2020 MLS SuperDraft Tracker: Miami Takes Robbie Robinson No. 1

MLS's two newest clubs kicked off the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, whose process has been modified after years of a consistent template.

Gone is the connection to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America annual conference. Gone is the MLS Combine, where players would congregate for a few days preceding the draft, play a few scrimmages with teammates who they've hardly ever played with before, conduct interviews with teams and have their draft stock significantly impacted. Gone is the notorious night-before soiree at the hotel bar, where club executives would famously discuss deals and plant the seeds for draft-day trades.  

In is the new template: a draft streamed on Twitter, without the pomp and circumstance of a gathering in a convention center ballroom. It's a sign of the times, with the college pipeline–while still potentially influential–not nearly as much of a piece of the roster-building puzzle as international scouting and signings improve and focus is stressed elsewhere.

Nevertheless, the show goes on in some capacity, and for many talented players, this is a moment they've strived to reach. MLS announced its Generation Adidas class, made up of five underclassmen whose salaries won't immediately count against a team's salary cap and who are expected to fly off the shelves first. Expansion sides Inter Miami and Nashville owned the first three picks between them and had the first crack at top prospects like forwards Robbie Robinson (Clemson) and Daryl Dike (Virginia), midfielder Ryan Raposo (Syracuse) and center backs Jack Maher (Indiana) and Henry Kessler (Virginia).

Here are the picks for Thursday's first two rounds, with the remaining two set for Jan. 13.

ROUND 1

1. Inter Miami - Robbie Robinson, F, Clemson

Robinson won the Hermann Trophy as the best player in college soccer. He tied for the most goals in the country this season with 18 and was fifth in assists with nine. He'll join an attacking corps that is expected to be boosted by a big-name Designated Player and already features young Argentines in Julian Carranza and Matias Pellegrini and U.S. forwards Juan Agudelo and Jerome Kiesewetter.

2. Nashville - Jack Maher, D, Indiana

Maher is a USA U-23 international and considered to be the best defensive prospect available. Center back isn't a position of overwhelming strength for Nashville, giving Maher a chance to make an immediate impact for the expansion side. Nashville spiced things up by bringing a contingent to surprise Maher at his family's watch party.

3. Inter Miami (via FC Cincinnati) - Dylan Nealis, D, Georgetown

Nealis was a star for the national champion Hoyas and comes from a soccer family. Older brother Jimmy also went to Georgetown and played at one point for the New York Cosmos, while one brother, Sean, went to Hofstra and is in the New York Red Bulls' set-up. Another brother, Connor, played at Binghamton. He'll compete for minutes at right back from the start.

4. Vancouver Whitecaps - Ryan Raposo, M, Syracuse

The Canadian winger goes to his native country after a season in which he had 15 goals and seven assists. Only FC Cincinnati scored fewer goals than Vancouver last season, so any contributions in 2020 are welcome.

5. Orlando City - Daryl Dike, F, Virginia

Dike pushed Robinson for top-forward honors in this class. The younger brother of former MLS forward Bright Dike, Daryl led UVA to the College Cup final with 10 goals and eight assists on the season.

6. New England Revolution (via Sporting KC) - Henry Kessler, D, Virginia

UVA players go back-to-back, with Kessler, the center back, going to play for a former UVA coach in Bruce Arena. The 6-4 defender anchored UVA's stingy, NCAA-best defense and fits the prototype of a college star who translates to solid MLS pro.

7. Columbus Crew - Miguel Berry, F, San Diego

8. Houston Dynamo - Garrett McLaughlin, F, SMU

9. Montreal Impact - Jeremy Kelly, D, North Carolina

10. New York Red Bulls (via Chicago Fire) - Patrick Seagrist, D, Marquette

11. Nashville SC (via Colorado Rapids) - Alistair Johnson, D, Wake Forest

12. San Jose Earthquakes - Tanner Beason, D, Stanford

13. Nashville SC (via New England Revolution) - Elliot Panicco, GK, Charlotte

14. FC Dallas - Nkosi Burgess, D, Seattle

15. New York Red Bulls - Cherif Dieye, M, Louisville

16. Portland Timbers - Aaron Molloy, M, Penn State

17. FC Dallas (via D.C. United) - Cal Jennings, F, Central Florida

18. Minnesota United - Noah Billingsley, D, UCSB

19. Toronto FC (via LA Galaxy) - Nyal Higgins, D, Syracuse

20. Real Salt Lake - Dayonn Harris, F, Connecticut

21. D.C. United (via Philadelphia Union) - Simon Lefebvre, GK, Temple

22. NYCFC - Jesus Perez, M, Illinois-Chicago

23. Atlanta United - Patrick Nielsen, Michigan State

24. LAFC - Paulo Pita, GK, Marshall

25. Toronto FC - Achara, M, Georgetown

26. Chicago Fire (via Seattle Sounders) - Jonathan Jimenez, D, Pacific

ROUND 2

27. San Jose Earthquakes (via Inter Miami) - Jack Skahan, M, UNC

28. Nashville SC - Tanner Dieterich, M, Clemson

29. FC Cincinnati - Rey Ortiz, F, Portland

30. New England Revolution (via Vancouver Whitecaps) - Simon Lekressner, D, California

31. Orlando City - Joey DeZart, M, Wake Forest

32. Vancouver Whitecaps (via Sporting KC) - Daniel Gagliardi, GK, Florida International

33. Toronto FC (via Columbus Crew) - Malick Mbaye, D, Clemson

34. Houston Dynamo - Luka Prpa, M, Marquette

35. Seattle Sounders (via Chicago Fire, Montreal Impact) - Danny Reynolds, D, UNC Wilmington

36. New York Red Bulls (via Chicago Fire) - Wallis Lapsley, GK, UC Davis

37. Colorado Rapids (via Sporting KC) - Robin Afemefuna, D, Virginia

38. San Jose Earthquakes - Jon Bell, D, UMBC

39. Orlando City (via New England Revolution) - Jonathan Dean, D, Central Florida

40. FC Dallas - Manuel Ferriol, M, James Madison

41. New York Red Bulls - Deri Corfe, F, Wright State

42. D.C. United (via Portland Timbers) - Josh Fawole, F, Loyola

43. New England Revolution (via D.C. United) - Keegan Mayer, GK, High Point

44. Orlando City (via Minnesota United) - Austin Aviza, GK, Providence

45. LA Galaxy - Tom Smart, D, Akron

46. Real Salt Lake - Michael Wetungu, D, Michigan State

47. Columbus Crew (via Philadelphia Union) - Remi Prieur, GK, Saint Mary's College

48. NYCFC - Felicien Dumas, D, Notre Dame

49. Columbus Crew (via Atlanta United) - Danny Griffin, M, Providence

50. LAFC - Jack Hallahan, F, Michigan

51. Toronto FC - Simon Waever, D, Indiana

52. Seattle Sounders - Timo Mehlich, M, UNLV