2026 MLR Draft: Seawolves Take Scrumhalf, Winger, Lock in Five-Team Affair
Unlike the chaotic mess of the 2025 off-season, when the league lost team after team unexpectedly, the one departure for the league this year - Anthem Rugby Carolina - was rather more expected. The side had been a three-year investment between World Rugby, the USA Eagles, and MLR, and once its third year ran out, the team simply wasn’t continued. It’s unclear if there are going to be five teams in 2027 or a much less awkward six (there are reportedly interested parties, but no concrete timetable I am aware of), but given that the US is hosting the Men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033, the league is likely to continue on in some form until at least the former date.
The Seattle Seawolves will be competing next year, however that is structured, and so will the New England Free Jacks, Chicago Hounds, California Legion, and Old Glory DC. All five of these teams drafted outgoing college players in the 2026 MLR draft on Thursday, with a draft order based first on how deep the team made it in the 2026 playoffs (teams that bounced in the semifinals drafting before teams that made the MLR final) and secondly based on 2026 regular season record.
Because Anthem, who finished last, was out - and because New England had forfeited their first round pick of 2026 to Anthem in Oct. 2025 - the Seawolves drafted second in the first round behind only Old Glory. Seattle drafted third in the other two rounds, giving them slate consisting of the no. 2, no. 7, and no. 12 overall picks.
Pick 1.2: Solomon Williams - Scrumhalf - University of California, Berkeley - 5-8, 180 pounds.
The Seawolves are no strangers to recent draftees from the Golden Bears, with their 2025 second round pick going to tighthead prop Charlie Walsh from that university.
Solomon Williams, who some projected to go first overall but who fell to second as the Flags drafted flanker Logan Ballinger, has quite the pedrigree of stellar play in college. He is incredibly fond of taps and fast, heads-up play while also having accuracy with his boot and with his passes and possessing a level of explosiveness that can stun unsuspecting opponents. When it comes to his underlying physical abilities, he is incredibly quick: this means fast breaks through lines in the center of the pitch, evading would-be tacklers, and split-second offloads and chips to his teammates.
Big Ten Picks: Can the Huskies Help Conference Overtake SEC in College Football Playoff Field?
What’s the difference between nine and 10 wins?
The simple answer is “one.”
If you’re talking about regular-season wins for a Big Ten team, however, the real answer is:
Everything.
Ten, and you’re almost certainly in the College Football Playoff. Nine means you’re out.
Ten puts a team in the heavyweight division. It’s one extra mile per hour for an airplane to break the sound barrier. It’s not the summit of Mount Everest, but it's The Balcony, a stop way up there that means you’re getting close to reaching the world’s highest mountaintop.
Can the Huskies ascend to The Balcony of the college football world this season, or will they stumble at the base camp?
Jalen Milroe Set to Play Seahawks Entire Preseason Finale, Trevon Diggs to ‘Get a Look’ vs. Chiefs
Preparing to hit the road for their final dress rehearsal for the 2026 season in Kansas City, the Seattle Seahawks will hand the keys to the offense to Jalen Milroe for all four quarters, while a veteran newcomer should get his first opportunity to show what he can do in the secondary.
Speaking with reporters following Thursday’s walkthrough practice, Macdonald confirmed that while backup Drew Lock “will be ready” to go if needed, the Seahawks plan for Milroe to play the entire game against the Chiefs on Friday. Now with a handful of practices under his belt since signing with the team on August 19, cornerback Trevon Diggs also is expected to suit up and see some snaps as he aims to land a spot on the 53-man roster.
In his second season after being drafted in the third round by Seattle out Alabama, Milroe has endured a mostly rocky preseason to this point. Checking in for Lock to start the second half in Nashville last Sunday, he completed six out of 11 passes for 54 yards and threw two costly interceptions, telegraphing a throw that was picked by linebacker Anthony Hill in the third quarter and misfiring behind rookie receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. late in the fourth quarter. He also took a pair of sacks, including on a decisive fourth down to close out the game.
There have been a few highlights sprinkled in there for Milroe, however, who has showcased his physical and athletic talents as a runner in both preseason games while connecting on a few longer passes. Macdonald hopes that being able to stay in the game from start to finish without having to come in cold midway through on Friday will allow the young signal caller to get into a better rhythm and play with improved decisiveness and consistency as a result.
Seahawks Continue Locking Up Cornerstones, Extend Leonard Williams on Three-Year, $90 Million Deal
For the second time in as many weeks, the Seattle Seahawks have opened up the checkbook to secure one of their biggest stars on a lucrative long-term extension, this time shifting their focus back to the trenches on defense.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, after handing cornerback Devon Witherspoon a record-setting extension on August 17, the Seahawks have agreed to terms with All-Pro defensive tackle Leonard Williams on a three-year, $90 million contract. The deal reportedly features $56 million in guarantees and includes $30 million per year in new money, tying him with Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea for the fifth-most in the league in APY at the position.
In late July, Williams indicated that the Seahawks had opened up talks with his representatives, but he wasn’t putting too much thought into the situation at the time with his attention on getting ready for the upcoming season regardless of his contract situation.
“There's been few conversations, but nothing set in stone,” Williams told reporters. “We're all focused on the season starting right now, and we know that that's towards the end of the season. We have time to figure that out when the time comes.”
No Ego, All Legacy: Jody Allen Bids Farewell to the Seahawks
We see it all the time in sports, especially in the NFL. Owners are, usually by nature, egocentric billionaires who want the credit, glory, and control. Jerry Jones in Dallas is the posterchild for the meddling, egomaniac owner. It hasn’t won him a Super Bowl in three decades. Jimmy Haslam in Cleveland certainly has a track record of similar behavior.
Meddling owners consistently get in the way of their “football people” and make decisions they frankly, are unqualified to make. We see it in other sports too. A handful of owners in Major League Baseball are too cheap and obsessed with profits to care enough to open their wallets to bring top tier talent to their teams.
Are you looking for the opposite of all of that? Look no further than Seattle’s own Jody Allen.
Xaivian Lee Commits to Gonzaga, Projects to Be Starting Point Guard
At long last, with just over two months until their first regular season game, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have received a full roster’s worth of commitments for the 2026-27 season.
On Wednesday night, Florida transfer Xaivian Lee announced his commitment to the Zags and is slated to be the team’s starting point guard for his fifth collegiate season. The 6-3 Canadian is currently eligible after joining a California lawsuit – which also included another GU point guard target, Donovan Dent – and being granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
Like another fifth-year Bulldogs backcourt commit, Javon Bennett, Lee could become ineligible for a period if the NCAA stays the California case. But for now, he is headed to Spokane.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Capture 2nd Win in 5 Games vs. Tempo
Flau’jae Johnson, Dominique Malonga and Jade Melbourne combined for 54 points, and the Seattle Storm finally clinched a close game with a 90-78 victory over the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle (8-31) snapped a three-game losing streak, won its second game in the last five, and still has a chance to reach double-digit wins by the end of the season. Toronto (11-27) has now lost 14 of its last 15 games and dropped its first against the Storm all season.
Melbourne turned in a solid game from the point guard spot with 16 points, six rebounds, seven assists and one steal. Johnson had a team-high 20 points, and Malonga added 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
Highlighting Cougars Noteworthy Returners for 2026 Football Season
With plenty being said about who stayed and who left during the Washington State Cougars’ busy offseason, Emerald City Spectrum is highlighting players who followed Jimmy Rogers to Pullman and decided to stay with the program to play for Kirby Moore in the 2026 season.
When Rogers left South Dakota State to take over at Washington State, several former Jackrabbits followed him to the Palouse. After Rogers left Washington State for Iowa State following just one season, those players were faced with another decision about their futures.
Instead of entering the transfer portal again, many of those players chose to remain with the Cougars and become part of Moore’s first roster in Pullman.
Here are the former South Dakota State players who followed Rogers to Washington State and remain on the Cougs’ roster, along with another Rogers-era transfer who decided to stay heading into 2026:
Kirby Vorhees
Running back Kirby Vorhees followed Rogers from South Dakota State to Washington State and quickly became one of the Cougars’ most productive offensive players out of the backfield last season.
In his first season in Pullman, Vorhees finished the 2025 season with 576 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 138 carries. He also contributed in the passing game with 19 receptions for 125 yards, finishing with more than 700 total yards from scrimmage.
Which Dark Horses Could Emerge on Seahawks’ 53-Man Roster After Preseason Finale at Chiefs?
Every year, the Seattle Seahawks seem to have a player or two make the final 53-man roster who wasn't expected to stick around, including center Jalen Sundell and tight end Nick Kallerup in the past two years.
With one exhibition game remaining in Kansas City on Friday, Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith identifies six dark horses who could become this year's Sundell or Kallerup with a strong performance versus the Chiefs and/or certain dominos falling on final cutdown day.
Analysis: Kraken Could Target Two Carolina Hurricanes Players
It’s the dog days of the NHL offseason, and the Seattle Kraken have still not made significant changes to their roster.
That could be part of the plan for general manager Jason Botterill, as the Kraken could stand pat and wait to make any significant moves until the 2027 NHL Trade Deadline.
As of now, the Kraken have some glaring weaknesses that could hold them back. The team’s center depth, even with Shane Wright, is subpar. Seattle’s defense is solid but has just one player under-25. Outside of top prospect Chase Reid, the future of the blue line is questionable.
The reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes have also stood pat this offseason. And, why shouldn’t they? Their roster had no weaknesses last season and the majority of their core is signed to reasonable contracts. But the Hurricanes have some unfinished business still to take care of, and the Kraken could help.
Alexander Nikishin
It is curious why 24-year-old Alexander Nikishin remains a restricted free agent this deep into the offseason. Before coming overseas for the 2025 playoffs, Nikishin was a dominant KHL defenseman.
In 2025-26, his first full NHL season, Nikishin performed well. He was a great third pair defenseman, whose role elevated when players went down with injury. He had 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games. He finished seventh in Calder Trophy voting, the league’s Rookie of the Year.
George Kirby Gem Powers Mariners Series Win vs. Phillies
It’s hard to describe how badly George Kirby needed the start he got on Tuesday night. On the other hand, it’s rather easy to describe how badly the Mariners need every win they can get this month and for the rest of the 2026 season.
One win got the M’s to a 64-69 record. Matching their 90-win total from 2025 would require an impossible 26-3 run for the rest of the year, but luckily for the team, they don’t need that. In an embarrassing showing for the sport of baseball itself, 81 wins (17-12 over the rest of the year) would probably get them a division crown; a true heater of, say, 20-9 over the rest of the season would be an easy division clincher.
The other way to look at things is that, even in a year where going .500 probably wins them the division, the Mariners - who had World Series aspirations before the season began - need to put together at least a light heater just to make the playoffs.
The only way ahead is forward, however, and they got one notch closer on Tuesday with their 4-1 victory.
George Kirby reached the eighth, a welcome respite from his recent form.
“George was really the story today,” said Mariners manager Dan Wilson after Tuesday’s game.
Kirby had been lit up from every angle in his previous five outings, giving up six homers and only striking out 13 while walking eight with a 7.13 ERA. This was even with a seven-inning, no-run outing among this stretch, but every other game had seen him get lit up Chicago-style: early and often.
Amid Lofty Expectations, Byron Murphy II Eager to Elevate Game to New Level for Seahawks in Year 3
Mere weeks after the Seattle Seahawks shelled out record-breaking money to cornerback Devon Witherspoon, on the heels of a similar market resetting contract for Jaxon Smith-Njigba back in March, John Schneider doesn’t want Byron Murphy II thinking about his own financial prospects just yet.
After all, with his third season with the organization set to begin in a couple weeks, Schneider and the front office can’t even negotiate with the 2024 first round pick until next spring. When asked about Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter’s recent contract and if Murphy has been paying attention to the market at his position, the reigning Executive of the Year could be heard jeering the reporter with a loud “wow” as he walked into the building from the practice field, jokingly expressing his distaste with the question bringing up something still many months down the road.
Dishing out a response that Schneider will appreciate, coming off a breakout sophomore season where he emerged as one of the top defensive linemen in the league, Murphy pivoted away from talking at all about a future contract, shifting back to the present and gearing up for the regular season.
“It’s cool to see, but I’m not worried about that right now,” Murphy smiled after briefly sharing a laugh with Schneider from behind the podium. “I’m focusing on me, focusing on what’s happening right now as far as training camp and going into the season.”
While Murphy may not be delving into the prospects of earning $40 million per year and becoming the latest massive contract on Seattle’s books for young stars, at least publicly, the franchise already has started to brace for that possibility behind the scenes, even if Schneider doesn’t want that conversation started just yet. On the way to a Super Bowl win last season, he and teammate Leonard Williams became the only defensive tackle pair on the same team in the league to surpass seven sacks and 50 pressures apiece, wreaking constant havoc on opposing quarterbacks while also being stalwart’s for the NFL’s top run defense.
Is Torrent Draftee Grace Elliott the PWHL’s Most Interesting Rookie?
While top five pick Abbey Murphy will draw most of the attention heading towards her first PWHL season, Seattle Torrent fourth round draft pick Grace Elliott has the upside to be “one of the most unique players in women's hockey.”
That’s according to women’s hockey scout and The Score contributor Kyle Cushman. Elliott was one of two U Sports (Canadian college) players drafted in the 2026 PWHL Draft. She was the 2024-25 Broderick Award winner as the top women’s U Sports player. Last season, she put up a league-leading 24 goals and was third with 37 points in 28 games.
But dominating a lower-level of hockey isn’t worthy of a fourth round pick. The other 2026 draftee from U Sports was taken with the last pick in the draft, and it was by her hometown team. Elliott’s selection comes with a bigger expectation.
“I don't want to frame it as ‘the upside stops with her height,’ because I think that's a disservice to the player, but she wouldn't have the upside that she has if not for her height,” Cushman explained to the Emerald City Spectrum.
'There Is No Way I'm Not Scoring Goals:' Dejan Joveljić Confident For Sounders Tenure
RENTON, Wash. — Longtime Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has always maintained his vision of the ideal Sounder.
"Gritty" is a common word of choice for the on-pitch product, but there's another layer. Schmetzer has gone after players who don't draw attention to themselves, and certainly don't need to be recognized when they, say, go out to dinner with their families.
From all appearances, Seattle's newest starting striker fits the bill.
27-year-old Dejan Joveljić, Sporting Kansas City's leading scorer for the last two years and 2024 MLS Cup champion with the LA Galaxy, was formally introduced by the team on Tuesday at its facility in Renton. The moment came three days after Fabrizio Romano first reported the team was buying Joveljić for $6 million, putting an end to a five-year drought of summer transfer-window moves.
Joveljić, known by the nickname "Deki," fits Schmetzer's bill by keeping life "simple." He holds a FIDE ranking of over 2200 in chess and plays every day. He's also scored 60 MLS goals in five and a half seasons.
"Simple life, family, chess, thinking about soccer and waiting (for the) weekend for the games," Joveljić said.
When he starts against the Chicago Fire this Saturday, according to Schmetzer on Tuesday, fans will see Joveljić's game is anything but simple. The Serbian national formerly of the Serbian SuperLiga's Red Star and Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt has scored 60 MLS goals in five-and-a-half seasons.
"I'm here to bring goals, and help win the game," Joveljić said. "I can score with left, right, head, doesn't matter. If Seattle is playing the way they played the last couple of years, I'm going to score a lot of goals," Joveljić said.
As far as coming to the only club to win the U.S. Open Cup, the MLS Cup, Leagues Cup and the Concacaf Champions Cup, Joveljić knew what he was getting with the Sounders.
"When you say Seattle, you mean winning," Joveljić said. "When everyone is healthy, this team is scary… we are finally in the same colors."
Washington State Names Caiden Pinnick Starting Quarterback
Washington State has its starting quarterback for the 2026 season.
The Cougars have named UC Davis transfer Caden Pinnick the starter ahead of their season opener against the Washington Huskies. Pinnick entered fall camp as the favorite to win the job and ultimately beat out returning quarterbacks Julian Dugger and Owen Eshelman.
For Washington State, the decision gives the Cougars some clarity at one of the most important positions on the roster heading into the start of the Kirby Moore era.
As a redshirt freshman at UC Davis, Pinnick completed 69.6% of his passes for 3,206 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Those numbers show the type of production Washington State is hoping to get from its new quarterback.
Where Do Jacardia Wright, Bubble Players Stand as Seahawks Approach 53-Man Cutdown?
On the heels of a 19-16 loss to the Tennessee Titans in their second preseason game, the Seattle Seahawks have one dress rehearsal left in Kansas City before final cutdown day, putting a ton of pressure on several players aiming to make the 53-man roster.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Corbin Smith examines the cases of 12 different 'Hawks, including a pair of running backs and receivers still entrenched in a tight competition, for making the team and where things stand with one more preseason game left to play at Arrowhead Stadium.
Big Dumper Returns: Cal Raleigh’s Three Homers Power Mariners Past Phillies
With both teams sending their top starters to the mound, a low-scoring game was expected between the Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night. A pitching duel it was not, however, as the Mariners bludgeoned Zach Wheeler and the playoff-bound Phillies by a score of 9-2.
The M’s offense got hot early and stayed hot, scoring five runs in the first inning to give their starter Logan Gilbert quite the cushion. Cal Raleigh finally found his stroke, blasting three home runs and working a walk as well.
Gilbert continued his Cy Young-worthy campaign by battling through five innings, and Seattle’s bullpen put up zeros the rest of the day to put Philadelphia on ice.
The team is being resilient and finding a way to win, as their superstar catcher noted.
“We’ve endured a lot this year,” Raleigh said afterward. “We are fighting with everything we’ve got right now.”
Stock Watch: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not After Seahawks’ 19-16 Preseason Loss to Titans
Winning remains the goal for an NFL team any time they take the field, even in the preseason where games don’t count in the standings, for coach Mike Macdonald, there were plenty of positives coming out of the Seattle Seahawks 19-16 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
“I really do feel like our team got better this week from the work that we got in practice, and I thought we did a lot of great things, especially earlier in this game, which is what we're looking for,” Macdonald said post-game. “I think we took a step. I think we're improving. I think the important thing for our team is that we have to shed an expectation about where we need to be right now. I think the focus needs to be about how fast can we improve on a daily basis, and our guys have had that attitude. So through that lens, I think it was a successful week.”
Looking back at Saturday’s defeat in the Music City, which players improved their stock the most? And which ones didn’t seize their latest opportunity as cut down day and the regular season rapidly approach?
Mariners’ Half-Measure Deadline Additions Floundering
The Seattle Mariners certainly didn’t have the sexiest trade deadline. No big fish like Mason Miller came to town. They didn’t make a serious run at Tarik Skubal. Most of the bats that moved at the deadline have not panned out for their new teams. They made two very mild additions while shedding payroll.
For the Mariners, their only offensive acquisition was Taylor Ward, from Baltimore. To be fair, on paper, this made all the sense in the world. He was only one season removed from a 36-homer campaign with the Angels in the AL West. He mashes lefties and plays a decent outfield. The Mariners are one of the worst teams against left-handed pitchers, ranking 29th in team OPS. Ward was supposed to shore that up.
Analysis: What Do ‘Tough’ Bud Clark, Mason Richman Injuries Mean for Seahawks?
While a loss in preseason play isn’t the end of the world, the Seattle Seahawks didn’t just lose on the scoreboard in a 19-16 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, as the injury bug took a significant toll on the roster over the span of three-plus days in Nashville.
Beginning the string of bad luck on Seattle’s first road trip of the new season, receiver Jake Bobo suffered a severe knee injury during a joint practice on Friday, landing awkwardly as he tried to gather a contested catch against a linebacker in coverage before being carted off the field. Just two days later, the misfortune continued for the defending Super Bowl champions, as lightning struck twice in the opening quarter at Nissan Stadium with rookie safety Bud Clark and second-year offensive lineman Mason Richman leaving the field with significant injuries of their own.
After Tennessee managed to steal the win late on Sunday night, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald painted a bleak picture for both Clark and Richman, providing more specifics on the former than the latter with the information at hand.
“We had two really tough injuries today,” Macdonald stated. “Bud has a broken ankle to my knowledge. Severity I'm not sure, but he's going to be out multiple months. We're going to try to figure out what's going on with Mason, but we also think that's a major injury, a long-term injury. Two guys that we love, that play our style of ball, that are our type of guys. Teammates love them. Great teammates, great guys, great football players. They have great futures. It's a really - it's a heartbreaker, honestly. We had three heartbreakers this week, which is tough.”
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