News The 2017 MLS SuperDraft Running Diary by Jeff Rueter on 13 January 2017

LOS ANGELES � Well, the lead-up to the MLS SuperDraft�hasn’t gone as planned.

Leading up to this week, it felt like a given that Minnesota United FC would draft Jeremy Ebobisse. The former Duke man was the consensus top prospect on every board. However, the striker came to the combine three days late after a United States U-20 training session. While he scored in his one match, speculation around LA is that Ebobisse isn’t a Cyle Larin-esque no-brainer with the first pick.

Minnesota United is fielding offers to trade the first pick and may be of two minds here. If they aren’t sold on any one player, trading down is a smart move. On the other hand, there are plenty of difference makers in this class. United has a prime shot to draft one of them.

I’ll update�this with anything I hear this morning.�Updates should come more regularly around 2:00 Central.

10:05 Pacific:

Welcome to the chaos! Alexi Lalas tweeted that he “heard MNUFC had traded their pick.” Minnesota United didn’t�confirmed this as I asked, saying that nothing was done. I’ll keep you posted.

Greetings from the @MLS #superdraft. Hearing that @MNUFC has traded their # 1 pick. Draft starts 3pm ET. pic.twitter.com/V4w57LZcBC — Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) January 13, 2017

11:20 Pacific:

After a flurry of misinformation, I can confirm that Minnesota hasn’t yet traded the first overall pick. Portland and New England are two of the teams pushing hard for the spot. With Minnesota holding all the cards, they won’t make a move until all offers are on the table. The club knows who they want — it’s a matter of someone giving them a reason to part with that player.

11:55 Pacific:

Five minutes to the big selection and still no trade. At this point, it seems Minnesota will hold onto the spot and select either Jeremy Ebobisse or Abu Danladi. They’ve fielded eight or nine phonecalls in the last 16 hours, with none living up to expectations.

12:00 Pacific:

We’re hearing it’ll be Abu Danladi going first to Minnesota United. The winger would be ready to go and able to start on the right wing from day one. We’ll have an article ready as soon as a pick is confirmed. Atlanta United getting flooded with offers for the second pick.

12:10 Pacific:

There it is. Minnesota United takes Abu Danladi. Wes Burdine has much more here.

12:45 Pacific:

Danladi, Minnesota United Miles Robinson, Atlanta United Jonathan Lewis, New York City FC (via trade with Chicago) Jeremy Ebobisse, Portland Timbers (via trade with Houston Dynamo) Alhassan Abubakar, Columbus Crew

Minnesota’s Jackson Yueill drafted 6th overall by San Jose. While head coach Dom Kinnear doesn’t often play his young players, the Earthquakes midfield has plenty of openings. This isn’t a bad landing spot for Yueill.

1:15 Pacific:

7.�Jakob Nerwinski, Vancouver Whitecaps

8. Julian Gressel, Atlanta United

9.�Niko Hansen, Columbus Crew

10. Joe Holland, Houston Dynamo

11. Daniel Johnson, Chicago Fire

12. Chris Odoi-Atsem, D.C. United

13. Reagan Dunk, Real Salt Lake

Head coach Adrian Heath was juggling offers from “nearly every MLS club” before drafting Danladi. “We think the upside of this kid is absolutely massive. He wants to play off the back shoulder. I don’t see him (on the wing). At this moment, I don’t see him playing anywhere but center forward.”

1:55 Pacific:

14.�Colton Storm, Sporting KC

15. Sam Hamilton, Colorado Rapids

16. Kwame Awuah, New York City FC

17. Zeiko Lewis, Rasenballsport New York

18. Jacori Hayes, FC Dallas

In the most, er, poignant�SuperDraft speech so far, Lewis drops some shade on the majority of MLS.

Zeiko Lewis taking it personally that he didn't get selected until the 17th pick by #RBNY. "I'm just going to have to prove you guys wrong." — Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) January 13, 2017

Minnesota United’s table looks busy. There may be trades in the works. Two of the first three second round picks are owned by Minnesota.

2:42 Pacific:

19. Nick DePuy, Montreal Impact

20. Brian Wright, New England Revolution

21. Brandon Aubrey, Toronto FC

22. Brian Nana-Sinkam, Seattle Sounders

Minnesota United drafts goalkeeper Alec Ferrell with the 23rd pick, making him the first GK off the board today. Ferrell had 8 clean sheets in 16 starts for Wake Forest in 2016. He allowed just 9 goals across the other 8 matches. At 6’4″, he looks to be a large, capable netminder for the Loons. I’d expect him to be a year or two away from starting, as most drafted goalkeepers are.

24. Liam Callahan, Colorado Rapids

Minnesota United then trades the 25th pick to Philadelphia for the 42nd pick and $50,000 in 2018 General Allocation Money. This can help them in several ways.

2:50 Pacific:

25. Marcus Epps, Philadelphia Union (via trade with Minnesota United)

26.�Stefan Cleveland, Chicago Fire

27.�Guillermo Delgado, Chicago Fire,

28.�Lindo Mfeka, San Jose Earthquakes

29.�Francis de Vries, Vancouver Whitecaps

30. Jake McGuire, Houston Dynamo

There have been some questions as to why Minnesota United only needed $50,000 of GAM to trade the 25th pick. A few quick thoughts:

First, while $50,000 isn’t a lot, we don’t know how much other second round picks have fetched in past drafts. Second, Minnesota United has used their allocation money quite a bit this offseason and see it as a real asset. They lose a lot of money when the calendar turns to 2018, as expansion teams get a major bump of extra allocation money. This helps them start to make up for�that lost money next year.

Do I think it was enough for what they gave up? Frankly, I don’t. That said, they didn’t rate any players that were being floated for the 25th spot. Better to make a move and see what falls to the 42nd while getting a little something extra.

3:20 Pacific:

31.�Napo Matsoso, New England Revolution

32.�Michael Amick, Portland Timbers

33.�Aaron Jones, Philadelphia Union

34.�Eric Klenofsky, DC United

35.�Justin Schmidt, Real Salt Lake

36.�Danilo Radjen, Houston Dynamo

Things are starting to quiet down at the SuperDraft. Jones, a right back, is a former Ipswich Town academy player. Look for a feature on him later this week. Klenofsky, the top GK prospect before the combine, finds a home in DC United to develop behind Bill Hamid. Meanwhile, former FC Edmonton academy prospect and Generation Adidas midfielder Shamit Shome has fallen out of the first 36 picks. The clubs I’ve spoken with talk about his lack of a true position and wonder how much upside he has. Still, for a player who doesn’t count across the salary cap, his fall is a bit surprising.

3:37 Pacific:

37. Walker Hume, FC Dallas

38. Jalen Brown, New York City FC

39. Ethan Kutler, Rasenballsport New York

40. Adonijah Reid, FC Dallas

41. Shamit Shome, Montreal Impact

Shome’s slide ends, with the midfielder landing cross-country in Montreal. Shome exhibited a little bit of his French knowledge as he heads to Quebec.

"I'm going to work my ass off — er, work my hardest." Shamit Shome, Legend. #SuperDraft — Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) January 13, 2017

Meanwhile, Minnesota United drafts Thomas de Villardi from Delaware with pick 42. A non-combine player, de Villardi was a good distributor of the ball in college. The French-born player can play the midfield but was announced as a defender.

43. Jo-Vetle Rimstad, D.C. United

44. Dominic Oduro, Seattle Sounders

That concludes the SuperDraft. What are your immediate thoughts? Sound off in the comment section below.