Silas Richmond tops 2026 NLL Big Board
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 22, 2026
Richmond leads board
On The Clock’s updated 2026 NLL Draft Big Board opens with Richmond at No. 1, and he carries the edge heading into the draft. Finn Thomson sits at No. 2, Joey Spallina at No. 3, Dante Bowen at No. 4 and Matt Collison at No. 5, giving the top of the board a clear five-player shape before teams get deeper into the field. Richmond’s spot at the top frames the early discussion around the class because the board has settled on him as the lead name, while the next four prospects create the first tier of challengers behind him. That group gives teams a compact set of options to weigh against one another, with each player positioned to influence how the opening part of the draft unfolds. The rankings also show how quickly the order can harden around a handful of names once the board is updated, since the first five spots already separate the class into its own tier and leave the next wave to chase from behind.
Draft order shifts
The draft order changed before a pick was made because the folding of the teams originally slated to select first and second pushed every club up two spots. That reshuffle gives the rest of the field a cleaner path to the top of the board and changes the timing for teams that had expected to wait longer. Rochester now sits in a spot where its first pick could come down to which player the team believes will help it win the most. That kind of choice puts value and fit at the center of the discussion, since the club is no longer just reacting to where it lands in the order, it is deciding which name best matches its needs. The movement at the top also gives added weight to the early part of the board, because the clubs that moved up two places now face earlier decisions and less room to let the draft come to them. Richmond’s No. 1 ranking matters all the more in that setting, since the shift in order leaves the top of the class tied directly to how teams approach the opening selections.
Top-10 prospects and eligibility
The rest of the top-10 prospect group includes Michael White, Aaron Toguri, David Anderson, Andrew Bowman and Alexis Simard, giving the board a deeper middle section beyond the top five. That cluster matters because it shows the draft is not only built around the leading names, it also has another tier of players who can shape how teams attack their picks once the top of the board comes off. Goaltending also has its own place in the picture, with Marcus Khan and Saka Thompson listed as the leading goaltenders on the board. Their presence gives teams a clear look at the top options at that position without forcing them to reach beyond the board’s current ranking. Eligibility shapes the pool as well. Ryan Colsey and Ben Coghill are ineligible because they have not completed four years of NCAA eligibility, which removes two names from consideration. Obrigh Tallchief remains draft-eligible after briefly redeclaring for school, keeping him in the mix as the board continues to take shape. Together, those details show a draft class defined by a clear top five, a broader top-10 group and a few eligibility calls that affect who can stay on the board and who cannot.
