FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The 2018 MLS season is upon us, and the road to kickoff is jam-packed.
Regular-season games begin in less than two months, which means teams are gearing up quickly. Preseason camps officially start next week, and this Friday brings exciting change as the league convenes in Philadelphia for the MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas.
We will have full coverage from the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday, including interviews with General Manager Michael Burns, head coach Brad Friedel and Revolution draft picks.
Counting down the days until the draft? We’ve got everything you need to know leading up to the big day here.
When and where can I watch MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas?
The first two rounds of MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas will begin at 11 a.m. ET on Friday, January 19 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Happen to be in the Philly area on Friday? The SuperDraft is open to the public free of charge, although limited seating is available. Otherwise, you can tune into the live show that will stream on MLSSoccer.com, YouTube.com/MLS, Twitter.com/MLS, and Facebook.com/MLS.
We will also provide complete coverage from a Revolution perspective throughout the day right here and on all of our social channels, including both written and video content from the draft floor.
Rounds three and four of the SuperDraft will be conducted Sunday, January 21 via conference call.
Which picks do the Revolution currently hold?
As of Monday afternoon, New England hold the 8th overall pick (1st round), 9th overall pick (1st round) and the 78th (fourth round) overall pick.
New England obtained the 8th overall pick from the Philadelphia Union as part of the Charlie Davies deal in August 2016, while the 9th and the 78th picks are the Revs’ natural selections.
Could the Revolution move up or down in the draft order?
The short answer is yes. Anything can happen before (and during) Friday’s SuperDraft.
Five years ago the Revs traded up from fourth to first the day before the draft to snag Andrew Farrell, while four years ago they moved up from 12th to 11th to select Patrick Mullins. Three years ago they traded the 33rd overall pick on draft day to acquire Sean Okoli from Seattle Sounders FC.
Jeff Lemieux caught up with Burns last week to get a bit of insight about the Revs’ position in the SuperDraft, and how they might approach the proceedings on Friday.
Where can I find the full draft order?
The full draft order for MLS SuperDraft 2018 presented by adidas can be found HERE, including a tracker to follow live on Friday. The southern California MLS teams currently kick off the draft, with expansion side Los Angeles FC holding the top overall pick, while the LA Galaxy have the second pick overall.
Who are the top prospects in this year’s SuperDraft?
MLSSoccer.com contributor Sam Stejskal has compiled the six players that make up the 2018 Generation adidas class and the seniors who have officially signed with the League, while Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle’s mock draft version 1.0 can be found HERE.
Do these pieces paint the entire picture? Absolutely not, but they will be able to give you a sense of which names might be called on Friday, and some background on each player.
