2014 MLS SuperDraft Primer

This Thursday, Real Salt Lake will participate in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft hosted in Philadelphia. The annual league event will be slightly different this year and will consist of four rounds instead of last year’s format which featured a two-round SuperDraft followed by a Supplemental Draft. The first two rounds of the SuperDraft will be held this Thursday starting at 10:00 a.m. MT and will be broadcast live on ESPNEWS. The third and fourth rounds will be held the following week on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Real Salt Lake isn’t likely to see too much action this Thursday as the Claret-and-Cobalt only holds the 18^th overall pick in the first round and no second round pick. RSL does have one-third round pick and one fourth-round choice with the 53^rd and 70^th overall selections which will be used the following week. The Claret-and-Cobalt initially held the 56^th overall pick, but it was sent to D.C. United as part of this August’s trade that saw RSL acquire DF Brandon McDonald.

The MLS SuperDraft was initially created to give underperforming teams a better chance at competing the next season by offering them the first selections in the SuperDraft, with expansion teams or the last placed team getting the first pick. In this year’s SuperDraft, D.C. United, which finished the 2013 season with the worst league record, will have the first choice.

Although Real Salt Lake only has one pick in the first two rounds, there is always the possibility of last minute negotiations so Thursday’s action should still prove to be entertaining for RSL fans. It will also be interesting to see where some of the most promising young talent ultimately ends up and how next season’s competition will start to stack up. Below is the first round draft order, and you can find complete coverage of the SuperDraft and MLS Player Combine by MLSsoccer.com here.

First Round

1. D.C. United
2. Philadelphia Union
3. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
4. New England Revolution
5. FC Dallas
6. Philadelphia Union
7. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
8. Chicago Fire
9. San Jose Earthquakes
10. Montreal Impact
11. Colorado Rapids
12. New England Revolution
13. Seattle Sounders FC
14. Columbus Crew
15. Toronto FC
16. Houston Dynamo
17. Portland Timbers
18. Real Salt Lake
19. New England Revolution