College Draft

COLLEGE DRAFT – AUGUST 2025

The Major League Rugby (MLR) College Draft aims to provide a pathway for men’s rugby players from college to Major League Rugby in the USA and Canada. It was conceived with the following goals in mind:

To support the college rugby landscape;
To provide a pathway for US and Canadian collegiate players to Major League Rugby;
Provide transparency to MLR teams, collegiate players and administrators;
To encourage parity among MLR teams.

MLR COLLEGE DRAFT REGISTRATION FROM

The Registration Deadline for the 2025 MLR College Draft is Wednesday, July 30th, 2025.

FORMAT

The MLR College Draft 2025 will take place at the end of August and will air on The Rugby Network (exact date and time will be published in due course).

MLR will use a “Draft and Follow” approach. Rights to drafted players will be assigned following the MLR College Draft. MLR teams may activate those rights at any point until the mid-point of the next competitive MLR season AFTER the player is eligible to play in the MLR (through graduation/expiry of college eligibility/relinquishment of college eligibility). Drafting teams may sign those players or trade player rights with other MLR teams.

A player that isn’t signed by a team within the above-mentioned rights period, shall enter the subsequent year’s Draft as long as they are eligible. If they lose their College Draft eligibility, they may enter the MLR if a team desires their services.

ORDER OF SELECTIONS

The order of selection will be the inverse of standings at the end of the 2025 MLR season which will be based on a) round of Playoffs reached and b) regular season record. The Draft order is subject to change as teams make trades. The Draft will consist of three rounds. Order of selection will be updated following the 2025 MLR Championship.

ELIGIBILITY

Players who are eligible for the 2025 Draft must declare to have the opportunity to play for an MLR team. Players who are eligible but do not declare for the draft will not be eligible to participate in the MLR season following the eligibility expiration or graduation. (MLR may, at its sole and absolute discretion, choose to grant a waiver for entry into MLR no early than after season’s mid-point. These are evaluated on a case by case basis)

Key eligibility criteria:

1. Must be enrolled in a US/Canadian University or College during the 2024-2025 academic year and be able to provide documentation (transcripts) as evidence of the same.

2. Must have competed in College or University Rugby during the 2024-2025 academic year and be able to provide documentation (registration information) as evidence of the season.

3. Must have completed 3 years of college OR be at least 21 years of age.

Upon submission, MLR will review documentation and reserves the right to seek additional information to confirm eligibility.

Players other than those defined by the eligibility rules above may enter MLR if a team desires their services.

Collegiate players may declare for the MLR College Draft at any time by clicking on the link below:

MLR COLLEGE DRAFT REGISTRATION FROM

DRAFT POLICY SUMMARY

By declaring for the draft, players will be asked to acknowledge policies that include, but are not limited to:

Player may potentially lose his college eligibility if an MLR contract is negotiated and / or signed;
Player must be willing to relocate to any MLR team if he is drafted;
Player must be willing to allow MLR to use his images and attributes during the 2025 MLR Draft.
MLR teams retain the assignment rights of draftees through the mid-point of the next MLR season.

All MLR contracts fall under two categories:

Standard Player Contract – Salaried, fixed term
Associate Player Contract – Hourly wage

Once a player is drafted, the specifics of each contract, including type, compensation amounts, and term, will be negotiated between the League, team, and the player, once the player completes his collegiate eligibility.

A player that isn’t signed within the rights period, may enter the subsequent year’s Draft as long as they are eligible. If they lose their Collegiate eligibility, they may enter the MLR if a team desires their services. (Provided they are not College Draft Eligible)

Players who enroll but aren’t drafted may enter the MLR if a team desires their services and they are no longer eligible for the next Draft. If they are eligible for the next Draft, they shall enroll again to join MLR.

With notable exception, graduating seniors who were previously drafted as eligible juniors may sign at any time until that season’s MLR Championship Match (June 28th, 2025); if unsigned they shall re-enter the MLR College Draft.

COLLEGE DRAFT FAQS

MLR will be making the list of eligible Draft prospects public. Stay tuned to MLR social channels for releases and contact draft@usmlr.com if you don’t see your name on the list.

Yes, you need to declare for the Draft if you are eligible and want to play within MLR.

If you are eligible and do not declare for the Draft, you will not be able to play in the MLR until the mid-point of the next MLR Season after your collegiate eligibility expires.

Yes, to be eligible for the 2025 Draft you must have been enrolled as a student at a US or Canadian College/University during the 2024-2025 Academic year and be able to show proof of enrollment (such as transcripts). Please upload these into the document section of the registration form.

Yes, make sure you upload your registration details, with your relevant governing body – USA Rugby, Rugby Canada, NCR, OUA et al) within the registration form.

Yes, December 2024 graduates are eligible for the draft provided they have not exhausted their collegiate eligibility and not already entered MLR through the 2024 College Draft process.