DFW trio eyeing high picks in the 2023 NWSL Draft

Thursday sees the 2023 NWSL Draft take place in Philadelphia with nine players registered from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Angel City FC made a rapid move for the number one spot on the day Alyssa Thompson declared for the draft, all but assuring the two-cap forward turning pro out of high school will be the number one pick. Forty-seven selections remain with over 200 players registered, and a third successive year of DFW representation in the first round looks likely.

2022 NWSL Draft

Last year Diana Ordoñez was taken 6th overall by the North Carolina Courage. The former FC Dallas forward broke the NWSL record for goals in a season by a rookie, finishing with 11 as the Courage won the NWSL Challenge Cup but missed the playoffs by a single point. Ordoñez was also called up to a US U-23 camp before winning three caps for Mexico’s senior team.

Madison Haley was selected seventh in the 2021 edition. The Dallas Texans forward, and daughter of Cowboys great Charles Haley, was picked by the Chicago Red Stars but opted for Sydney FC after a year out of the sport.

DFW Prospects for 2023 NWSL Draft

Reyna Reyes – Def/Mid – Alabama / FC Dallas

A teammate of Ordoñez with El Tri, Reyna Reyes is a modern attacking fullback who can play either side or push up into the midfield. The 2022 SEC Defender of the Year was a key component to Alabama’s run to the College Cup semifinal, making the All-Tournament team.

The Garland native ranks highly with boards and mock drafts listing her left back potential leading towards a pick anywhere in the top-ten.

Riley Mattingly Parker – Fwd – Solar / Alabama

The Flower Mound forward set new records for the Crimson Tide in goals (17) and points (41) in 2022. Like Reyes, the former Solar player was a MAC Hermann semifinalist for this most recent year.

Coming off a torn ACL in 2021, Riley Mattingly Parker could be seen as a risk with one incredible season before forgoing her final year of eligibility, but her intensity and ability to find space in the box could be an attractive proposition in the mid-to-late first round if not the second.

Messiah Bright – Fwd – Solar SC / TCU

The Dallas-born striker has been described as the most polarizing player of this draft class. 2021 saw Messiah Bright earn a similar stat line to Mattingly Parker’s total in 2022. Bright tallied 17 goals and 40 points but followed up with 11 goals and 26 points in her final season at TCU.

Bright has been accused of going missing in big games, with no goals from three games in the NCAA tournament but her overall numbers have propelled her to as high as 10th in some mock drafts. A US U-23 callup in June won’t hurt Bright’s stock

The Draft

The NWSL Draft will be broadcast on Paramount+ and CBS Sports platforms from 5pm CST on Thursday, January 12.

Full list of players registered from DFW for the 2023 NWSL Draft.

First NameLast NameUniversity/SchoolPosition(s)
Played
HometownYouth ClubCountry
MessiahBrightTexas Christian UniversityForwardDesoto, TexasSolar SCUnited States
HaileyDavidsonUniversity of PittsburghForward
Defender
Prosper, TexasFC DallasUnited States
TameirGrosvenorTexas Wesleyan UniversityForwardDesoto, TexasStingUnited States
ErykaMcIntyreOklahoma State UniversityMidfielder DefenderFort Worth, TexasSolar SCUnited States
DaniMurguiaUniversity of GeorgiaForward MidfielderCleburne, TexasFC DallasUnited States
RileyMattingly ParkerUniversity of AlabamaForward
Midfielder
Flower Mound, TexasSolar SCUnited States
ReynaReyesUniversity of AlabamaMidfielder
Defender
Garland, TexasFC DallasUnited States
CourtneySebazcoSouthern Methodist UniversityMidfielderFort Worth, TexasSolar SCUnited States
KionnaSimonOklahoma State UniversityForward
Defender
Denton, TexasSolar SCUnited States

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