DENVER – The hit rate for sixth, fifth, sometimes even fourth-round selections from NLL Entry Draft classes have historically been low, with players often becoming Training Camp cuts or shuffled around amongst teams a few times before ultimately seeing their time in the league erased.
So, the idea that an undrafted rookie free agent defenseman like Ari Stevens could storm into the LOUD HOUSE and play in 17 of the Colorado Mammoth’s 18 regular season showcases during the league’s 2025-26 slate took a majority of the lacrosse world by surprise.
Sure, the Mammoth technically passed on the 6-4, 211-lb. talent just the same as each of the league’s other 13 squads who had an opportunity to welcome Stevens into the fold.
Yet, he was top of mind for Mammoth General Manager Brad Self and company once the 2025 NLL Entry Draft concluded, as the organization welcomed the Victora-area lad him with open arms just a few weeks later.
There are a lot of big-bodied threats scattered throughout the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
Most of them don’t exactly show up to Media Day with a big smile and introducing themselves to just about every person he interacted with – all while understanding he was one of many new kids on the block trying to make an impression.
Despite making the team’s original Opening Day roster, he didn’t draw into the team’s season-opener against the Vancouver Warriors inside Rogers Arena.
However, that would represent the only contest the high IQ defenseman didn’t dress for, as he went on to see turf time during each of the team’s next 17 games, eventually debuting in his first professional postseason matchup later that spring just the same.
Racking up eight points (3g, 5a), 42 loose balls, seven caused turnovers and 14 blocked shots (which ranked second-most amongst all Mammoth personnel) during his rookie campaign, he played a sincere role in both locking down the D-zone and sparking transition opportunities.
Making his way to the scoresheet via his first professional tally during his fourth-ever appearance, he helped Colorado secure a 7-5 win over the Georgia Swarm while announcing his ability to push the pace.
Sporting the No. 32 jersey throughout his first campaign, the rookie didn’t hesitate to set the physical tone just the same, as Stevens earned 32 penalty minutes, the most on the squad last season.
That said, a lot of those penalties were called during his first dozen contests played, as he cleaned things up down the stretch, charged just six penalty minutes throughout the team’s final five regular season matchups.
Having signed a three-year rookie contract ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, Stevens is expected to report to the team’s Training Camp activities this fall where he’ll compete for a spot in the team’s Top 10 defensive rotation.
Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels for the latest news, transactions and beyond!
