The international prospects chasing their dreams in MLR College Draft 2026

The Major League Rugby College Draft 2026 is less than 24 hours away, with four New Zealanders looking to realise their professional rugby dreams after coming through the ranks at prestigious collegiate programs in the United States.

MLR have listed more than draft prospects online, including three-time First Team All-American Solomon Williams, who is considered one of the players to watch. River Hanson, Mario Storti, Nate Deegan and Logan Ballinger are also among the top prospects, as noted by MLR.

73 potential draftees have been named ahead of the event on Thursday, August 27, at 6:00 pm ET, which will be broadcast on YouTube. Lindenwood University, Life University and the University of Arizona are some of the colleges represented.

Interestingly, 30 prospects have hometowns outside of the USA or Canada, with six possible draftees from each of the United Kingdom and South Africa. Four players are from each of New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Australia.

Hayden McKay was a USA U23 pool member but the hooker, who wants to play for the Eagles at Test level, hails from Auckland, New Zealand. The front-rower is a fifth-year student out of Mount St Mary’s University.

Also in the forwards, Riley Richardson-Mould is from Kaukapakapa, New Zealand, but has spent time as a junior at Lindenwood University. Fly-half Logan Wild is also from Auckland, and so is outside back Xavier Lock.

There are two tight five forwards from South Africa, with tighthead prop Keanin Kamp and lock Tristan Hubsch both from Pretoria. Backrowers Aaron van Dyk and Seth Vallance are both from the Republic, as are midfielders Evan Corbett and Braydon Wilson.

Flankers Charles Platt and Tristan Sommerville are from the United Kingdom, but enter the draft as seniors out of American colleges. The UK is also represented through Oliver Fussell, David Cathcart, Ben Peters and Nahuel Wingord.

Arkansas State University junior Ned Madden is from a country down in Queensland, Australia. Declan Ries and Fraser Leslie are other Queenslanders, hailing from the capital of the Sunshine State in Brisbane.

Lindenwood University senior Jack McAllister is the other Aussie in the 2026 College Draft, from Sydney. That brings the total from neighbouring nations Australia and New Zealand to eight possible MLR draftees in 2026.

Tanyaradzwa Takaendisa from Harare, Zimbabwe, is one of just three loosehead props listed on the MLR website. Takaendisa is also one of two prospects out of ST Bonaventure University, along with American fly-half Koen Webb.

Playmakers Andy Naringo and Welton Charumbira, and centre Alex Nyamunda, are other players from Zimbabwe. Also in the draft, there are a couple of players from Uruguay, and one each from Ireland, Argentina, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana.

The MLR College Draft 2026 prospects with hometowns outside the USA or Canada

South Africa — 6
Keanin Kamp — Queens University of Charlotte
Tristan Hubsch — Life University
Aaron van Dyk — Arkansas State University
Seth Vallance — Queens University of Charlotte
Braydon Wilson — Arkansas State University
Evan Corbett — Mount St Mary’s University

United Kingdom — 6
Charles Platt — University of Mary Washington
Tristan Sommerville — Pennsylvania State University
Oliver Fussell — Belmont Abbey College
David Cathcart — Lindenwood University
Ben Peters — University of Mary Washington
Nahuel Wingord — Life University

New Zealand — 4
Hayden McKay — Mount St Mary’s University
Riley Richardson-Mould — Lindenwood University
Logan Wild — Mount St Mary’s University
Xavier Lock — Mount St Mary’s University

Zimbabwe — 4
Tanyaradzwa Takaendisa — St Bonaventure University
Andy Naringo — Principia College
Welton Charumbira — St Thomas University (FL)
Alex Nyamunda — Wheeling University

Australia — 4
Fraser Leslie — Walsh University
Jack McAllister — Lindenwood University
Ned Madden — Arkansas State University
Declan Ries — Lindenwood University

Uruguay — 2
Bautista Araujo — Life University
Mateo Castro — American International College

Ireland — 1
David Scanlon — Lindenwood University

Argentina — 1
Augusto Arguello — American International College

Trinidad & Tobago — 1
Jabari Young — St Thomas University

Guyana — 1
Tyresse Prescod — Lindenwood University