Syracuse Lacrosse: Five Orange Taken in 2015 MLL Draft

Beginning with the first ever Major League Lacrosse draft, the Syracuse Orange has provided the league with 48 draft picks. No other school has had more players drafted into the league. Entering into Friday's 2015 MLL Draft, Syracuse looked as though it might have two, first round picks and at least three overall picks.

The night started off as every person in the room knew it would, Lyle Thompson to the Florida Launch. The 2014 Co-Tewaaraton Trophy winner was the obvious first overall selection. Not until the third round did an Orange player get taken, and surprisingly enough it was not Kevin Rice or Randy Staats. No, the first player taken for Syracuse was Henry Schoonmaker to Chesapeake at the 17^th pick, followed by Hakeem Lecky to New York just four picks later.

Schoony has been a significant part of the Syracuse midfield in tenure at Syracuse. The Oregon native can be trusted on both ends of the field, has proven to be very solid wing player on the face-offs, and will be a major part of the Syracuse midfield, once again. Meanwhile, the Jamaican born Hakeem Lecky, who never played lacrosse until in his freshman year of high school in Nantucket, MA, really broke out of his shell last year, putting up 15 goals.

Finally, Kevin Rice got his opportunity at pick 23 going to the Florida Launch while Staats was taken 31^st overall by the Rochester Rattlers. Rice was the third of four attackmen taken by Florida in the draft. While he's put up great numbers at Syracuse, it's not clear how he will fit in with the Launch. Staats is poised to have an even bigger year for Syracuse in 2015 than he did in 2014, and this could end up being one of the bigger acquisitions of the 2015 draft.

Also heading to the Rattlers this summer will be defenseman Sean Young.