Major League Soccer has released their pool of players eligible for selection in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft next Thursday. So I combed through the list looking for local connections and here’s the list I came up with.
Keep in mind this is an odd year with college players being granted an extra year of eligibility. So many player could opt to return to college.
The draft is set set for Jan. 21 at 2 pm ET with the first round streamed live on MLSsoccer.com, the MLS App, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pluto TV.
It’s more than likely that I missed someone, so comment below or shoot me a tweet and I’ll update the list.
SMU
| Name | Pos. | Hometown | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noah Hilt | M | Centennial, CO | Regis Jesuit |
| Jon-Talen Maples | D | Leander, TX | Lonestar SC |
| Brandon Terwege | CB | Highland Village, TX | UCLA, FC Dallas |
Hilt and Terwege are still listed on the SMU ’20-’21 roster but Maples is not. My assumption is Terwege and Hilt are going to stay at SMU for this shortened spring season.
Non-FCD DFW Connections
| Name | Pos. | College | Academy/Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Constant | D | UNC, New Mexico | Dallas Texans |
Again it’s more than likely that I missed someone, so comment below or shoot me a tweet and I’ll update the list.
Solar SC and Dallas Texans in particular.
FC Dallas Academy Alumni
| Name | Pos. | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Hale | G | Furman | Played with Diablos Estudiantes in the Roja Invierno. |
| Nicky Hernandez | M | SMU | Under contract with North Texas SC for 2021. |
| Giovanni Montes De Oca | F/M | UNC | A player I would really like to see with NTXSC. |
| Mark Salas | D | UNC | I had him as a potential Homegrown. I’d love to see him at NTXSC. |
| Martin Salas | D | UNC | Mark’s older brother. |
| Brandon Terwege | CB | SMU | Played with Diablos Estudiantes in the Roja Invierno. |
| Blake Willis | LB | Columbia | I wouldn’t mind seeing as a NTX reserve. Played with Diablos Estudiantes in the Roja Invierno. |
| Aldo Quevedo | F | Yale | Part of the Dallas Cup Champion side. |
FC Dallas may need to draft Nicky Hernandez if they want to elevate him to MLS in the next two years. Yes, he’s under USL-1 contract but another team could pick him and own his MLS rights for two seasons.
And before you say that wouldn’t happen. FC Dallas did the very same thing to Dylan Castanheira after he signed with Atlanta United 2. FCD eventually trades his rights to Inter Miami.
Where Dallas picks Hernandez may be quite telling in how they regard him.