January 13, the Vancouver Whitecaps surprised the pundits by selecting Omar Salgado first in the 2011 MLS Superdraft in Baltimore, Maryland. Salgado, only 17, is a 6’4 forward who has made six appearances with the U-20 U.S. Men’s National Team, including at the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland. The draft continued through three rounds and peppered with draft pick and allocation trades with one exception: the San Jose Earthquakes traded No. 15 overall selection and allocation money to Columbus Crew in exchanged for forward Steven Lenhart. Real Salt Lake only took one player in the draft, midfielder Jared van Schalk (52nd overall).
A whopping seven University of Akron players were selected and five of those in the first eight picks: Darlington Nagbe, Perry Kitchen, Zarek Valentin, Kofi Sarkodie, and Michael Nanchoff.
John Rooney, brother of Wayne, was selected by the New York Red Bulls (25th overall).
Click here for information on the 2011 Supplemental Draft.
2011 MLS SuperDraft
Round 1
Pick Club Name Position School/Previous Club
1 Vancouver Omar Salgado* F US U-20 Nat Team
2 Portland Darlington Nagbe* M Akron
3 DC United Perry Kitchen* M Akron/US U-20s
4 Chivas Zarek Valentin* D Akron/US U-20s
5 Philadelphia Zac MacMath* GK UMD/US U-20s
6 New England AJ Soares D U of California
7 Houston Kofi Sarkodie* D Akron
8 Vancouver (from TFC) Michael Nanchoff* M Akron
9 Chicago Jalil Anibaba D UNC
10 Kansas CJ Sapong F James Madison U
11 Houston (from SEA1, POR2) Will Bruin* F Indiana
12 Columbus Rich Balchan D Indiana
13 New York Corey Hertzog* F Penn State
14 Chivas (from RSL3) Victor Estupinan F LDU Quito(Ecuador)
15 Columbus (from SJ 4) Justin Meram F Michigan
16 LA Galaxy Paolo Cardozo M Quilmes (Argentina)
17 Dallas Bobby Warshaw D Stanford
18 Colorado Eddie Ababio D UNC
Round 2
19 Vancouver Jeb Brovsky M Notre Dame
20 Seattle (from POR1) Michael Tetteh* M UCSB
21 Seattle (from DC) Juan Leone Cruz M S. Methodist
22 Portland (from RSL, CHV) Chris Taylor D Tulsa
23 Philadelphia Michael Farfan M UNC
24 New England Stephen McCarthy M UNC
25 New York (from HOU) John Rooney M Macclesfield Town (Eng)
26 Toronto Demitrius Omphroy D California
27 Seattle Servando Carrasco M California
28 Columbus (from PHI, KC) Cole Grossman M Duke
29 Seattle Bryan Meredith GK Monmouth
30 New York (from CLB) Tyler Lassiter D N. Carolina State
31 DC United (from NY) Chris Korb D Akron
32 Kansas (from RSL) J.T. Murray D Louisville
33 San Jose Anthony Ampaipitakwong M Akron
34 LA Galaxy Hector Jimenez M California
35 Dallas Charlie Campbell M/F Louisville
36 Colorado Colin Givens D Michigan State
Round 3
37 Vancouver Bilal Duckett D Notre Dame
38 New York (from POR) Billy Cortes M UMD
39 New England (from DC) Steven Perry F Notre Dame
40 Chivas Jon Okafor M Brown University
41 Philadelphia Levi Houapeu F UMD, Baltimore County
42 New England Ryan Kinne M/F Monmouth
43 Toronto (from HOU) Matt Gold D Ohio State
44 Toronto (from COL, TOR) Junior Burgos M Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo
45 Chicago Jason Herrick F UMD
46 Kansas Konrad Warzycha M Ohio State
47 Seattle Alex Caskey M Davidson College
48 Columbus Bernardo Anor M USF
49 Toronto (from NY, CHI5) Joao Plata M LDU Quito
50 DC United (from RSL, LA, RSL, LA6) Joe Willis GK Denver
51 Chicago (from SJ) Davis Paul F California
52 Salt Lake (from LA) Jarad vanSchaik M Portland
53 Dallas Scott Gordon D Lynn University
54 New England (from COL) Alan Koger F William & Mary
* Generation adidas
Draft-Day Trades
1. SEA trade No. 11 overall selection in 2011 and international spot (1 season) to POR for No. 20 selection in 2011 and allocation amount.
2. POR trade No. 11 overall selection acquired in trade with SEA to HOU for allocation amount.
3. RSL trade No. 14 overall selection in 2011 to CHV for allocation amount.
4. SJ trade No. 15 overall selection and allocation amount to CLB for Steven Lenhart.
5. Chicago trade #49 pick to Toronto for a player to be named later.
6. The LA Galaxy trade No. 50 overall pick in the #MLSSuperDraft to D.C. United for United’s two 1st-round picks in Supplemental Draft.
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