FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The 2017 MLS season is (unofficially) upon us.
Preseason camps won’t open for another two weeks and regular-season games don’t kick off for another two months, but Friday afternoon’s MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas marks something of a new beginning as the entire league descends upon Los Angeles.
We’ll have complete coverage from the West Coast on both Thursday and Friday – including interviews with General Manager Michael Burns, head coach Jay Heaps and Revolution draft picks – but before we head cross country, here are the answers to some pertinent questions.
When and where can I watch the 2017 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas?
The first two rounds of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas will get underway at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, January 13, from the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Happen to be in LA on Friday? You can attend the SuperDraft free of charge. Otherwise, you can watch a live stream on MLSSoccer.com; we’ll provide a link to that stream on the day of the draft.
Additionally, we’ll provide complete coverage from a Revolution perspective throughout the day right here, including both written and video content from the draft floor.
Rounds three and four of the SuperDraft will take place next Tuesday, January 17, via conference call.
Which picks do the Revolution currently hold?
As of Tuesday afternoon, New England hold the 20th overall pick (1st round), 31st overall pick (2nd round) and 75th overall pick (4th round).
The Revs acquired the 20th overall pick from the Colorado Rapids as part of the Jermaine Jones deal last March, while the 31st overall pick and the 75th overall pick are New England’s natural selections.
The Revolution’s natural first-round selection (ninth overall) was sent to Columbus Crew SC in the deal to acquire Kei Kamara last May, while their natural third-round selection (53rd overall) was sent to FC Dallas in the deal to acquire Je-Vaughn Watson last March.
Could the Revolution move up or down in the draft order?
In short, yes. Anything and everything is possible ahead of (and during) Friday’s SuperDraft.
Four years ago the Revs traded up from fourth to first the day before the draft to snag Andrew Farrell, while three years ago they moved up from 12th to 11th to select Patrick Mullins. Two years ago they traded the 33rd overall pick on draft day to acquire Sean Okoli from Seattle Sounders FC.
“When you have the entire league, essentially, in the same hotel and watching the same (Combine) games, there are lots of conversations that take place all the time,” GM Michael Burns said on Monday. “Most of them don’t usually materialize to anything.
“But there are obviously times and conversations to be had about whether it makes sense to try to move up or move down and we’ve done both in the past. Those conversations happen on a daily basis while we’re out here.”
Where can I find the full draft order?
The full draft order for the 2017 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas can be found HERE, including a tracker to follow live on Friday. Minnesota United currently hold the top overall pick, while fellow expansion side Atlanta United have the second overall pick.
Who are the top prospects in this year’s SuperDraft?
MLSSoccer.com contributor Will Parchman has compiled his top 10 SuperDraft prospects (and their MLS doppelgangers), while Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle’s mock draft version 1.0 can be found HERE.
Are those pieces definitive? Certainly not, but at least they’ll give you a general idea of which names might be called on Friday afternoon, and some background on each player.
