CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Twenty-five student-athletes from Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer programs were chosen in the 2026 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, which was held Thursday. The total of 25 honorees matches the most in league history, tying the mark set with the 2021 SuperDraft.
ACC players comprised four of the top five picks, including the top overall pick, sophomore defender Nikola Markovic of NC State, who was the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American while leading the Wolfpack to its first-ever NCAA Championship Game. Markovic is the 11th ACC player to be chosen No. 1 overall in the draft and the first since Clemson’s Hamady Diop in the 2023 SuperDraft.
The 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year and a First-Team All-American, Virginia’s Nick Simmonds was selected No. 3 overall by FC Dallas, while Clemson’s Kwaku Agyabeng was the No. 4 overall pick by Sporting Kansas City and Wake Forest’s Harvey Sarajian was taken No. 5 overall by Orlando City.
Six ACC players were selected in the second round, while six more were taken in the third round.
ACC programs have combined for 126 MLS SuperDraft selections in the last six seasons and 374 in MLS draft history.
Twelve ACC programs had at least one player from the 2025 roster selected in the SuperDraft. Clemson and NC State led all ACC schools with four selections. All four Clemson picks came in the first round. North Carolina boasted three draft picks.
ACC Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft
Overall – Name, Position, School - MLS Team
First Round
1 - Nikola Markovic, D, NC State – D.C. United
3 - Nick Simmonds, F, Virginia – FC Dallas
4 – Kwaku Agyabeng, M, Clemson – Sporting Kansas City
5 – Harvey Sarajian, F, Wake Forest – Orlando City
13 – Lukas Magnason, D, Clemson – Real Salt Lake
15 – Justin McLean, F, NC State – Portland
18 – Jack Sandmeyer, M, North Carolina – Chicago
21 – Tomas Hut, GK, Syracuse – Red Bull New York
22 – Will Cleary, D, Stanford – Charlotte FC
23 – Jaylinn Mitchell, F, SMU – Minnesota United FC
25 – Dylan Kropp, D, North Carolina – Real Salt Lake
26 – Wahabu Musah, F, Clemson – Colorado
27 – Ransford Gyan, F, Clemson – New York City FC
Second Round
32 – Kenan Hot, M, Duke – Inter Miami CF
35 – Palmer Bank, D, Stanford – LA Galaxy
36 – Jackson Gilman, D, Pitt – Toronto FC
39 – Calem Tommy, D, NC State – Houston
44 – Umberto Pela, M, Virginia – FC Dallas
48 – Niklas Soerensen, D, Pitt – Real Salt Lake
Third Round
63 – Tate Lorentz, M, Wake Forest – CF Montreal
66 – Olayinka Ogunleye, D, Louisville – FC Dallas
74 – Mitch Ferguson, D, Notre Dame – Orlando City
79 – Isaac Heffess, D, NC State – Columbus
80 – Charles-Emile Brunet, M, SMU – Nashville
87 – Luca Nikolai, D, North Carolina – New York City FC