2020 MLR Draft

The 2020 MLR Collegiate Draft[1][2][3][4] was the first of its kind for rugby union in North America.[5] On April 8, 2020, the MLR announced that on June 13, 2020, they will host their first collegiate MLR Draft.[6] All of the participating teams for the 2021 season, except the Toronto Arrows, participated in the draft.[7]

2020 MLR Draft
General information
Date(s)	June 12, 2020
Overview
24 total selections in 2 rounds
League	Major League Rugby
First selection	Connor Mooneyham, Wing/Center, Dallas Jackals
Most selections (4)	Dallas Jackals and Utah Warriors
Fewest selections (2)	ATL, Austin, LA, New England, New Orleans, DC, San Diego, Seattle

Player selections

Round	Pick #	MLR team	Player	Pos.	College	Division	Conference	Notes
1	1	Dallas Jackals	Connor Mooneyham	Wing/Center	Life	D1-A	Mid-South	2019 Collegiate All-American (2nd team)
1	2	New Orleans Gold	Brian Nault	Loosehead/Tighthead Prop	Central Washington	D1-A	Independent	from LA
1	3	Utah Warriors	Derek Ellingson	Center/Wing	Saint Mary's	D1-A	California	from Houston
1	4	Austin Gilgronis	Lui Sitama	Center/Utility Back	American International	D1-A	Liberty
1	5	Seattle Seawolves	Aaron Matthews	Center	Saint Mary's	D1-A	California	2018 Collegiate All-American (2nd team) 2019 Collegiate All-American (2nd team) 2019 Rudy Scholz Award Finalist 2020 Rudy Scholz Award Nominee
1	6	New England Free Jacks	Justin Johnson	Openside Flanker	Life	D1-A	Mid-South	2019 Collegiate All-American (2nd team)
1	7	Utah Warriors	John Powers	Wing/Fullback	Iona	D1-A	Liberty
1	8	Rugby ATL	Michael Matarazzo	Number 8/Lock	Notre Dame	D1-A	Independent	2018 Collegiate All-American (3rd team)
1	9	Dallas Jackals	Tommy Clark	Flanker/Lock	American International	D1-A	Liberty	from New York 2018 Collegiate All-American (2nd team) 2019 Collegiate All-American (3rd team) 2020 Rudy Scholz Award Finalist
1	10	New Orleans Gold	Andrew Guerra	Flanker	Notre Dame College	D1-A	Rugby East
1	11	Old Glory DC	Casey Renaud	Lock	Kutztown	D1-A	Rugby East
1	12	San Diego Legion	Patrick Madden	Fly-Half/Center	Cal Poly	D1-A	California	2020 Rudy Scholz Award Finalist
2	13	Dallas Jackals	Levi Van Lanen	Center	Wisconsin–Whitewater	D2		2016 D2 Collegiate All-American 7s (1st team) 2017 D2 Collegiate All-American 7s (1st team) 2018 D2 Collegiate All-American 7s (1st team) 2019 D2 Collegiate All-American 7s (1st team)
2	14	LA Giltinis	Watson Filikitonga	Center	Iona	D1-A	Liberty
2	15	Utah Warriors	Danny Giannascoli	Fly-Half/Fullback	Loyola Maryland	NSCRO	Mid-Atlantic	from Houston 2019 NSCRO All-American 2020 NSCRO All-American
2	16	Austin Gilgronis	Mason Koch	Hooker	Dartmouth	D1-AA	Ivy League
2	17	Seattle Seawolves	Nicholas Taylor	Center/Fly-Half	Lindenwood	D1-A	Mid-South
2	18	New England Free Jacks	Spencer Krueger	Prop	Ohio State	D1-A	Big 10	2018 Collegiate All-American (3rd team)
2	19	Utah Warriors	Elijiah Hayes	Prop	Iowa Central
2	20	Rugby ATL	John Scotti	Wing/Center	Arkansas State	D1-A	Mid-South
2	21	Dallas Jackals	Bronson Teles	Number 8/Lock	Arizona	D1-A	PAC	from New York 2019 Collegiate All-American (2nd team) 2020 Rudy Scholz Award Nominee
2	22	LA Giltinis	Stephan McLeish	Hooker/Flanker	Lindenwood	D1-A	Mid-South	2020 Rudy Scholz Award Nominee
2	23	Old Glory DC	Matthew Gordan	Lock/Number 8	Mary Washington	D1-A	Rugby East	2019 Collegiate All-American (1st team)
2	24	San Diego Legion	Cole Zarcone	Wing	Central Washington	D1-A	Independent	2019 Collegiate All-American 7s (1st team) 2020 Rudy Scholz Award Nominee

[8]

References

1. "Questions And Concerns About MLR Draft | Goff Rugby Report".
2. "2020 MLR Collegiate Draft Summary - Americas Rugby News".
3. "MLR Draft Picks 2020 - Major League Rugby".
4. "MLR Draft 2020: What you need to know - Utah Warriors Rugby".
5. "2020 Major League Rugby Draft Application and Useful Athlete Info | USA Rugby".
6. "MAJOR LEAGUE RUGBY TO HOLD FIRST EVER COLLEGIATE DRAFT".
7. "CLUB STATEMENT ON ARROWS INVOLVEMENT IN THE 2020 MLR COLLEGIATE DRAFT".
8. "MLR DRAFT PICKS 2020".