The Sounders FC technical staff is headed back to Philadelphia for the first time since the club’s victory in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final on September 16. This time there is no trophy to win, but the Rave Green will be making additions to the roster that could help bring more hardware to Seattle in 2015.
On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will play host to the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Sounders FC has five picks: two in the second round, one in the third round, and two in the fourth round. The first and second rounds will take place on Thursday, while selections in the final two rounds will be made next Tuesday.
Sounders FC draft picks
Round 2
No. 27 overall (acquired from Chivas USA in the trade for Shalrie Joseph)
No. 40 overall
Round 3
No. 48 overall (acquired from the Chicago Fire in the trade for Jalil Anibaba)
Round 4
No. 75 overall (acquired from Columbus Crew in the trade that sent Steve Clark to Columbus)
No. 80 overall
Due to their trip to the Western Conference Championship, the Sounders were slotted to have the third-to-last pick in each round. Their first-round selection – the No. 19 overall pick – was traded to Toronto FC last year in exchange for goalkeeper Stefan Frei. The club's third-round pick was traded to Columbus Crew in exchange for Chad Marshall.
Seattle will come into play in the second round, where it has the No. 27 and No. 40 overall picks.
Last year, Sounders FC drafted a defender with each of its first two picks: Damion Lowe in the first round and Jimmy Ockford in the second. Neither Lowe nor Ockford appeared for Seattle in their rookie season, but 2015 could be much different with the addition of Sounders FC 2, the club’s USL PRO team. Members of the First Team will have the opportunity to play for S2 if they aren’t seeing consistent MLS action.
Read up on the MLS Player Combine and predictions for the SuperDraft:
- 2015 Major League Soccer SuperDraft presented by adidas(Major League Soccer)
- 2015 adidas MLS Player Combine(Major League Soccer)
- MLSsoccer.com's 2015 Mock SuperDraft: Pre-Combine edition(Major League Soccer)
- SB Nation Mock SuperDraft: Sounders pick Spencer Richey(Sounder At Heart)
- The SBI 2015 MLS Mock SuperDraft (Version 2.0)(Soccer by Ives)