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: Kyle Thornton and Colin Squires.
2021 PLL Rookie Spotlights: Kyle Thornton & Colin Squires
Kyle Thornton
School: Notre Dame
Position: Defense
Who drafted him & when: Kyle Thornton was selected No. 22 overall (Round 3, Pick 6) by Chaos LC.
Is this about where he was expected to go: Kyle Thornton is a defenseman you can build your defensive identity around. In a normal year, one where you don’t have an influx of players coming over from a rival league, I think Thornton is a high second-round pick. It just so happened that this year, the college draft was a bit offense heavy, pushing him to late in the third round.
What are the main skills he brings to the team: Like all Notre Dame close defenders, Kyle Thornton is pro ready. He has a skill set to build your defensive identity around. He excels in communication, on ball defense, and is the off-ball defender the Chaos need to bring a little more organization to the unit.
How’s the fit: Players like Kyle Thornton allow the rest of the defense to play to their strengths. In other words, he allows guys like Reh, Rowlett, Neumann, and Surdick to eat and take chances knowing that Thornton is behind them keeping things in order.
Who’s the competition & what are the odds he makes the team: As pretty much the only true defender added by Towers this offseason, and given his unique set of skills, I think it’s just about a lock that Kyle Thornton makes the game roster.
Colin Squires
School: Denver
Position: Defense
Who drafted him & when: Colin Squires was selected No. 23 overall (Round 3, Pick 7) by Whipsnakes LC.
Is this about where he was expected to go: While Colin Squires isn’t as well known as the defenders chosen before him, that doesn’t mean he isn’t a stud. He quietly quarterbacked the defense of the seventh-ranked Denver Pioneers.
What are the main skills he brings to the team: Versatility (Colin Squires can play low or run between the boxes) and leadership (THE guy for Denver).
How’s the fit: I’m not really sure how well Colin Squires will fit in with the current Whipsnakes unit. It returned its four Maryland poles while adding Nick Grill in the college draft and Alex Spring from the player pool.
Who’s the competition & what are the odds he makes the team: This is where things get interesting. I understand that Tierney’s thoughts on Colin Squires helped Stags feel good about the pick, but his fourth-round pick of Nick Grill looks better and better as we see Grill dominate against elite competition in the NCAA Tournament. I think the last spot at pole for the Whips is between Squires and Grill.
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.
