The 2003 MLS SuperDraft was the primary mechanism for Major League Soccer (MLS) teams to acquire new player talent from college soccer and other amateur sources in preparation for the 2003 MLS season. It was the fourth annual SuperDraft held by the league.
Event Details
The draft took place on January 17, 2003, in Kansas City, Missouri, in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) convention. Ten MLS teams participated in the draft, which consisted of six rounds, with each team making one selection per round for a total of 60 selections. The order of selection was determined by the reverse order of the 2002 MLS regular season standings, with expansion teams (if any) typically receiving the first picks.Notable Selections
The 2003 SuperDraft class produced several players who went on to have significant careers in MLS and for their respective national teams.- First Overall Pick: Alecko Eskandarian was selected first overall by D.C. United. Eskandarian, a forward from the University of Virginia, later won an MLS Cup with D.C. United in 2004 and was named the MLS Cup MVP.
- Other Key Picks:
- Ricardo Clark: Selected second overall by MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls), Clark became a long-serving defensive midfielder for multiple MLS clubs and earned numerous caps for the United States national team.
- Todd Dunivant: The Colorado Rapids selected Dunivant, a defender from Stanford, third overall. He went on to win five MLS Cups with three different clubs (Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto FC).
- Mike Magee: Selected by MetroStars in the second round (21st overall), Magee had a prolific career as a forward, winning an MLS Cup with the LA Galaxy and earning the MLS MVP award in 2013 with the Chicago Fire.
- Chris Wingert: Taken by the Columbus Crew in the second round (12th overall), Wingert was a versatile defender who became a long-time fixture for Real Salt Lake.