The 2023 MLS SuperDraft was the 24th edition of the SuperDraft conducted by Major League Soccer. It was held on December 21, 2022, becoming the first SuperDraft to be held in December, but retained the 2023 branding. The draft was conducted via conference call and streamed online. Previously, the SuperDraft had been held in conjunction with the annual January United Soccer Coaches convention.
Since 2021, the SuperDraft has consisted of three rounds. Teams that received fourth-round picks for this draft via past trades received compensatory picks instead. The first overall pick is awarded to expansion team St. Louis City SC and the remaining picks are set by 2022 regular season and post-season results in reverse order.
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 announced that St. Louis City SC would debut in 2023 instead of 2022, and the league's expansion to Sacramento was put on hiatus indefinitely. 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^ Member of 2023 Generation Adidas class† Player who was named to an MLS Best XI and Generation AdidasSigned key 28 Denotes player who signed for a MLS team (Division I) 4 Denotes player who signed for a USL Championship team (Division II) 38 Denotes player who signed for a MLS Next Pro, USL League One or NISA team (Division III) 3 Denotes player who signed for a team outside the United States soccer league system 7 Denotes player who returned to college team Positions keyGK GoalkeeperDF DefenderMF MidfielderFW Forward
Round 1 MLS team Player College ConferenceAcademy team(s)Other team(s)Signed 1 Charlotte FC Hamady Diop DF Clemson ACC SIMA Águilas 2 FW Duke ACC Black Rock FC Orlando City SC 3 Colorado Rapids Moïse Bombito DF America East CS Saint-Hubert Colorado Rapids 4 Joshua Bolma MF Maryland Big Ten Rising Stars AcademyBlack Rock FC Ocean City Nor'eastersWestchester Flames New England Revolution 5 J.C. Ngando MF UNC Greensboro SoCon AmiensParis FC 6 Orlando City SC Duncan McGuire FW Creighton Big East Elkhorn SC Lane United FC Orlando City SC 7 Real Salt Lake Ilijah Paul FW Washington Pac-12 Valparaiso UnitedReal Salt LakePhoenix Rising FC FC TucsonCrossfire Redmond Real Salt Lake 8 Sporting Kansas City Stephen Afrifa FW FIU American Woodbridge Strikers One Knoxville SC Sporting Kansas City 9 St. Louis City SC Owen O'Malley MF Creighton Big East North Carolina FC Boston BoltsVermont Green FC St. Louis City SC 10 San Jose Earthquakes Daniel Munie DF Indiana Big Ten Saint Louis FC St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC San Jose Earthquakes 11 Nashville SC Joey Skinner DF Clemson ACC Charlotte Independence Charlotte Independence 2 Nashville SC 12 Charlotte FC Patrick Agyemang FW Rhode Island A-10 Hartford Hellions Western Mass Pioneers Charlotte FC 13 Austin FC CJ Fodrey FW San Diego State Pac-12 Albion SCSan Diego SurfSan Diego NomadsLA Galaxy San Diego Loyal SC Austin FC 14 Columbus Crew Maximilian Arfsten FW UC Davis Big West California Odyssey San Jose Earthquakes II Columbus Crew 15 Portland Timbers Noel Caliskan MF Loyola Marymount West Coast 1. FC KölnFortuna Düsseldorf Flint City BucksSpVg Frechen 20 Portland Timbers 2 16 Real Salt Lake Bertin Jacquesson FW Pittsburgh ACC Strasbourg Real Salt Lake 17 Orlando City SC Abdi Salim DF Syracuse ACC Delaware SCEmpire United Ocean City Nor'easters Orlando City SC 18 Inter Miami CF Cole Jensen GK Xavier Big East Elkhorn SC Inter Miami CF 19 Minnesota United FC Ryen Jiba DF SLCC NJCAA Sparta United Park City Red Wolves SCUnion Omaha Minnesota United FC 20 Austin FC Valentin Noël MF Pittsburgh ACC Chamois Niortais Austin FC II 21 New York Red Bulls Elian Haddock GK Yale Ivy Bavarian SC 22 FC Cincinnati Joey Akpunonu DF Bowling Green MAC Pacesetter SC Toledo Villa FC FC Cincinnati 23 LA Galaxy Gino Vivi FW Central Florida AAC Deportivo Saprissa LA Galaxy 24 FC Dallas Herbert Endeley FW Indiana Big Ten Minneapolis United Minneapolis City SC FC Dallas 25 Real Salt Lake Emeka Eneli FW Cornell Ivy Columbus CrewOhio Premier Lionsbridge FCFlint City Bucks Real Salt Lake 26 New York City FC Malcolm Johnston MF Maryland Big Ten Vaughan Azzurri Vaughan Azzurri Whitecaps FC 2 27 Columbus Crew Xavier Zengue DF Dayton A-10 St. Paul BlackhawksMinnesota Thunder Minneapolis City SC Columbus Crew 2 28 Philadelphia Union Holden Trent GK High Point Big South Carolina RapidsNC FusionCharlotte Independence South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 Philadelphia Union 29 Levonte Johnson FW Syracuse ACC Master's FA Capital FCChicago FC United Whitecaps FC 2
Round 2 MLS team Player College ConferenceAcademy teamOther teamSigned 30 St. Louis City SC John Klein MF Saint Louis A-10 Portland Timbers Portland Timbers 2Chicago FC UnitedKaw Valley FC 31 D.C. United Ben Stitz MF Penn Ivy Baltimore Celtic FC Baltimore Christos FC Cincinnati 2 32 Toronto FC Jalen Watson DF Penn State Big Ten Erin Mills SC Toronto FC II 33 San Jose Earthquakes Liam Butts FW Penn State Big Ten Gwinnett Soccer AcademyAtlanta United FC East Atlanta FC Penn State 34 Houston Dynamo FC Isaiah Reid FW Clemson ACC Charlotte Soccer Academy Houston Dynamo 2 35 Nashville SC Sean Suber DF Charlotte American Carolina Rapids Huntsville City FC 36 Atlanta United FC Tyler Young MF Campbell Big South Carolina Rapids Charlotte Eagles Atlanta United 2 37 Sporting Kansas City Chris Rindov DF Maryland Big Ten Olney Soccer Sporting Kansas City 38 Seattle Sounders FC FW Kentucky Sun Belt Ull/KisaNardo FK Vermont Green FC Tacoma Defiance 39 New England Revolution Victor Souza DF Boston College ACC Met OvalNew York City FC Lionsbridge FC New England Revolution II 40 Charlotte FC Nick Scardina FW Washington Pac-12 Portland Timbers PDX FCCrossfire Redmond Charlotte FC 41 Colorado Rapids Oliver Semmle GK Marshall Sun Belt FC Rastatt 04Karlsruher SC Louisville City FC 42 Daniel Nimick DF Western Michigan MAC Leeds UnitedHarrogate Town Grand Rapids FCSouth Bend Lions HFX Wanderers FC 43 Columbus Crew Clay Holstad MF Kentucky Sun Belt Birmingham United Dalton Red Wolves SC Columbus Crew 2 44 Portland Timbers Ryan Bilichuk GK Elon CAA D.C. UnitedBarca Residency Academy Greenville FCAsheville City SC Portland Timbers 2 45 Real Salt Lake Amferny Sinclair MF Syracuse ACC AlajuelenseOnce de Abril Reading UnitedFC BuffaloOne Knoxville SC Real Monarchs 46 Orlando City SC Luis Grassow DF Kentucky Sun Belt TSV NeuriedSpVgg UnterhachingSV Planegg-Krailling FC PipinsriedSSV Ulm 1846TSV NeuriedOcean City Nor'easters Retired 47 Inter Miami CF Bachir Ndiaye MF UNC Wilmington CAA Onslow Classic Asheville City SC Charlotte Independence 48 Minnesota United FC Emmanuel Iwe MF St. Cloud State NSIC Joy Athletic Club Joy St. Louis ParkMinnesota United FC 2 Minnesota United FC 2 49 Nashville SC Alex Meinhard FW Tulsa AAC Santos Tartu Santos Tartu Clemson 50 New York Red Bulls Ethan Conley DF UNC Greensboro SoCon Sockers FC Chicago North Carolina Fusion U23 UNC Greensboro 51 FC Cincinnati Hunter Morse GK Western Michigan MAC Michigan Wolves Detroit City FCKalamazoo FC FC Cincinnati 2 52 LA Galaxy Russell Shealy GK Syracuse ACC Darlington AcademyConcorde FireAtlanta United FC Georgia Revolution FCReading United Crown Legacy FC 53 FC Dallas Ryan Wittenbrink FW Indiana Big Ten FC UnitedLibertyville FC 1974 Chicago FC United 54 CF Montréal Milo Garvanian DF North Carolina ACC Rio Rapids SCColorado Rapids South Georgia Tormenta FC 2Tennessee SC New Mexico United 55 New York City FC FW Franklin Pierce NE-10 OdivelasBenficaAD OeirasOs BelenensesReal SintraWestern Mass Pioneers Tacoma Defiance 56 Austin FC Jackson Wälti MF Pittsburgh ACC SIMA Águilas Austin FC II 57 Philadelphia Union Stefan Stojanovic FW Georgetown Big East Sockers FC Chicago Chicago FC UnitedPhiladelphia Union II Philadelphia Union II 58 Los Angeles FC Jassem Koleilat GK New Hampshire America East LavalSparta Prague Seacoast United Phantoms Los Angeles FC 2
Round 3 MLS team Player College ConferenceAcademy teamOther teamSigned 59 Blake Bowen DF San Diego State Pac-12 OC Surf Tacoma Defiance 60 D.C. United Aidan Rocha MF Georgetown Big East Bethesda SC Loudoun United FC 61 Toronto FC Charlie Sharp FW Western Michigan MAC Michigan Wolves Flint City Bucks Western Michigan 62 San Jose Earthquakes Hunter George FW Maryland Big Ten Sacramento Republic FC 63 Houston Dynamo FC Frantz Pierrot FW Connecticut Big East FC Westchester Reading UnitedBoston BoltsSeacoast United Phantoms Athlone Town 64 Chicago Fire FC Noah Egan DF Vermont America East Strikers FC Irvine Magia FA Chicago Fire II 65 Nashville SC Makel Rasheed DF Xavier Big East McLean Soccer Asheville City SC Xavier 66 New York City FC MD Myers FW Rutgers Big Ten Philadelphia Union Ocean City Nor'easters New York City FC II 67 Chicago Fire FC Billy Hency MF Loyola-Chicago A-10 Sporting STL Chicago FC United Chicago Fire II 68 New England Revolution Andreas Ueland DF Virginia ACC Bryne FK Chicago Fire II 69 Charlotte FC Andrew Privett MF Penn State Big Ten Baltimore Armour Christos FC Charlotte FC 70 Colorado Rapids PASS 71 Buster Sjöberg DF Syracuse ACC IFK UppsalaIK Sirius Gamla Upsala SKOne Knoxville SC Syracuse 72 Austin FC Salvatore Mazzaferro DF South Florida AAC Toronto FC Austin FC II 73 Portland Timbers Jaden Jones-Riley DF Dayton A-10 Tallahassee SCOne Knoxville SC Portland Timbers 2 74 Real Salt Lake Moses Mensah DF Campbell Big South WA All Stars Des Moines MenaceOne Knoxville SC 75 CF Montréal Ousman Jabang DF Mercer SoCon Georgia SoccerAtlanta United FC Georgia Revolution FC CF Montréal 76 Chicago Fire FC Wilmer Cabrera Jr. FW Butler Big East Colorado RapidsIMG AcademyHouston Dynamo FC Brazos Valley Cavalry FCRio Grande Valley FC Real Cartagena 77 LA Galaxy PASS 78 Nashville SC Rory O'Driscoll MF New Hampshire America East Minneapolis UnitedMinnesota Thunder North Carolina Fusion U23Minneapolis City SC 79 New York Red Bulls MF Boston College ACC New England RevolutionDinamo ZagrebLegia Warsaw Western Mass Pioneers 80 FC Cincinnati London Aghedo DF Air Force WAC Real SoCal FC Cincinnati 81 LA Galaxy PASS 82 FC Dallas Kameron Lacey FW Charlotte AAC Miramar UnitedSIMA ÁguilasFC DallasOrlando City SC Asheville City SC Minnesota United FC 2 83 CF Montréal Nick Christoffersen GK Penn Ivy Toronto FC Toronto FC IIWest Chester United SCVermont Green FC Penn 84 Nashville SC Lyam MacKinnon FW Villanova Big East Lausanne-Sport Reading UnitedWest Chester United SC Greenville Triumph SC 85 Portland Timbers Tyler Clegg DF James Madison Sun Belt Evergreen Hammers Evergreen FCNorthern Virginia FCAsheville City SC Portland Timbers 2 86 Philadelphia Union PASS 87 Los Angeles FC Noah Dollenmayer DF CCAA Sporting San Fernando FC Golden State Force Los Angeles FC 2
Round 4 Compensatory pick for a trade done before the SuperDraft was downsized to only three rounds.
MLS team Player College ConferenceAcademy teamOther teamSigned 88 Portland Timbers PASS
Notable undrafted players Homegrown players
Original MLS teamPlayerPositionCollegeConferenceNotesRef. Seattle Sounders FC San Diego State Pac-12 New York Red Bulls DF Connecticut Big East
Eligible players who signed outside of MLS in 2023 This is a list of eligible players who signed in leagues outside of MLS prior to the SuperDraft, but were still draft eligible. PlayerNat.PositionCollegeConferenceTeamLeagueNotesRef. Nathan Opoku FW Syracuse ACC Leicester City Premier League
Other notable players
Original MLS Team Player Pos Affiliation Played in MLS Notes Houston Dynamo FC Charles Auguste MF Creighton 2023–
Summary Selections by college athletic conference