The 2021 MLS SuperDraft was the 22nd edition of the
SuperDraft conducted by
Major League Soccer. The SuperDraft is held every January prior to the start of the MLS season. The 2020 SuperDraft was the first held exclusively via conference call and web streaming.[1] The Draft was once again held virtually, and began on January 21, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and consisted of three rounds (shortened from four rounds in prior years). Compensatory picks were conveyed to teams that received fourth-round picks via trades.[2][3]
Format
The SuperDraft format has remained constant throughout its history and closely resembles that of the
NFL Draft:
Any
expansion teams receive the first picks. MLS has announced that
Austin FC[4] would begin play as an expansion team in 2021.
Non-playoff clubs receive the next picks in reverse order of prior season finish.
Teams that made the
MLS Cup Playoffs are then ordered by which round of the playoffs they are eliminated.
The winners of the
MLS Cup are given the last selection, and the losers the penultimate selection.
Player selection
Player key
*
Denotes player who has been selected for an
MLS Best XI team
The draft was shortened to three rounds, from four rounds as in prior years. Compensatory picks were awarded to clubs that had acquired fourth round picks via earlier trades.
^No. 3: Houston Dynamo → Colorado Rapids. January 21, 2021:
Colorado Rapids acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Houston Dynamo in exchange for $200,000 in general allocation money and the 6th overall draft pick. The pick was Houston's natural selection.[5]
^No. 5: Atlanta United → D.C. United. January 21, 2021:
D.C. United acquired the 5th and 32nd picks from
Atlanta United FC in exchange for the 31st pick and $125,000 in general allocation money.
^No. 6: Chicago Fire → Colorado Rapids → Houston Dynamo. December 13, 2020:
Colorado Rapids acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Chicago Fire FC in exchange for $125,000 in general allocation money. The pick was Chicago's natural selection.[6]
^No. 6: Colorado Rapids → Houston Dynamo. January 21, 2021:
Colorado Rapids acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Houston Dynamo in exchange for $200,000 in general allocation money and the 6th overall draft pick. The pick was Houston's natural selection.[5]
^No. 8: LA Galaxy → Portland Timbers → Orlando City. January 12, 2021:
Portland Timbers acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
LA Galaxy in exchange for
Jorge Villafaña and swapping first-round selections. The pick was Galaxy's natural selection. Portland subsequently traded Galaxy's pick on January 21, 2021, to Orlando City in exchange for $100,000 general allocation money.[7]
^No. 11: CF Montréal → Austin FC. December 15, 2020:
Austin FC acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
CF Montréal and $225,000 in general allocation money in exchange for
Kamal Miller.[8]
^No. 15: Colorado Rapids → FC Dallas. January 13, 2021:
FC Dallas acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Colorado Rapids in exchange for
Michael Barrios and swapping first-round selections. The pick was Colorado's natural selection.[9]
^No. 16: Portland Timbers → LA Galaxy. See No. 8: LA Galaxy → Portland Timbers → Orlando City.[7]
^No. 17: New York City FC → Minnesota United. January 21, 2021: Minnesota United acquired the 17th selection from New York City FC in exchange for $50,000 in general allocation money.
^No. 18: Toronto FC → Minnesota United. Minnesota United acquired the 18th selection from Toronto FC in exchange for the 25th selection and $50,000 in general allocation money.
^No. 19: Philadelphia Union → Orlando City. July 17, 2020:
Orlando City SC acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft in exchange for the homegrown player rights to
Nathan Harriel. The traded pick was Philadelphia's natural selection.[10]
^No. 21: FC Dallas → Colorado Rapids → Austin FC. See No. 15: Colorado Rapids → FC Dallas. Austin FC subsequently acquired the FC Dallas selection (21st overall) from Colorado Rapids in exchange for $50,000 in general allocation money.
^No. 23: Sporting Kansas City → Vancouver Whitecaps FC. December 14, 2018:
Vancouver Whitecaps FC acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft in exchange for
Erik Hurtado. The traded picks were Kansas City's natural selections.
^No. 25: Minnesota United → Toronto FC. See No. 18: Toronto FC → Minnesota United.
^No. 26: Seattle Sounders FC → Inter Miami. September 28, 2020:
Inter Miami CF acquired a first-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft in exchange for
Román Torres.[11]
Round 2
^No. 31: D.C. United → Atlanta United. See No. 5: Atlanta United → D.C. United.
^No. 32: Atlanta United → D.C. United. See No. 5: Atlanta United → D.C. United.
^No. 36: Vancouver Whitecaps FC → Nashville SC. January 21, 2021:
Nashville SC traded a 2021 international spot and its second-round selection (46th overall) in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, to
Vancouver Whitecaps FC for $175,000 in general allocation money and Vancouver's second-round selection (36th overall).
^No. 38: CF Montréal → Minnesota United. October 1, 2020:
Minnesota United FC acquired a second-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft and $600,000 in general allocation money from
CF Montréal in exchange for forward
Mason Toye.
^No. 46: Philadelphia Union → Nashville SC → Vancouver Whitecaps FC. January 19, 2021:
Nashville SC acquired second- and third-round selections in the 2021 SuperDraft and a first-round selection in the 2022 SuperDraft in exchange for up to $225,000 of general allocation money.
^No. 46: Vancouver Whitecaps FC → Nashville SC. See No. 36: Nashville SC → Vancouver Whitecaps.
^No. 47: Nashville → Chicago Fire. November 12, 2019:
Chicago Fire FC acquired a second-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft, $50,000 in general allocation money, and $50,000 in targeted allocation money from
Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder
Dax McCarty.[12]
^No. 52: Minnesota United → Columbus Crew. February 12, 2020:
Columbus Crew acquired a second-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Minnesota United FC in exchange for the MLS rights to
Aaron Schoenfeld.[13]
^No. 54: Columbus Crew → FC Cincinnati. August 17, 2020:
FC Cincinnati acquired a second-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Columbus Crew in exchange for
Fatai Alashe.
Round 3
^No. 58: DC United → Columbus Crew. January 8, 2021:
Columbus Crew acquired a third-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
D.C. United in exchange for goalkeeper
Jon Kempin.[15]
^No. 63: Vancouver Whitecaps FC → CF Montréal. September 28, 2020:
CF Montréal acquired a third-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Vancouver Whitecaps FC in exchange for goalkeeper
Evan Bush.[16]
^No. 64: Inter Miami → Toronto FC. December 28, 2019:
Toronto FC acquired a third-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Inter Miami CF in exchange for the MLS rights to forward
Juan Agudelo.[17]
^No. 73: Philadelphia Union → Nashville SC. See No. 46: Philadelphia Union → Nashville SC → Vancouver Whitecaps.
^No. 76: Orlando City → FC Dallas. February 27, 2020:
FC Dallas acquired a third-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Orlando City SC.[17]
^No. 79: Minnesota United → FC Dallas. January 21, 2020:
FC Dallas acquired a third-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Minnesota United FC in exchange for midfielder
Jacori Hayes.[18]
^No. 83: Vancouver Whitecaps FC → Inter Miami. January 29, 2020:
Inter Miami CF acquired a fourth-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Vancouver Whitecaps FC in exchange for goalkeeper
Bryan Meredith. The traded pick was Vancouver's natural selection.[22]
^No. 84: Colorado Rapids → Real Salt Lake. February 19, 2018:
Real Salt Lake acquired a fourth-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft from
Colorado Rapids in exchange for the MLS rights to midfielder
Enzo Martínez.[23]
^No. 85: New England Revolution → Inter Miami. September 8, 2020:
New England Revolution reacquired midfielder
Lee Nguyen from
Inter Miami CF in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft and up to $50,000 in general allocation money.[24]
^No. 86: Minnesota United → Nashville. September 18, 2020:
Minnesota United FC acquired goalkeeper
Adrian Zendejas in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2021 SuperDraft and up to $100,000 in general allocation money if he meets certain performance-based metrics for Minnesota.[25]