MLS SuperDraft eligible list includes 20 players with local ties

Josh Jones is projected to go in the first round and 19 other players with local ties are eligible for the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, which will be broadcast live today beginning at 3 p.m. for free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Jones has starred at the University of Louisville and in the summer with Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals and Ocean City Nor’easters. Though the draft order is famously hard to predict, Jones is likely to go in the first round. A former state champion and All-American at North Penn High School, Jones won three state cups with the Ukies and also played high school basketball.

Thirteen players who played in the Philadelphia Union Academy are on the eligibility list led by Penn State standout Obafemi Adowesu. Some notable Union Academy grads not on the eligibility list include goalkeeper Kris Shakes, midfielder/defender Ryan Becher and midfielder Jackson Temple.

The Philadelphia Union don’t pick until the second round. They traded their first round pick to Inter Miami in a deal that brought Damion Lowe – by far their best offseason acquisition – to the team. The Union have a chance to pick No. 53 overall,  No. 63 overall and No. 82. They have drafted just one player – backup goalkeeper Holden Trent – in the past five years.

Most of their picks have either been dealt in trades or traded for allocation money. They’ve also passed on picks before.

The draft pool has expanded this year. It’s up to 390 with the addition of sophomores and juniors being eligible but it’s hard to say what trade value a second and third round pick has.

The Union has already signed Duke midfielder Nick Pariano to a homegrown contract instead of allowing him to enter the draft pool. Last year they also drafted the MLS rights to Union II striker Stefan Stojanovic. St. Louis City 2 midfielder Larsen Hackworth, who played locally for Nether United when his dad John Hackworth coached with the Union, is also on the draft eligible list.

Philadelphia Union Academy
Leo Afonso
Julian Anderson
Jason Aoyama (Narberth, Pa. / FC Delco, Lower Merion SC)
Obafemi Awodesu (Philadelphia, Pa. / FC Delco, Germantown SC)
Tyger Evans (Harrisburg, Pa.)
Lukas Burns (Cinnaminson, N.J.)
Aboubacar Camara (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Mani Diop
Ian Graham (Columbia, Pa. / Penn Legacy)
Andrew Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa. / FC Delco, Lower Merion SC)
Antek Sienkiel (Newtown, Pa.)
Marco Silva (Coopersburg, Pa. / Lehigh Valley United)
Cole Sotack (Doylestown, Pa.)
Zach Wagner (Medford Lakes, N.J. / FC Delco)

Local Natives
Zach Barrett (Phoenixville, Pa. / Lehigh Valley United)
Josh Jones (Hatfield, Pa. / Ukrainian Nationals)

Local College Players
Kent Dickey, Villanova
Sam Donzello, Delaware
Stas Korzeniowski, Penn
Michael teDuits, Penn