Staats was the first overall pick in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft. He was named the 2018-19 NLL Rookie of the Year after leading all rookies in 2019 in goals and points and ranked second in assists despite missing the final four games with an ACL injury. Staats showed his worth early, netting five goals and four assists in his NLL debut. In 14 games played in his rookie season, he recorded seven games with five or more points.

The lefty led the team in points eleven weeks in a row to open his rookie year. In 14 games played, Staats notched five hat tricks and recorded seven games with five or more points. He was named NLL Rookie of the Week four times and was the only rookie to earn NLL Player of the Week honors after netting five goals and four assists in his NLL debut.

Staats registered 102 goals and 156 points in 26 games in two seasons for the Onondaga Lazers (National Junior College Athletic Association). He was a two-time All-America selection and led the program to a pair of national titles.

The youngster has already impressed at every level at which he’s competed, taking home MVP honors in the 2017 Minto Cup. The year prior, at age 18, Staats won the Mann Cup (Canada’s Senior A box lacrosse championships). He was also named to the All-World Team at the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championship.