The University of Akron men's soccer team. has had drafted in Major League Soccer (MLS) as well as seven non-drafted players (most due to homegrown rights). Youth New Zealand international Cameron Knowles was the first 'Zip' to be drafted and play in MLS when he appeared for the Real Salt Lake against the Los Angeles Galaxy on June 22, 2007. In the 2011 draft, the University of Akron made MLS history when five players were selected in the first round, including picks number two through four (as well as pick seven and eight).

Steve Zakuani made an appearance on the DR Congo National Team, and Teal Bunbury, DeAndre Yedlin, Wil Trapp, Perry Kitchen, and Darlington Nagbe have all featured for the United States Men's National Team. Kofi Sarkodie and Zarek Valentin have played for the United States U-20's while Jonathan Lewis, Blair Gavin and Anthony Ampaipitakwong have played for the U-20's and U-17's. Cameron Knowles was part of the New Zealand U-17 squad during the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship

Player selection

MLS draft Year Round Pick Overall Player Position MLS team Current team Notes 2005 4 1 37 Cameron Knowles Defender Real Salt Lake Retired 2007 3 7 33 Siniša Ubiparipović Midfielder New York Red Bulls Retired 2009 1 1 1 Steve Zakuani Midfielder Seattle Sounders FC Retired 2010 1 4 4 Teal Bunbury Forward Sporting Kansas City New England Revolution 2010 1 10 10 Blair Gavin Midfielder Chivas USA Retired 2010 3 16 47 Ben Zemanski Midfielder Chivas USA Retired 2011 1 2 2 Darlington Nagbe Midfielder Portland Timbers Columbus Crew SC 2011 1 3 3 Perry Kitchen Midfielder D.C. United LA Galaxy D.C. United selects Kitchen and Korb in 2011 MLS SuperDraft 2011 1 4 4 Zarek Valentin Defender Chivas USA Houston Dynamo 2011 1 7 7 Kofi Sarkodie Defender Houston Dynamo Unattached 2011 1 8 8 Michael Nanchoff Midfielder Vancouver Whitecaps FC Retired 2011 2 13 31 Chris Korb Defender D.C. United Unattached 2011 2 15 33 Anthony Ampaipitakwong Midfielder San Jose Earthquakes Bangkok United 2012 1 2 2 Darren Mattocks Forward Vancouver Whitecaps FC FC Cincinnati 2013 3 3 41 David Meves Goalkeeper Portland Timbers Unattached 2014 2 8 27 Robbie Derschang Defender Philadelphia Union Unattached 2014 2 15 34 Eric Stevenson Midfielder New York Red Bulls Retired 2014 3 14 52 Aodhan Quinn Midfielder Philadelphia Union Orange County SC 2014 4 19 76 Reinaldo Brenes Forward Sporting Kansas City Unattached 2015 1 12 12 Saad Abdul-Salaam Defender Sporting Kansas City FC Cincinnati 2016 1 7 7 Richie Laryea Midfielder Orlando City SC Toronto FC 2017 1 3 3 Jonathan Lewis Forward New York City FC Colorado Rapids 2017 2 14 36 Danilo Radjen Defender Houston Dynamo Unattached 2018 1 1 1 João Moutinho Defender Los Angeles FC Orlando City SC 2018 2 8 31 Niko De Vera Defender New York Red Bulls Portland Timbers 2 2018 3 2 48 Nate Shultz Defender LA Galaxy Unattached 2018 3 18 31 Stuart Holthusen Forward Portland Timbers Unattached 2019 2 13 37 Ben Lundt Goalkeeper FC Cincinnati FC Cincinnati 2019 2 19 43 Abdi Mohamed Defender New York City FC New Mexico United 2020 2 19 45 Tom Smart Defender LA Galaxy Unattached 2021 1 9 9 David Egbo Forward Vancouver Whitecaps FC Unattached 2022 2 10 38 Will Meyer Goalkeeper Nashville SC Rhode Island FC 2022 3 7 63 Carlo Ritaccio Defender Chicago Fire SC Long Island Rough Riders 2024 2 6 35 Jason Shokalook Forward Chicago Fire SC Chicago Fire FC II 2024 2 10 39 Malik Henry Midfielder CF Montréal Toronto FC II 2024 2 22 51 Dyson Clapier Midfielder Sporting Kansas City Orlando City B 2025 1 7 7 Emil Jääskeläinen Forward St. Louis City SC St. Louis City SC 2

Non-draft MLS players Date Player Position MLS team Current team Notes October 21, 2011 Evan Bush Goalkeeper Montreal Impact Columbus Crew SC Signed for 2012 season December 13, 2012 Wil Trapp Midfielder Columbus Crew SC Inter Miami CF Signed as Home Grown Player January 10, 2013 Chad Barson Defender Columbus Crew SC Retired Signed as Home Grown Player January 11, 2013 DeAndre Yedlin Defender Seattle Sounders FC Newcastle United F.C. Signed as Home Grown Player January 18, 2013 Dillon Serna Midfielder Colorado Rapids Colorado Rapids Signed as Home Grown Player January 21, 2013 Scott Caldwell Midfielder New England Revolution New England Revolution Signed as Home Grown Player February 8, 2017 Adam Najem Midfielder New York Red Bulls Memphis 901 FC Traded Red Bulls Homegrown Rights to Philadelphia Union

References