Well I wasn't going to do a full serious PU draft guide but multiple managers kept asking about it which suggests people genuinely need one so here it is. I say this in the post too but while PU is missing quite a few names who've started in the past (fish, s1nn0h, etc.) and several other people who haven't signed up but would almost certainly end up on top of a recommendations list (bouff, suzukaaa), I think there's still a lot of potential in this pool. There's a lot of strong names who haven't started in PU before/in a while who could fit right in to this scene and a lot of very good players who are probably starting elsewhere but could support/sub into the PU slot extremely well.
Players within tiers are ordered alphabetically and not by skill, always the chance I passed over someone who'd be great support at least, hope this helps get the tier some love.
Mainers who I think should just get bought (aside from me

)
asa - would hope even relatively unfamiliar managers have heard of our esteemed PUTL, but if not her recent stuff includes a 6-1 in PUWC 2024, 2nd place in PU circuit playoffs 2024, and 2nd place in PU Ladder Tour 2024. She also went purely support/managing this PUPL and got her team to the 2nd best regular season record. I know her only current official record is 0-2 in SCL 2023 but nowadays puts up good records every time she chooses to try in a tour and is absolutely worth picking up
Drud - just as capable in current gens as he is in old ones, top 6 in the most recent PU seasonal and just managed his team to a PUPL win where he went 7-4 overall in mostly the Bo3 slot and 6-3 in SV games specifically. Also overall #1 on the PU sheet, even if a lot of that is DPP. And 5-1 in PUWC. Plus 6-1 in BLT for PU. This dude wins a lot.
kyuss - every PU player will tell you this is one of our top mainers atm. Just finished a 7-2 PUPL-winning record, which was also the best SV record in the tour. His most recent record before that was a 4-1 in PUWC, and he’s got solid individuals from 2024 too, like winning PU Ladder Tour. Very creative player, #1 newcomer to official tours who deserves their chance
LpZ - don’t think I need to sell you on LpZ lol. But if he plays another tier that’s fair too
sufys - Just coming off a 5-3 PUPL run and a deep PU Open run as well (not gonna fact check but I think top 8), but I think records don’t really sell how hard this dude tries. He’s constantly showing off new stuff and talking about where to take the PU metagame and I think he’d be the person I’d be most excited to watch in this tournament if he’s bought. Also brings OU value or something
Would be in the above category if they change their mind and decide to sign up / change their signup to include PU
Suzukaaa, Bouff, etern, fish anemometer, zS
Less certain about these people but deserve to be on every manager’s radar as a potential starter
avarice - More likely to end up in another tier but did put down PU and just went 10-1 in PUPL (only old gens though) so kinda has to get a mention. If they did start in PU I don’t know what to expect of them in SV but their 10-1 gives a lot of clout
ishtar - more focused on old gens recently but is capable of doing very well. A bit more confused because she keeps claiming to be retired and then signing up for things, plus there’s the 3-9 sheet record, but I think she’s a mainer who compares well to some of the tour players you might be considering dumping into this slot
Metallica126 - had a really strong 6-2 PUBD recently, followed by a rougher 4-5 SV record in the most recent PUPL against a really strong list of opponents. Not /quite/ enough to his name to go 100% buy this dude but I personally rate him quite highly and from what I can tell he’s a very hard worker who could really pop off if given a chance like this
Xiri - PU Circuit Winner 2024 and a top 8? I think? run in PU open. Also just had the most baffling 1-4 in PUPL I’ve ever seen and has plenty of other mid records too. Appears to flipflop between great and terrible with very little rhyme or reason, should 100% be on everyone’s radar for those highs, not sure exactly how I’d rate them. Also wouldn’t be surprised if they just go into a different slot anyway
More likely to get bought for other tiers but also excellent PU support, not gonna go in depth on them but you should definitely consider their PU knowledge a value boost in addition to being good NU/OU/etc. players. The PU pool has some excellent overlap this year so even if less mainers who would probably be in are signing up, I don’t think it’s that difficult to pick up someone for a different slot who provides great bonus knowledge in this tier / could theoretically start if needed or you end up doubling up on their other tier
Ampha, big tony 2014, Danny, DripLegend, dunoks, esteb4n, Hiko, LOOR, OranBerryBlissey10, S1nn0hC0nfirm3d, seraphz
Of all these people, Hiko and Dunoks are probably the most "would be a good starter if this is the tier he wants to play instead of his main tier" players. Aside from S1nn0h but I have literally no idea what he wants to do and it sounds like it's not PU this year so yeah.
gulch - already made another post about him but gulch support is top notch and worth at least a few thousand smogonbucks
Mainers who could function as decent support / more out there starter options
Bella - has done support for teams that have made playoffs and/or won PUPL multiple times but doesn't really have big starting records to her name yet
DD Joe - just managed his team to being undefeated in PUPL main season, although he didn’t play and I have no clue how much of the building/team choices were him. Worth keeping an eye on the name though
edit: have been told he built a ton for his team which, by my quick count, went 18-7 in SV PUPL games not counting the bo3 slot
greybaum - very goated player, unfortunately ZU is not in this tour but going way back with the person writing the list = getting a mention. Genuinely though, I’ve had greybaum support for other tiers and I wish I could get that level of help in every team tour
Lambovino - goes down here because I’ve only seen him play old gens recently (unsure if I’ve ever seen him play SV PU? Probably has?) but he’s a really creative builder and effective player in those so I’d probably rate him well in SV too.
Leni - just pulled a solid 3-1 record in the bo3 slot of PUPL with two zS wins and a larry win. Now I haven’t seen much out of him during SV otherwise and he hasn’t played snake/scl since 2021, but that’s enough to make me think he’s still got the sauce
Platum - I literally don't know them but a lot of people tell me he's very good and at minimum a strong supporter. His teammates seem to think he's a big plus, just happens that the guy who decided to write the post has nothing to say about them
tom holland - paired with DD Joe as “really hard worker who maybe doesn’t have the pull to be starting SV right now but super hard worker with good support who just captained his team to an undefeated PUPL regular season”. Also started in snake over half a decade ago but has improved vastly since then
THE_CHUNGLER - one 3-0 to their name in PUWC 2024, but mostly I just see them supporting others and I think they’re pretty good at it. Often too far in the background for me to know exactly what or how much they’re doing, but quite possibly some of the best value in this section
Tizio Potente Ao - One of the weirdest players we have to offer, but also one of the most innovative across multiple gens of PU. Never really talked or teamed with him, absolutely no idea how to rate/sell this guy but I bet he’d be great in a team discord
VyoletRayn - can confirm after teaming with them this PUPL that Vyolet brings solid support and good tryhard vibes to the discord