| 2021 MLR Draft | |
| Date: | August 19, 2021 |
| League: | Major League Rugby |
| First: | Eric Naposki, Fullback, Dallas Jackals |
| Fewnum: | 2 |
| Fewest: | Rugby United New York |
| Mostnum: | 5 |
| Most: | Dallas Jackals |
| Overall: | 39 |
| Rounds: | 3 |
| Prev: | Inaugural |
| Next: | 2022 |
The 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft was the second annual for rugby union in North America. On August 19, 2021, the MLR hosted their second collegiate MLR Draft.[1]
The MLR Collegiate Draft 2021 took place on Thursday, August 19, 2021. For viewers in the United States, the first hour of the Draft was broadcast on FS2 at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Following the first hour, coverage switched to The Rugby Network. For viewers outside of the U.S., the entire Draft was streamed on The Rugby Network beginning at 6:30 p.m. EDT.[2]
Like the inaugural draft, MLR used a "Draft-and-Follow" approach, meaning rights to drafted players was assigned following the MLR Collegiate Draft. MLR teams may activate those rights at any point until the mid-point of the next competitive MLR season AFTER the player is eligible to play in the MLR (through graduation/expiry of college eligibility/relinquishment of college eligibility). Drafting teams may sign those players or trade player rights with other MLR teams.[3]
A player that isn't signed by a team within the above-mentioned rights period, may enter the subsequent year's draft as long as they are eligible. If they lose their Collegiate Draft eligibility, they may enter the MLR if a team desires their services.
The order of selection was based on the reverse order of the regular season record during the 2021 MLR season. The Draft order is subject to change as teams make trades. Unlike the inaugural draft, this year's draft consisted of three rounds.
The draft order was determined by the reverse order of the league standings but is subject to change as teams make trades. The draft began with the expansion Dallas Jackals making the first pick, followed by the Houston SaberCats, Seattle Seawolves, Toronto Arrows, San Diego Legion, Rugby United New York (via Old Glory DC), Austin Gilgronis, New England Free Jacks, New Orleans Gold, Rugby United New York, Utah Warriors, Rugby ATL, and the 2021 MLR champion Los Angeles Giltinis.
MLR All-Access' Stacy Paetz hosted this year's draft along with returning MLR analyst Dan Power and the first round pick of the Inaugural draft Conner Mooneyham were behind the desk. Also MLR sideline reporter Dani Wexelman returned to interview draftees.
| MLR team | Player | College | Division | Conference | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Eric Naposki | Fullback | California/PAC | 2018 & 2019 Collegiate All-American 7s (1st team/2nd team) | ||||
| 1 | 2 | Emmanuel Albert | Blindside Flanker | Mid-South | 2021 Rudy Scholz Award Winner | ||||
| 1 | 3 | Tavite Lopeti | Center | California/PAC | 2019 Collegiate All-American (1st team) | ||||
| 1 | 4 | Logan Martin-Feek | Fly-Half | 2019 Canadian University All-Star | |||||
| 1 | 5 | Jonah Dietenberger | Lock | Mid-South | |||||
| 1 | 6 | Rugby United New York (trade with Old Glory DC) | Chase Schor-Haskin | Back Row | Mid-South | 2021 CRC 7s All-Star | |||
| 1 | 7 | Caleb Strum | Wing | Western Division | |||||
| 1 | 8 | Cael Hodgson | Center/Wing | Mid-South | |||||
| 1 | 9 | Joey Backe | Hooker | D1-AA | 2021 CRC 7s All-Star | ||||
| 1 | 10 | DeCor Davis | Prop | D-2 | |||||
| 1 | 11 | George Sharpe | Hooker | Mid-South | |||||
| 1 | 12 | Isaac Bales | Hooker | ||||||
| 1 | 13 | Sam Klimkowski | Loosehead Prop | East/Big 10 | |||||
| 2 | 14 | Aaron Gray | Wing | East/Big 10 | 2019 Collegiate All-American (3rd team) 2019 Collegiate All-American 7s (2nd team) | ||||
| 2 | 15 | Tinashe Muchena | Number 8 | Mid-South | 2021 Rudy Scholz Award Nominee | ||||
| 2 | 16 | Darell Williams | Wing | Mid-South | |||||
| 2 | 17 | Bryce Worden | Tighthead Prop | 2019 Canadian University All-Star | |||||
| 2 | 18 | Thomas Capriotti | Hooker | Liberty | |||||
| 2 | 19 | Palema Roberts | Center | Mid-South | |||||
| 2 | 20 | Asa Carter | Blindside Flanker | Mid-South | 2017 High School All-American | ||||
| 2 | 21 | Anthony Adamcheck | Prop | Liberty | |||||
| 2 | 22 | Christan Alvarez | Scrumhalf | Liberty | |||||
| 2 | 23 | Alejandro Torres | Fly-Half | 2019 Sudaméria XV | |||||
| 2 | 24 | Connor Burns | Fullback | Mid-South | 2020 Rudy Scholz Award Nominee | ||||
| 2 | 25 | Coleson Warner | Fly-Half | Mid-South | 2019 Collegiate All-American 7s (2nd team) | ||||
| 2 | 26 | James O'Neill | Openside Flanker | 2017, 2018, 2019 Canadian University All-Star | |||||
| 3 | 27 | Calvin Gentry | Center | 2019 Collegiate All-American (2nd team) | |||||
| 3 | 28 | Dillon Shotwell | Hooker | ||||||
| 3 | 29 | Ethan Scott | Scrumhalf | ||||||
| 3 | 30 | Carmen Consolino | Fly-Half | Liberty | |||||
| 3 | 31 | Dominick Iacovino | Fullback | ||||||
| 3 | 32 | Labi Koi-Larbi | Outside Center | Liberty | |||||
| 3 | 33 | Brandon Asbel | Hooker | Iowa Rugby Union | |||||
| 3 | 34 | Zach Bastres | Outside Center | ||||||
| 3 | 35 | Sam Mace | Hooker | RSEQ | |||||
| 3 | 36 | Peter Reyes | Loosehead Prop | East/Big 10 | |||||
| 3 | 37 | Emerson Prior | Prop | OUA | |||||
| 3 | 38 | Sean Akins | Openside Flanker | D1-AA | |||||
| 3 | 39 | Gerard Lowe | Flanker | East/Big 10 | 2019 Collegiate All-American (3rd team) |