For Premier League the top 3 prospects are perhaps the most important to secure. These players are nearing or in the bubble scene for RLCS and can make your season if you are lucky enough to pick them up. Teams like the Bulls who have last season’s champion in Deluxe are not eager to let them go. While others will take their chances with a great draft pick. The Jets, Pirates, and Knights will have the first 3 picks respectively after retentions. Their picks will likely determine the direction of the rest of the draft. While we don’t know for certain who those picks will be, we have a few educated guesses. In no particular order, are our five picks for who will be chosen early.
Braided Axe
The first of many top players to have lost their franchise due to rotations, It was all but sure that if the Shadow had an opportunity to hang on to Braided Axe they probably would have taken it. Braided ended last season with 46 assists in the regular season (2nd in the league) and a semifinal playoff appearance where they lost to the eventual champions, the Bulls. Not only is Braided Axe a great team player but they’re also a defensive force. Braided elevates any team they’re on and after falling short last season you know that they will be hungry for another shot at the title game. There’s no doubt that Braided is a top pick given their ability and experience.
xSauce
It’s always fun to see a new player on the PL scene. It’s even more fun when I get to make a pun about how xSauce could be the x-factor on a Premier League team this season. Though they don’t have MLE season experience their record in Premiere scrims speaks for itself. Quickly shooting up to a 20.5 salary with a 19-5 win-loss record in 2s, xSauce is looking to make a splash in season 12 and will likely be a first-round pick for a team that wants to take a chance to find a future PL MVP. We don’t know for sure how xSauce’s season will go but we’re eager to see them match up against the other top players on this list.
Taki
I’d like to take this opportunity for a moment of silence for the Wolves franchise in season 12. Surely if the duo from season 11 had another shot at it they would be retained on the wolves and a shoo-in to go back to the finals together. But due to franchise rotations, Taki and LottyLettuce are now free agents and will likely be top draft picks as a result. Taki is out to prove that they’re making it back no matter what, lighting up preseason scrims with a 36-9 win-loss record. That’s a winning percentage of 80%. There’s no doubting the motivation of Taki this season and based on their history of smart adaptive player they’ll likely be an MVP of whatever team they get picked up for.
Lotty Lettuce
The other half of the Wolves duo is another player to watch. Lotty puts on a lot of shots (5.57 per game last season) and makes a lot of those shots as well. Consistently dominant throughout season 11, Lotty is a player most franchises will be eyeing to lead their team this time around. While not as active as their former teammate in the preseason, Lotty is a known commodity in MLE and was likely on every team’s draft board before season 12 was even announced. Lotty and Taki won’t end up teaming once again because both will surely be first-round picks. But LottyLuttuce likely isn’t concerned because they have the talent and speed to do well with whoever they play with. I for one am excited for the inevitable series where the dynamic duo meet on opposing sides in the postseason.
Comp
How do you not put the former champion on this list? After winning last season’s title with the Bulls, Comp has somehow ended up on the free agents list and teams with the top draft picks are all grinning ear to ear as a result. To even have the chance at picking up a player like Comp is basically a chance to pick up a title in the draft. Comp is just that skilled of a player. Fast, mechanical, and smart, Comp showed game after game in season 11 why they lead the pack in MLE. Perhaps the only worry for potential teams is that Comp is essentially a bubble scene player and his commitment to his other team may at times make playing for MLE complicated. But if Comp is able to make games, they will punch their team’s ticket to the postseason guaranteed.
With the removal of the salary cap for the top league, the Premier League has become a spectacular showcase of top-level talent. For the teams with early-round picks, they will be praying that the right player is available when their time comes. For teams at the bottom of the list, they aren’t holding their breath that these top picks will sneak by unpicked. Be sure to not miss all the drama when the Premier League draft happens this Saturday on MLE’s twitch channel.
