Time, Broadcast, Order, and Top 2022 NCAA MLS Draft College Picks

The 2022 MLS Draft, known as SuperDraft, comes on Tuesday with a lot of talent to be found but also no obvious choice to go to the top of the order.

There will be three rounds in total and the expansion team Charlotte FC will get the first pick, while MLS champion New York City FC will have the last pick of the first round. The order is based on the reverse order of arrival from the previous season, but teams have since moved up and down the draft order through trade.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken college football, with players getting additional eligibility and the ability to transfer to new schools. There will always be value to be found in this talent pool, although the number of players ready for MLS is likely to be slim. The midfield class is particularly paltry, with many defenders and goalkeepers.

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Here’s everything you need to know before the draft, including how to look, the order of picks, and the best available leads.

How to watch the 2022 MLS SuperDraft

The 2022 MLS SuperDraft takes place on Tuesday, January 11 at 3 p.m. ET with coverage provided by Major League Soccer on all of its streaming and social media platforms. Only the first of three rounds will be covered live.

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MLS 2022 Draft Order: 1st round

Top 2022 MLS Draft Prospects

This season, the goalkeeper is the position to watch, as there are four players who could go to the first round. Not a single goaltender was selected in the first round of last year’s draft, the first being won by FC Dallas in first place in the No.48 pick. This year’s hen is a whole different story.

There is a talented pair of ACC forwards in the pool at Kyle Holcomb and Thor Ulfarsson, with a bulging group of forwards set to score goals in the coming season. The slim position this year is midfielder.

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Below are 18 players who could make it to the top 10 picks in the draft. Saint Louis, who reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, has a number of better players who could be picked up early.

Goalkeepers:

Romain Celentano (Indiana)

A two-time Big Ten Goalie of the Year, Celentano has compiled a stellar save percentage of 82.1% over his three seasons in Indiana, including an insane mark of 90.8% in 16 games. during the 2020-21 season disrupted by COVID-19 (six goals allowed, nine shutouts). Its climax was a crazy quadruple save in November against Northwestern who was No.1 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Games.

Patrick Schulte (Saint Louis)

In his sophomore year with experience in the United States youth national team at the under-18 level, he performed well for his school and club Saint Louis FC. Schulte has already saved three penalties in a 2019 US Open Cup penalty shootout, as the team reached the fourth round of the competition that year. He has recorded nine shutouts and just 18 goals against in 21 games for the Billikens this season.

Alec Smir (North Carolina)

Smir led the ACC with 10 shutouts in 2020, allowing just 11 goals in 18 games and playing every second of the UNC’s run to the College Cup. Last season saw a drop in those numbers, but he has significant top level experience.

Will Meyer (Akron)

He joined Akron as a transfer from Louisville, and while his numbers don’t go off the page, he has high scout ratings and could see a mention in the first round, although he would likely follow the other three already mentioned. .

Defenders:

Kipp Keller (Saint Louis)

Keller, a 2021 All American second-team, is a potential top-three pick in the draft after leaving as an underclassman and signing a special-generation adidas deal that won’t count towards a team’s salary budget.

He was eclipsed by teammate Simon Becher who made the All American first team as a forward, but Keller should be a hot commodity as a young national option at the back.

Esai Easley (Grand Canyon)

After choosing competitive football over competitive surfing, Easley made his way onto the national stage at the Grand Canyon where he proved to be a mobile center-back option en route to being named the WAC defensive player. of the year and to be recognized as one of the best defenders. in the nation.

Ryan Sailor (Washington)

The Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and an all-American first team, Sailor has a lot of buzz in the midst of a crowded center-back class. In her senior season in the red shirt, Sailor started all 22 games and led a defense that allowed just 10 goals, good for the third shortest in the country. He also added six goals, the best total in the country for a center-back. His professional preparation is the only question.

Ahmed Longmire (UCLA)

While Longmire’s season did not garner the Pac-12 and Sailor’s national applause, due to concussion issues, the Utah Valley transfer came out on top at UCLA and established itself as a prospect. leading.

Charlie Asensio (Clemson)

A late addition to the draft after dropping his option of joining Atlanta United via a local contract, Asensio is a full-back who has played a vital role in the run for the Clemson National Championship and who will provide breadth to a team with his defensive abilities. and his creative skills.

Midfielder :

Mohamed Omar (Notre-Dame)

A young Canadian international from Toronto, Omar is a talented midfielder who played over 1,700 minutes with Notre Dame last season and scored four goals while helping the Irish reach the final four. It’s unclear where Omar will be taken, with fictional drafts having him all over the place in the first round, but it’s clear he’s seen as a talent.

Ben Bender (Maryland)

The 2021 Big Ten Unanimous Midfielder of the Year has scored nine goals and five assists in two seasons at Maryland, but it’s his two-way play that has earned him praise, and he could. peak in the draft amid a group of thin midfielders.

Sofiane Djeffal (State of Oregon)

The Pac-12 Player of the Year led Oregon State to No. 1 nationally for the first time in program history, en route to a Pac-12 title. Djeffal was at the center of that climb, scoring five goals and adding five assists. Originally from France, the Nantes youth product would occupy a place in the international list, which could harm its draft position.

Justin Rasmussen (Grand Canyon)

Named one of the Top 50 Players by Top Drawer Soccer, Rasmussen struck nine times for the Grand Canyon last season. While the team was ultimately bowled over in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Rasmussen stood out. He’s a left player who could be moved to the flank if necessary.

Forward:

Isaiah Parker (Saint Louis)

A raw, high-potential player, Parker leaves Saint Louis with an underclass generation adidas contract after just one season in which he has scored three goals and assisted seven, showing exceptional speed in the process.

Kyle Holcomb (Wake Forest)

An experienced and versatile forward who is not only ruthless in front of the net but contributes in all areas of the pitch, Holcomb was a leader in the field for a strong Wake Forest program. Holcomb has scored 33 goals in his four years as Deac and contributes as much defensively as he does for goal. The term « clinical » is often used to describe it, and for good reason.

Ousseni Bouda (Stanford)

A member of the Pac-12 first team last year, Bouda missed the shortened COVID-19 season with an injury, but came back confidently. Originally from Burkina Faso and from Ghana’s Right to Dream Academy, Bouda has scored 10 goals and assisted 14 more in his 39 career appearances at Stanford.

Thor Ulfarsson (Duke)

A constant and frustrating presence for the ACC defenses, Ulfarsson has scored 19 goals in 24 appearances for Duke over two seasons, including 15 in the last campaign. The Icelandic native was a part of America’s first all-star team and is a real target man up front.

Farai Mutatu (State of Michigan)

Moved from Zimbabwe in 2006 to Michigan, Mutatu is a big player that offers good pace and service and could be a versatile pickup. Mutatu saw the time in the lower echelons of American football and could deploy to a number of positions, most notably as a No 10 or at the back.