Well the Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft is done and dusted, and while it was a little hiccuppy in its first runout, it served an important purpose.

Actually, several purposes. Here is how we think the  

It Stopped A Free-For-All

Over the last couple of years, some collegiate players showed they had what it took to play in the MLR right out of college. So interest in college players seems to have become more widespread. With problems arising last year with some teams approaching college players during the college season, a draft was needed to stop MLR teams from jumping the gun.

Note, though, that this isn't necessarily a decision that helps the players. More, it helps the league maintain harmony among the teams, and stops clubs being sneaky.

It Helped Players Too

Players had a process to go through, so they weren't handling what can be disconcerting contract negotiations at an important time of the school year. They also had a central clearinghouse for information that all teams could see.

It Formalized The Free Agency Part

Now college players know what they need to do—go through the draft process and then if you're not drafted, you're an undrafted free agent. If teams are interested, you can then figure out what works best for you.

The Process Had Flaws

Players who were not eligible were able to register for the draft. The key demographic here was players who had graduated too long ago, and thus were already free agents. This could have easily been avoided had MLR simply given players limited options for graduation dates. As it was, too many players, college coaches, journalists (including this one), and even MLR coaches were struggling with figuring out exactly who should have declared.

Next year MLR will have more time to make the registration process better.

This Led To Rumors

If you didn't have a nice, tight list of declared players, that opened the process up to rumors. The worst of these was the one floating around last week that Grand Canyon's Cam Dodson, tabbed as a potential #1 pick by our own MLR Draft Preview Show, was not eligible. This rumor led to an unfortunate article in another news outlet "confirming" he wasn't eligible. Ultimately, Dodson was not drafted despite being an excellent candidate, probably more because he isn't a US citizen and therefore will need a visa, than for this rumor. But certainly the rumor scared off some teams that were now worried they would be wasting a pick.

(One player who needs a visa was selected, Matt Gordon. DC Old Glory selected him over Dodson in part because he's went to a relatively nearby college, in part because some at Old Glory knew him well, and in part because Gordon's resume seems to give him a better shot than most at getting a residency visa.)

Who Spread The Rumor?

As the Romans would ask, Cui Bono? Who benefits? There are additional rumors going around about who started the Dodson rumor. If it was a team that fomented the false story, then one would hope at least that the team won't end up signing the big No. 8/lock. Also, if it turns out to be a team that tried to undercut the draft process with such a rumor, that team should be docked a pick next year, and fined. 

Ah, You're Better Off

As it turns out, the high-profile players who didn't get drafted may end up in a better position, as they will likely entertain some offers anyway. Connor Buckley, who seemed a perfect fit for RUNY, wasn't drafted by RUNY because the New York team traded away their picks. It was a chutzpa move as it, in part, seemed to carry the assumption that no one else would draft Buckley, and he'd be available as a free agent. You kind of hope Buckley would now say "thanks for jerking me around, jerks," and tell RUNY to drop dead. 

Overall, undrafted free agents have a really good chance to choose their home city, and set themselves up for a spot on a team along with a decent day job. 

It Showed Priorities

Houston and RUNY traded away their picks for additional foreigner spots. First of all, we think you shouldn't be able to trade away a foreigner roster spot. That goes against the idea of the limit. Second of all, both New York and the SaberCats sent a message that they don't care about using US talent. That's a mistake. As many in and around the game are saying, it's the local players who will bring the fans in, not the overseas guys. Utah and Dallas understand this. 

Next Year Will Be Better

We'll have fewer players declaring  who aren't eligible, as players start to understand the rules. We think we'll see a significant percentage of players who are juniors declare, but most of them will be expecting to slide through to free agency, and then see if there's any interest. We may see more than two rounds—there is actually enough talent to at least entertain the idea.

(The prevailing opinion is that there aren't many players ready for pro rugby directly out of college—whatever; there are many more who will be ready after a year or two, and that's how MLR teams should evaluate talent.)

Advice For Players In Next Year's Draft

If they hold the draft as an event where people can attend, do not go. If you stay home, do not hold a draft party. Unless you know for an absolute certainty that you will be picked, don't attend, and don't have a party. Why? Well think how it ends up. Either you get what you hope and you're happy—fine, then you can have a party afterward—or you don't get what you want and you're disappointed—better to be disappointed in a small gathering with your family than in front of dozens of people.