker
Age: 22
Height: 6′ (1.82m)
Weight: 215lbs (98kg)
#34
KoiKoi Nelligan
San Diego Legion
School: Army West Point
Home Town: Washington, DC
Position: Hooker
Age: 22
Height: 5’11” (1.81m)
Weight: 220lbs (100kg)
2022 USA u23
2022 D1A Collegiate All-American (1st team)
#35
Evan Conlon
Rugby ATL
School: Lindenwood University
Home Town: Woodlands, Texas
Position: Scrumhalf
Age: 23
Height: 5’9″ (1.75m)
Weight: 185lbs (84kg)
2021 USA u23
#36
Jason Tidwell
Dallas Jackals
School: Texas A&M University
Home Town: Forth Worth, Texas
Position: Utility Back
Age: 22
Height: 5’9″ (1.76m)
Weight: 180lbs (82kg)
#37
Ivan Pula
New England Free Jacks
School: Central Washington University
Home Town: Yelm, Washington
Position: Prop
Age: 24
Height: 6’1″ (1.85m)
Weight: 255lbs (116kg)
2017 High School All-American
2021 USA Selects
#38
James Kuahiwinui
Seattle Seawolves
School: Iowa Central Community College
Home Town: Spanaway, Washington
Position: Tighthead Prop
Age: 21
Height: 6′ (1.83m)
Weight: 260lbs (118kg)
#39
Brandon Karnes
Houston SaberCats
School: Iowa State University
Home Town: Austin, Texas
Position: Prop
Age: 21
Height: 5’11” (1.81m)
Weight: 270lbs (123kg)
2021 USA u20
