Who are the top prospects in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft?

This year’s MLS SuperDraft gets underway on Wednesday evening (5pm ET) and will feature three rounds with each club having one selection available per round.

The first pick goes to new expansion side St. Louis City who are set to embark on their maiden voyage in MLS and will open their campaign by playing another recent expansion side in Charlotte FC. The pick then falls to the teams that did not qualify for the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs and begins with the team with the fewest 2022 regular-season points so DC United get second pick, then Colorado, San Jose..

MLS Cup holders LAFC will have no first round pick due to Vancouver Whitecaps FC acquiring the natural first round selection of the 2023 Major League Soccer SuperDraft from the ‘Black and Gold’ in exchange for a 2020 international roster slot.

SuperDraft: ones to watch

360 players aged between 21-24 are eligible from the draft with the future talents hailing from universities, lower league clubs or schools of excellence such as MLS Next or Generation Adidas.

Goalkeeper:

Holden Trent: High Point University (North Carolina)

The 23-year-old Greenboro born stopper is known for his agility and athleticism and moved to High Point from his NC Fusion high school and takes inspiration from his grandfather who was a supporter of Trent’s path from an early age.

Defender:

Daniel Munie: Indiana

Munie became the fourth Hoosier in the last five seasons to earn the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award and was instrumental in the 725 consecutive minutes that IU kept a clean sheet in October with the 22-year-old a major prospect and a versatile defender.

Midfielder:

Shakur Mohammed (Duke):

Mohammed is a creative playmaker who has helped fill the gap on the offensive side at Duke after the departure of Thorleifur Ulfarsson after the Icelander joined the Houston Dynamo. The 19-year-old Mohammed played prep school soccer with San Jose Earthquakes forward Ousseni Bouda, a GA prospect from last year’s SuperDraft.

Forward:

Stephen Afrifa (Florida international)

21-year-old Afrifa, originally a Toronto native, is seen as one of the best striking prospects in the draft this year. FIU head coach Kyle Russell pretty much summed the Canadian born forward when when he stated, “Stephen has shown us what he can do and could score against any team in the country.”