MLS SuperDraft Preview: Who Will Atlanta United Pick at #23?

Now that the NCAA Men’s Soccer calendar has come to a close with a thrilling Cup victory by the University of Vermont over Marshall, all eyes turn to the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. Two days ahead of the draft, Major League Soccer released the full list of 477 players representing 150 different schools that can be selected by the league’s 30 teams. With San Diego on the clock, and Atlanta United waiting at #23, let’s dive in.

Last week, we talked a little bit about the rule changes unveiled ahead of last year’s draft that will still be in effect this year. The new and enlarged field of eligible players includes players unclaimed as MLS NEXT Academy affiliates and at least in their second year in college soccer. There are also four Generation Adidas players this year with an additional pre-signed senior whose contract belongs to the league. Teams and players have greater flexibility thanks to new draft rights rules from last year. An underclassman selected in the draft may return to college after being drafted and the club who drafted that player may retain the right to sign that player for those two calendar years. For teams dealing with roster constraints or players who are not quite ready to compete for a spot on the Senior or MLS NEXT Pro rosters, this provides a clear opportunity to continue developing with their college program of choice.

Atlanta United used this “draft-and-stash” strategy last season on their third-round pick, University of Kentucky goalkeeper Casper Mols. Mols had a good season for Kentucky, starting 11 matches with a 1.54 goals allowed average and 48 saves (74% save percentage). As a Junior, Mols can continue developing with Kentucky for another year while also being eligible to join Atlanta United in the preseason. The timing may be right with both Brad Guzan and Josh Cohen’s contracts running out at the end of 2025 and first-round pick Jayden Hibbert the only other goalkeeper under contract. Hibbert was very impressive this year with the 2s and in his brief loan to the Birmingham Legion. Hibbert and last year’s second-round pick Javier Armas were two of the best players for Atlanta United 2 in 2024 and should compete for a role on the senior side this year with a new coach on the way.

Ideally, all draft picks should be players who can impact the organization in some way, whether that is providing valuable competition and mentorship with the 2s or vying for meaningful minutes with Atlanta United. Miles Robinson and Julien Gressel showed how impactful great picks can be. Though none of the subsequent picks have been quite as impactful as the first two, that may be about to change thanks to our new Sporting Director Chris Henderson. As one of the most capable soccer minds in identifying talent, Henderson has build rosters at Seattle and Miami with the draft playing an important role in rounding out the rosters and in finding a few gems like Yannick Bright. This year, as Atlanta United undertakes a massive organizational overhaul, the draft should play a role in reaching Henderson and Garth Lagerway’s goals for organizational depth and financial sustainability.

Due to the draft’s unique mechanics around player rights, teams can opt to draft for present needs or the future. Atlanta United have 9 senior roster players whose contracts will expire at the end of 2025. With a new coach, a new front office, and an open competition across the roster for a place in Atlanta in 2026, the club may choose to draft the best available player. If Henderson wants to fill some immediate needs at backup center forward, left wing, defensive midfield, leftback, and possibly centerback, there may be good options for that, too, at pick #23. If you would like to see highlights and footage of these guys, I highly recommend you follow Mark Kelkenberg and subscribe to his Substack.

Round 1, Pick #23

Every once in a while, a Generations Adidas player will slip down the draft for no apparent reason. That is the only way Atlanta United has a shot at Cornell’s Sophomore forward Alex Harris.

Though playing mostly against Ivy League competition, Harris has excelled and has played up to his competition when facing strong opponents. Harris improved a strong Freshman campaign of 12 goals and 4 assists across 1143 minutes with an even better Sophomore season where he scored 19 goals in 19 starts with an additional 5 assists. Standing at just under 6-feet tall, Harris isn’t your prototypical hold-up #9, rather using speed and movement effectively. He is just 19 so he will probably has room to grow and add strength in a professional fitness program. If concerns about his opposing level of competition lead him to slide down the draft board, he may be worth trading up to get.

Liam O’Gara is another fascinating Sophomore prospect Atlanta could target to add depth at a current position of need. O’Gara’s second season at Wake Forest was quieter than his remarkable Freshman campaign playing alongside Garrison Tubbs in 2023. Standing at 6-foot 3-inches, O’Gara is a big player for the #6 spot and does a great job of using his height and leverage to control the ball, find passing lanes, and win midfield duels. He is a smooth and confident passer with a lot of room to grow physically and as a player. There is a lot to like about him and plenty of reason to think he can stick around whether that is in the midfield or as a centerback. With Atlanta United Homegrown Adyn Torres on trial with FC Porto and likely to get a transfer, the club needs more young talent at the 6.

One of the most exciting young players competing in the Carolinas right now is North Carolina State’s Hakim Karamoko. Karamoko is a big forward with a strong frame and a great mixture of speed and relentless doggedness to make defenders’ lives hell. By all accounts, he’s a high-character individual who works extremely hard and has room to grow beyond the already impressive level he has attained at 19-years-old. Across 14 starts and 19 total appearances in 2024, Karamoko scored 7 goals and added 2 assists in just over 1000 minutes. These aren’t tap-in goals, they are beautiful and powerful shots from around the 18-yard-box that come from skilled movement with the ball to find a shooting lane. Some of these goals even remind me of the rockets we have seen Xande Silva launch in his two years with Atlanta.

If it wasn’t for international roster spot restrictions and potential concerns over age, there would be absolutely no reason for Clemson’s Joran Gerbet to be anywhere near this far down the draft. I don’t expect him to be available here but if he is, he could be a high value pick like Javier Armas last season. Gerbet is a very smart and experienced French holding midfielder who excels in being the deep-lying playmaker. His defensive work rate is off the charts and his technical quality in making game-saving tackles is professional level. His performance at the MLS College Showcase probably gets him some looks in the early first round (potentially from us) due to his calm and confident presence between the midfield and the backline. He would be an absolute steal here.

Round 2, Pick #23

A target-9 who could be available later in the draft first is Clemson’s Tyler Trimnal. If Atlanta United wants an absolute tree of a center forward who can connect with crosses from Pedro Amador and Brooks Lennon, Trimnal could be the man for the job. Standing at 6-foot 3-inches, Trimnal has the size to be a dominant force in the attacking third. He’s a very smart player who works hard and covers a lot of ground to help in all phases of the game. He is a strong passer, has a gentle touch to lay balls off to runners coming up from behind him in the hold-up phase of the attack, and has a tireless motor to go the distance and still have the energy to lead a counter in the 90th minute. He would bring a lot of the qualities Atlanta United likes about Jamal Thiare in a much cheaper and younger package that also doesn’t require an international roster spot. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Continuing on that trend, the University of North Carolina’s 5th-year starter Riley Thomas would also be a massive steal this far down the draft. Matthew Edwards’ former defensive partner can play anywhere on the backline but is best on the right side. He is a high quality individual who prepares his body like an Olympian because as a 5-foot 11-inch tall defender, he knows he needs every physical advantage he can create to overcome a below-average height for a centerback. He is also one of the most experienced players in the entire draft with 7,610 minutes of playing time in the Atlantic Coast Conference with only one match missed across five seasons. If you want to inspire you academy kids with a guy who can lead by example, look no further than Riley Thomas.

Another player I have enjoyed watching for years thanks to his close proximity to an Atlanta United prospect is Stanford’s left-back Palmer Bank. Bank and Will Reilly have shared the field for four seasons at Stanford. Over that time, I have greatly enjoyed watching Bank’s high work rate, technical ability, and uncanny ability to get under his opponents’ skin. For fans who enjoyed watching Aidan McFadden with the 2s in our final USL Championship season, you will find a similar swagger with Palmer Bank. He is often the hardest-working guy on the field and does a great job combining with his flank partners (including his twin brother Fletcher) to create professional-level goal sequences. With Amador cemented in the starting spot and Dominik Chong Qui on the way in 2026, there isn’t a lot of room for a back-up left-back to shine, but that kind of challenge would inspire rather than discourage Bank.

Round 3, Pick #23

The last round is always a challenge. Most of these players are long-term projects, gambles who plan to go back to school, or guys who will have to compete in the preseason for an MLS NEXT Pro contract.

Leading off this group is our very own Daniel Mangarov. As we talked about in our breakdown of this college season, there is a lot to like about Mangarov and reason to believe he can adapt from his role as a forward to that of an attacking fullback. With no clear options at right-back on the 2s roster other than academy prospect Ayo Akintobi, this could be a great fit for both Mangarov and Atlanta.

Another potential right-back option for the 2s could be Wake Forest’s Travis Smith, Jr. The Louisville City academy product can play any position on the back line and that could be very useful for a 2s team that rarely has the same starting 11 from match to match. He logged a ton of minutes in his second season and could benefit from more time to develop.

For fans interested in our former academy prospects and for players from the Atlanta area, here is a handy list.

Join us for all of the SuperDraft action on Friday afternoon. MLSSoccer.com will have live updates of the draft beginning at 2 pm ET and we will have all of the news and updates for you here and on Discord.