While 46 players had their names called in the first and second rounds of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft, the third and fourth rounds remain, scheduled for Sunday, January 21.
Below are some of the top players still on the board.
Rafael Andrade Santos
MF, VCU
The best No. 10 in college soccer tumbled out of the top two rounds, with teams likely scared off by his international status. The left-footed attacker has plenty of quality that would benefit the right organization, and could even be trotted out at left back having played there during his youth soccer days.
Jose Carrera-Carcia
MF, California
Another attacking midfielder that didn’t set the world alight at the combine, Carrera-Garcia needed a big performance in Florida in order to get picked in the first two rounds. If a team gives him a shot, the shifty playmaker, who can play a number of different attacking positions, certainly has the ability to make an impact at the next level.
Cory Brown
DF, Xavier
While the left-footed defender is another prospect that saw his stock likely tumble due to being an international, Brown is arguably the best defender left on the board. A center back that was shifted out to the left at times during the combine, he is someone that can come in and compete for a roster spot if a team can account for his New Zealand citizenship.
Niki Jackson
FW, Grand Canyon
An omission from the combine, Jackson’s been one of college soccer’s most prolific strikers during the past four years. The Arizona standout’s been under-the-radar in his four seasons at Grand Canyon, despite scoring 40 goals during that stretch. With so many internationals still on the board, the combination of Jackson’s citizenship and scoring rate certainly makes him worth a late round pick.
Ken Krolicki
MF, Michigan State
In a league with a number of foreign players on the draft board, it was something of a surprise to see Krolicki tumble out of the first two rounds. The Big Ten stalwart is a good central midfielder that can link play in the middle of the park.
Marcelo Acuna
FW, Virginia Tech
Questions remain about Acuna’s MLS viability, as he lacked the high-end pace that teams seek in college prospects. Pair that with his international status – Acuna is Costa Rican – and it’s understandable why he didn’t end up getting picked. The instinctive finisher remains an intriguing option if he can come into a camp and make an impression in the final third, as he has the kind of frame that could compete against MLS defenders.
Nate Shultz
DF Akron
The right back out of Akron struggled against some of the combine’s speedy wide players, and had some moments that likely made scout nervous. If he can come into the a camp to showcase the required defensive ability, he brings plenty to the table going forward and would be a good pick in the later rounds. Any of the Zips remaining on the board – Sam Gainford, Stu Holthusen, Manuel Cordeiro or Pau Belana have shown the quality to get picked at this point in the draft.
Arthur Bosua
FW Columbia
The big striker from the Ivy League stands at 6-foot-4 and carries the frame of a player that can mix it up with MLS defenders. Whether or not he can move well enough to lead the line is a question that likely saw him tumble a bit down draft boards, though he’s been a lethal goal scorer over the past few years at Columbia.
Brian Iloski
MF, UCLA
Like Carrera-Garcia, Iloski is an American No. 10 that teams might hesitate to hand over the keys to the attack. While questions about size and pace could keep teams from being interested, Iloski is a talented and skilled player that could make an impression in the right spot.
Luis Argudo
MF Wake Forest
The speedy and shifty wide player is hard-working, talented enough to thrive in Wake Forest’s possession game, while offering something in the final third. He’s an interesting project that could end up being effective tried as an outside back or as a true winger.
Paul Christensen
GK, Portland
With four goalkeepers selected in the first round, and five overall on Friday, Christensen faces the challenge of finding a team still in search of a shot-stopper. The former U.S. youth international put together a solid body of work with the Pilots and is not too far off the level of the goalkeepers that had their name called on Friday.
