2017 MLS SuperDraft: Minnesota resists trading, takes UCLA's Danladi No. 1
Despite rumors of trade talk, MLS expansion club Minnesota United held onto the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft and took star UCLA forward Abu Danladi to kick off the festivities at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday.
Fellow expansion team Atlanta United followed at No. 2 and took Syracuse and U.S. Under-20 national team center back Miles Robinson.
Both were part of this year's Generation Adidas class, which is made up of star underclassmen who do not immediately count against a team's salary budget. It also included forwards Jonathan Lewis (Akron) and Adonijah Reid (Canada youth national team) and midfielders Jackson Yueill (UCLA) and Shamit Shome (FC Edmonton).
Former Duke product Jeremy Ebobisse is another top prospect and was touted as a potential No. 1 selection, and he went fourth overall to the Portland Timbers, who traded up to acquire his services.
The league also introduced a new wrinkle, divulging the exact figures of how much allocation money was involved in announced trades. New York City FC, for example, spent $250,000 in general allocation money to trade up to No. 3 and select Lewis with the pick that initially belonged to the Chicago Fire. Portland, meanwhile, sent $100,000 in general allocation money to Houston to take Ebobisse.
Here are the picks for the first two rounds of the MLS SuperDraft (the final two rounds take place via conference call on Jan. 17):
1. Minnesota United
Abu Danladi, F, UCLA*
Oft-injured but supremely talented, the dynamic Danladi joins a potentially potent attacking corps in Minnesota, along with incumbents Miguel Ibarra and Christian Ramirez. He had 18 goals in three seasons at UCLA.
2. Atlanta United
Miles Robinson, D, Syracuse*
Widely regarded as the best defender available in the draft, the U.S. U-20 center back joins the expansion project in Atlanta.
3. New York City FC (Via Chicago)
Jonathan Lewis, F, Akron*
NYCFC executed a trade with Chicago for the second straight draft, sending $250,000 in general allocation money to the Fire for the chance to select Lewis, the MVP of the college combine.
4. Portland Timbers (Via Houston)
Jeremy Ebobisse, F, Duke
The Timbers swapped first-rounders, sent an international roster spot and $100,000 in general allocation money for the chance to pick Ebobisse,a former Duke product who spent time with the USL's Charleston Battery after signing with MLS. Another U.S. U-20 product, Ebobisse had been touted as a first overall possibility.
5. Columbus Crew SC
Lalas Abubakar, D, Dayton
A second center back goes off the board, as Columbus looks to rebuild its back line after taking a local product (via Ghana). Columbus is expected to be without Gaston Sauro in 2017 and lost Michael Parkhurst to Atlanta in the off-season.
6. San Jose Earthquakes
Jackson Yueill, M, UCLA*
The central midfielder becomes the second Bruin off the board in L.A. and goes up the coast to the Earthquakes, who are in need of a dynamic punch in the midfield after scoring the fewest goals in MLS (32) last season.
7. Vancouver Whitecaps
Jakob Nerwinski, D, UCONN
The Whitecaps leaked goals last season, so they turn to the Huskies' right back, who enjoyed a strong combine.
8. Atlanta United (via Orlando)
Julian Gressel, M, Providence
The German midfielder will occupy an international roster spot. He starred in 2016 at Providence with 15 goals and six assists.
9. Columbus Crew SC (Via New England)
Niko Hansen, F, New Mexico
The versatile winger offers another attacking piece to Gregg Berhalter's squad after a 13-goal, three-assist campaign as a senior with the Lobos. Had 28 goals and 14 assists in his four years in school.
10. Houston Dynamo (Via Portland)
Joe Holland, M, Hofstra
The first player not present at the draft is off the board! The London native will require an international spot and is already 24, but he had 26 assists in the last three seasons with the Pride.
11. Chicago Fire (Via Philadelphia)
Daniel Johnson, M, Louisville
Johnson's stock soared at the combine after his strong showing in the last few days, and he parlayed it into a high pick. Johnson transferred from Maryland after two seasons and had a pair of goals and five assists as a senior with the Cardinals. Spent time with West Ham while living in London from 2009-2012.
12. D.C. United
Chris Odoi-Atsem, D, Maryland
D.C. goes into its backyard to take Odoi-Atsem, an athletic, attack-minded right back. The club also has Sean Franklin and experimental fullback Nick DeLeon at the position, but Odoi-Atsem comes in highly regarded.
13. Real Salt Lake
Reagan Dunk, D, Denver
A third right back goes off the board, with Dunk staying in the Rocky Mountain region and heading to Rio Tinto Stadium, where Tony Beltran is the incumbent starter.
14. Sporting Kansas City
Colton Storm, D, North Carolina
The run on right backs continues! Storm, a tremendous athlete, showed well at the combine but faces competition with Sporting KC to make the first team off the bat, especially if Graham Zusi becomes a regular right back for club and country.
15. Colorado Rapids (Via LA)
Sam Hamilton, M, Denver
Colorado keeps it local with the pick it received in exchange for the MLS rights to another defensive midfielder, Jermaine Jones.
16. New York City FC (Via Seattle...via NYCFC)
Kwame Awuah, M, UConn
NYCFC sent $75,000 in general allocation money to Seattle for a pick it once owned in order to select Awuah, who played left back and midfield at UConn. NYCFC has spent $325,000 in GAM just to be able to draft a pair of players.
17. New York Red Bulls
Zeiko Lewis, M, Boston College
A Bermuda international, the speedy winger offers a successor to Dane Richards and Lloyd Sam and expressed quite the chip on his shoulder in his post-pick remarks. He's eager to prove he should've been drafted higher.
18. FC Dallas
Jacori Hayes, M, Wake Forest
The box-to-box midfielder falls to Oscar Pareja's squad, giving the Supporters' Shield winner another talented, versatile option on an already deep squad.
19. Montreal Impact
Nick DePuy, F, UC Santa Barbara
DePuy has played in the front and the back in college, ending his college career with the Gauchos as a target forward. At 6-foot-4, he provides ample size either as a forward or as a center back.
20. New England Revolution (Via Colorado)
Brian Wright, F, Vermont
The Revolution keep it in New England with Wright, who lit it up with the Catamounts. In four seasons, he scored 39 goals and added 25 assists, with 14 and 12, respectively, as a senior.
21. Toronto FC
Brandon Aubrey, D, Notre Dame
Aubrey dropped after his combine performance, but he was highly touted during his four years as a center back with the Fighting Irish. As a senior, he scored nine goals, showing a nose for goal when he got into the attacking third.
22. Seattle Sounders
Brian Nana-Sinkam, D, Stanford
The back-to-back national champion goes to the MLS Cup champion to close the first round, providing depth at center back for the Sounders, where he'll re-team with Jordan Morris.
23. Minnesota United
Alec Ferrell, GK, Wake Forest
24. Colorado Rapids (Via Atlanta)
Liam Callahan, D, Syracuse
25. Philadelphia Union (Via Minnesota, Chicago)
Marcus Epps, F, South Florida
26. Chicago Fire (Via Toronto, Houston)
Stefan Cleveland, GK, Louisville
27. Chicago Fire (Via Toronto, Montreal, Columbus)
Guillermo Delgado, F, Delaware
28. San Jose Earthquakes
Lindo Mfeka, M, South Florida
29. Vancouver Whitecaps
Francis de Vries, D, St. Francis
30. Houston Dynamo (Via Orlando)
Jake McGuire, GK, Tulsa
31. New England Revolution
Napo Matoso, M, Kentucky
32. Portland Timbers
Michael Amick, D, UCLA
33. Philadelphia Union
Aaron Jones, D, Clemson
34. D.C. United
Eric Klenofsky, GK, Monmouth
35. Real Salt Lake
Justin Schmidt, D, Washington
36. Houston Dynamo (Via Sporting KC)
Danilo Radjen, D, Akron
37. FC Dallas (Via LA)
Walker Hume, D, North Carolina
38. New York City FC
Jalen Brown, F, Xavier
39. New York Red Bulls
Ethan Kutler, M, Colgate
40. FC Dallas
Adonijah Reid, F, Ontario, Canada*
41. Montreal Impact
Shamit Shome, M, FC Edmonton*
42. Minnesota United (Via Philadelphia, Colorado)
Thomas de Villardi, D, Delaware
43. D.C. United (Via Portland, Toronto)
Jo Vetle Rimstad, D, Radford
44. Seattle Sounders
Dominic Oduro, D/M, FC Nordsjaelland
