Below is the news release from the National Lacrosse League giving the rundown of the entire draft for the 2009 NLL season, which will begin at the end of December (opening night is Dec. 27). Some of the draft picks are very familiar to Baltimore fans. Paul Rabil and Kevin Huntley from Johns Hopkins were first rounders and will both be stars in this league for San Jose. Kevin Buchanan from Ohio State via Calvert Hall and Maryland's Joe Cinosky also went in the first round, both to Minnesota. Matt Danowski, who enjoyed national fame at Duke, was also a first-round pick, selected by Colorado.

The reason you don't recognize some of the other first-round names is that they played at lesser televised or reported colleges, but the NLL scouts are usually right on the money in terms of talent evaluation. Most NCAA stars wither in this league in a year's time. It's those high picks you never heard of that make up the league five years after each draft.

More Hopkins guys went in the second round as New York drafted Stephen Peyser while Kevin Huntley's dad, Dave, drafted Matt Bocklet for Philadelphia. UMBC's Cayle Ratcliff was chosen by Calgary also in the second round. Colorado picked UMBC's Terry Kiminer in the fourth round, shortly before New York selected Ben Rubeor, one of my all-time favorite players. You may not think Rubeor is suited for the indoor game, but, in my opinion, he is the most adaptable player in the game and will be fine. His toughness is not a question.

The first pick in the draft was Daryl Veltman, the nephew of Toronto Rock legend Jim Veltman. He was chosen by Tom Ryan and the new Boston Blazers. The younger Vletman has been on the NLL radar for quite a while now and anyone would have guessed, maybe five years ago, that this kid was a first pick. It was just a question of when. In any other pro sport, Veltman would have gone pro straight out of high school. He's smart enough not to have done that anyway and now has a Hobart education to fall back on. If he's anything like his uncle, we'll see him working in the community as a teacher or public servant of some kind as his side gig while he stars in the league 'til he's too old to walk. The Veltman's are all class and a tough breed.

Here's the unedited release:

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2008 ENTRY DRAFT RECAP

Daryl Veltman selected first overall by Boston

The National Lacrosse League's 2008 Entry Draft took place earlier today at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston. The Boston Blazers held on to the first overall selection and drafted forward Daryl Veltman out of Hobart College. Johns Hopkins University standout Paul Rabil was drafted by San Jose with the second overall selection. A total of 76 players were selected by the league's 13 member clubs.

FIRST ROUND
1. Boston - Daryl Veltman - Hobart College
2. San Jose - Paul Rabil - Johns Hopkins University
3. San Jose - Rhys Duch - University of Stony Brook
4. Edmonton - Jamie Floris - Bellarmine University
5. San Jose - Kevin Huntley - Johns Hopkins University
6. Calgary - Curtis Manning - Simon Fraser University
7. Colorado - Matt Danowski - Duke University
8. Minnesota* - Andrew Watt - Robert Morris College
9. Philadelphia - Sean Thomson - Bellarmine University
10. Edmonton* - Ryan Campbell - Dowling College
11. Minnesota - Kevin Buchanan - Ohio State University
12. Portland - Tim Campeau - Notre Dame de Namur University
13. Minnesota - Joe Cinosky - University of Maryland

SECOND ROUND
14. Boston - Nick Cotter - Dowling College
15. Calgary - Cayle Ratcliff - UMBC
16. Chicago - Jamie Kirk - Hobart College
17. Toronto - Mike Fleming - Robert Morris College
18. Rochester - Joe McCready - Cornell University
19. Chicago - Geoff Griffiths - Bellarmine University
20. Calgary - Joe Vetere - Burnaby, BC
21. Chicago - Josh Funk - Ohio State University
22. Chicago - Steven Brooks - Syracuse University
23. New York - Stephen Peyser - Johns Hopkins University
24. Minnesota - Tom Michaelsen - St. John's University
25. Philadelphia - Matt Bocklet - Johns Hopkins University

THIRD ROUND
26. Boston - Jon Harnett - Adrian College
27. Edmonton - Kelly Kilpatrick - Coquitlam, BC
28. Toronto - Nick Rose - Orangeville, ON
29. Rochester - Kyle Guadagnolo - Syracuse University
30. Rochester - Brendan Loftus - Syracuse University
31. Colorado - Mike Ward - Duke University
32. San Jose - Alex Turner - Simon Fraser University
33. New York - Steve Ammann - University at Albany
34. Portland - Matthew Yager - Victoria, BC
35. Buffalo - Eryn Jones - Six Nations, ON
36. Philadelphia - Mike Leveille - Syracuse University

FOURTH ROUND
37. Boston - Dilan Graham - Bellarmine University
38. Minnesota - Ricky Pages - Ohio State University
39. Chicago - Steve McKinlay - Ohio State
40. Minnesota - Justin Haworth - Limestone College
41. Rochester - Jesse Guerin - Peterborough, ON
42. Calgary - Joel Henry - Victoria, BC
43. Colorado - Terry Kiminer - UMBC
44. Boston** - Reed MacPhail - Victoria, BC
45. Philadelphia - Matt Lalli - Colgate University
46. New York - Ben Rubeor - University of Virginia
47. Philadelphia - Jordan Levine - University at Albany
48. Portland - Dayne Michaud - Seton Hill University
49. Buffalo - Tory Gardner - Six Nations, ON

FIFTH ROUND
50. Calgary**** - Bryan Johnson - Bellarmine University
51. Edmonton - Myles Kenny - Victoria, BC
52. Boston^ - Chad Henry - Adelphi University
53. Toronto - Derrick Gordon - Orillia, ON
54. Rochester - Logan Kane - Onondaga Community College
55. Calgary - Eric Lamothe - Canisius College
56. Boston*** - Paul Manesis - UMass
57. San Jose - Trevor Wagar - University of Vermont
58. Philadelphia - Jerry Lambe - Georgetown University
59. New York - Mike Ammann - University at Albany
60. Philadelphia - Tony McDevitt - Duke University
61. Portland - Matt Flindell - Victoria, BC
62. Buffalo - Shane Pollock - Wallaceburg, ON

SIXTH ROUND
63. Boston - Danny Brennan - Syracuse University
64. Edmonton - Adam Foss - New Westminster, BC
65. Buffalo^^ - Dustin Dunn - Potsdam State University
66. Toronto - Tommy Hurley - Burlington, ON
67. Rochester - Mitch Nanticoke - Six Nations, ON
68. Calgary - Tyler Pridham - Calgary, AB
69. Colorado - Ryan McFadyen - Duke University
70. San Jose - Nick O'Hara - Duke University
71. Philadelphia - Steve Grossi - Drexel University
72. New York - Dan Cocoziello - Princeton University
73. Minnesota - Bruce Bickford - Drexel University
74. Portland - Sean Robinson - New Westminster, BC
75. Chicago^^ - Peter Striebel - Princeton University
76. Chicago^^ - Pat Saunders - Halton Hills, ON

*The Edmonton Rush traded the 8th overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft to Minnesota in exchange for the 10th overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft and Andrew Biers.

**The Boston Blazers traded their fourth round selection in the 2009 Entry Draft to Buffalo in exchange for the 44th overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft.

***The Boston Blazers traded John Gallant to Colorado in exchange for Jason Bloom and the 56th overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft.

****The Calgary Roughnecks have traded their fourth round selection in the 2009 Entry Draft to the Boston Blazers in exchange for the 50th overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft.

^The Chicago Shamrox traded the 52nd overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft to the Calgary Roughnecks in exchange for their fourth round selection in the 2009 Entry Draft.

^^The Chicago Shamrox traded the 65th overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft in exchange for the 75th and 76th selections in the 2008 Entry Draft.