GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Highlighted by seven first-round selections and the top two overall picks, 16 Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer players were chosen Wednesday in the 2023 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. The ACC’s 16 selections and seven first-round picks were the most of any conference.
 
Clemson’s Hamady Diop was the No. 1 overall selection by Charlotte FC. A junior defender for the Tigers, Diop signed a Generation adidas contract ahead of the SuperDraft and was a Second-Team All-ACC selection in 2022. Diop is the 10th ACC player to be selected No. 1 overall in the SuperDraft. Three of the last four top SuperDraft picks have hailed from ACC programs, with Clemson’s Robbie Robinson in 2020 and Virginia Tech’s Daniel Pereira in 2021.
 
Duke sophomore forward Shakur Mohammed was the No. 2 overall selection by Orlando City. The 2022 ACC Offensive Player of the Year after earning 2021 ACC Freshman of the Year honors, Mohammed also signed a Generation adidas contract prior to the SuperDraft.
 
Clemson’s Joey Skinner (11th, Nashville), Pitt’s Bertin Jacquesson (16th, Real Salt Lake), Syracuse’s Abdi Salim (17th, Orlando City), Pitt’s Valentin Noel (20th, Austin FC) and Syracuse’s Levonte Johnson (29th, Vancouver) also were selected in the first round.
 
Six ACC players were selected in the second round, while three were taken in the third round.
 
Reigning national champion Syracuse led all ACC programs with five draft selections, while Clemson and Pitt each had three draft picks. Seven ACC programs had at least one draft pick.
 
ACC in 2023 MLS SuperDraft
Round/Overall, Name (School), MLS Team
First Round (7)
1/1, Hamady Diop (Clemson), Charlotte FC
1/2, Shakur Mohammed (Duke), Orlando City
1/11, Joey Skinner (Clemson), Nashville SC
1/16, Bertin Jacquesson (Pitt), Real Salt Lake
1/17, Abdi Salim (Syracuse), Orlando City
1/20, Valentin Noel (Pitt), Austin FC
1/29, Levonte Johnson (Syracuse), Vancouver
 
Second Round (6)
2/34, Isaiah Reid (Clemson), Houston
2/39, Victor Souza (Boston College), New England
2/45, Amferny Sinclair (Syracuse), Real Salt Lake
2/52, Russell Shealy (Syracuse), LA Galaxy
2/54, Milo Garvanian (North Carolina), CF Montreal
2/56, Jackson Walti (Pitt), Austin FC
 
Third Round (3)
3/68, Andreas Ueland (Virginia), New England
3/71, Buster Sjoberg (Syracuse), Vancouver
3/79, Amos Shapiro-Thompson (Boston College), New York Red Bulls