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PDL Standouts Highlight 2018 MLS SuperDraft

By USLPDL.com Staff, 01/19/18, 4:40PM EST

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36 league alumni selected including top prospects, award-winners

TAMPA, Fla. – Premier Development League standouts took center stage at the 2018 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Friday at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, with 18 of the league’s alumni being selected in the First Round and 36 of the 46 selections overall – accounting for 78 percent of the day’s selections – as they learned where they will start their professional careers this spring.

Leading the league’s selections were the two top prospects from the senior and junior class, with the Michigan Bucks’ Francis Atuahene, a 2017 PDL All-Central Conference selection and Generation adidas signee, being selected No. 4 overall by FC Dallas, and former Carolina Dynamo and FC Tucson standout Jon Bakero going with the No. 5 selection to the Chicago Fire after having claimed the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy earlier this month for Wake Forest.

Two of the PDL’s 2017 Award Winners were also selected in the First Round, with Most Valuable Player Brian Wright being selected with the No. 16 selection by the New York Red Bulls after shining for the Red Bulls U23 this past summer. Goalkeeper of the Year Ben Lundgard – also of the Red Bulls U23 – was then selected with the No. 21 selection by Columbus Crew SC.

In addition to the players selected in the SuperDraft on Friday, numerous PDL Top Prospects have also joined the professional ranks as MLS Homegrown signings this offseason. No. 5 Senior Prospect Foster Langsdorf (San Francisco FC / Portland Timbers U-23s) was the latest addition as he joined Portland Timbers FC on Friday morning.

Other PDL alumni signed as Homegrown Players included No. 1 sophomore prospect Cam Lindley of Wilmington Hammerheads FC heading to Orlando City SC, No. 12 senior prospect Kevin Politz of the New York Red Bulls U23 signing with the organization’s MLS club, No. 15 junior prospect Aaron Herrera of FC Tucson and No. 15 senior prospect Corey Baird of the Burlingame Dragons both joining Real Salt Lake, and No. 19 junior prospect J.T. Marcinkowski of Burlingame Dragons FC signing with the San Jose Earthquakes.

2018 MLS SuperDraft

First Round

(Overall Pick No. – Name – Position – College – PDL Team – MLS team – PDL Award(s))

1. – Joao Moutinho – D – Akron – Los Angeles FC
2. – Tomas Hillard-Arce – D – Stanford – LA Galaxy
3. – Tristan Blackmon – D – Pacific – Burlingame Dragons FC – Los Angeles FC
4. – Francis Atuahene – F – Michigan – Michigan Bucks – FC Dallas – 2017 PDL All-Central Conference
5. – Jon Bakero – F – Wake Forest – Carolina Dynamo – Chicago Fire
6. – Chris Mueller – F – Wisconsin – Chicago FC United – Orlando City SC – 2017 PDL All-Central Conference

7. – Mason Toye – F – Indiana – Minnesota United FC
8. – Brandon Bye – D – Western Michigan – New England Revolution
9. – Mark Segbers – D – Wisconsin – Chicago FC United – New England Revolution
10. – Mo Adams – M – Syracuse – Reading United AC – Chicago Fire – 2016 PDL All-Eastern Conference
11. – Ema Twumasi – F – Wake Forest – GPS Portland Phoenix – FC Dallas

12. – Paul Marie – M – Florida International – Reading United AC
13. – Eric Dick – GK – Butler – OKC Energy FC U23 – 2017 PDL All-Southern Conference

14. – Jon Gallagher – F – Notre Dame – Atlanta United
15. – Wyatt Omsberg – D – Dartmouth – Seacoast United Phantoms – Minnesota United FC – 2017 PDL All-League, 2017 PDL All-Eastern Conference
16. – Brian White – F – Duke University – New York Red Bulls U23 – New York Red Bulls – 2017 PDL Most Valuable Player, 2017 PDL All-League, 2017 PDL All-Eastern Conference
17. – Justin Fiddes – D – Washington – Southern California Surf – Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18. – Graham Smith – M – Denver – Colorado Rapids U23 – Sporting Kansas City
19. – Jeff Caldwell – GK – Virginia – Colorado Rapids U23 – New York City FC
20. – Michael Nelson – GK – SMU – OKC Energy FC U23 – Houston Dynamo
21. – Ben Lundgard – GK – Virginia Tech – New York Red Bulls U23 – Columbus Crew SC – 2017 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year, 2017 PDL All-League, 2017 PDL All-Eastern Conference
22. – Alex Roldan – M – Seattle – Washington Crossfire – Seattle Sounders FC
23. – Carter Manley – D – Duke – D.C. United U23 – Minnesota United FC

Second Round

24. – Pol Calvet Planellas – M – Pittsburgh – Los Angeles FC
25. – Alan Winn – F – North Carolina – Tobacco Road FC – Colorado Rapids
26. – Lucas Stauffer – D – Creighton – Des Moines Menace – Vancouver Whitecaps FC
27. – Frandtzy Pierrot – F – Coastal Carolina – Reading United AC – Colorado Rapids

28. – Tim Kubel – D – Louisville – Toronto FC
29. – Mauro Cichero – F – SMU – OKC Energy FC U23 – FC Dallas
30. – Danny Musovski – F – UNLV – FC Tucson – San Jose Earthquakes
31. – Niko de Vera – D – Akron – Portland Timbers U-23s – New York Red Bulls
32. – Edward Opoku – M – Virginia – AC Connecticut – Columbus Crew SC
33. – Ricky Lopez-Espin – F – Creighton – Tampa Bay Rowdies U23 – Real Monarchs SLC
34. – Chris Lema – M – Georgetown – New York Red Bulls U23 – FC Dallas
35. – Mohamed Thiaw – F – Louisville – Portland Timbers U-23s – San Jose Earthquakes

36. – Oliver Shannon – M – Clemson – Atlanta United
37. – Gordon Wild – F – Maryland – Atlanta United
38. – Diego Campos – M – Clemson – SIMA Aguilas – Chicago Fire
39. – Tom Barlow – F – Wisconsin – Chicago FC United – New York Red Bulls
40. – Drew Skundrich – M – Stanford – Burlingame Dragons FC – LA Galaxy

41. – Xavier Gomez – M – Nebraska-Omaha – Minnesota United FC
42. – AJ Paterson – D – Wright State – Southwest Florida Adrenaline – New York City FC
43. – Mac Steeves – F – Providence – FC Boston – Houston Dynamo
44. – Jake Rozhansky – M – Maryland – D.C. United U23 – Columbus Crew SC
45. – Markus Fjortoft – F – Duke – New York Red Bulls U23 – Seattle Sounders FC
46. – Drew Shepherd – GK – Western Michigan – Michigan Bucks – Toronto FC 


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