The Major League Soccer SuperDraft's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft. The first pick is awarded to the club with the poorest regular season record during the previous MLS campaign. Exceptions are when there is an expansion franchise, where the expansion side has the opportunity to select the first overall draft pick.
Two first picks have won the MLS Rookie of the Year award in their maiden season: Maurice Edu and Cyle Larin.
No first pick has ever won the Landon Donovan MVP Award, although Alecko Eskandarian is the only first draft pick to win the MLS Cup Most Valuable Player Award.
Note that between 1996 and 1999, the MLS draft was known as the MLS College Draft. Official MLS publications include the College Draft as part of MLS's draft history.
Key ^Denotes players who have been selected to the All-Star Game or MLS Best XI *Elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame^*Denotes Hall of Famers who have been selected to the All-Star GamePlayer(in italic text)Young Player of the YearApp.MLS appearances GoalsMLS goalsAsst.MLS assists
List of first overall picks DraftSelected byPlayerNationalityPositionCollege/high school/former clubMLS rookie statisticsRef.App.GoalsAsst.1996Kansas City WizDFSaint Louis1997Colorado RapidsDFUCLA1998Miami FusionDFMaryland1999D.C. UnitedMFVirginia2000MetroStarsMFUCLA2001San Jose EarthquakesFWNorth Carolina2002Dallas BurnDFConnecticut2003D.C. UnitedFWVirginia2004D.C. UnitedFWIMG Academy2005Real Salt LakeMFIMG Academy2006New York Red BullsDFUCLA2007Toronto FC^DFMaryland2008Kansas City WizardsDFUCLA2009Seattle Sounders FC^FWAkron2010Philadelphia UnionFWOregon State2011Vancouver Whitecaps FCFWGuadalajara Academy 2012Montreal ImpactFWDuke2013New England Revolution^DFLouisville2014Philadelphia Union^GKUConn2015Orlando City SC^FWUConn2016Chicago FireMFWake Forest2017Minnesota United FCFWUCLA2018Los Angeles FCDFAkron2019FC CincinnatiMFUCLA2020Inter Miami CFFWClemson2021Austin FCMFVirginia Tech2022Charlotte FCMFMaryland2023Charlotte FCDFClemson2024Toronto FCFWLipscomb2025San Diego FCManu DuahMFUC Santa Barbara2026D.C. UnitedNikola MarkovićDFNC State
Notes
See also MLS SuperDraft List of first overall NASL draft picks
References