# List of first overall MLS draft picks

The Major League Soccer SuperDraft's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft. The first pick is awarded to the club with the poorest regular season record during the previous MLS campaign. Exceptions are when there is an expansion franchise, where the expansion side has the opportunity to select the first overall draft pick.
Two first picks have won the MLS Rookie of the Year award in their maiden season: Maurice Edu and Cyle Larin.
No first pick has ever won the Landon Donovan MVP Award, although Alecko Eskandarian is the only first draft pick to win the MLS Cup Most Valuable Player Award.
Note that between 1996 and 1999, the MLS draft was known as the MLS College Draft. Official MLS publications include the College Draft as part of MLS's draft history.

## Key

| ^ | Denotes players who have been selected to the All-Star Game or MLS Best XI |
| * | Elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame |
| ^* | Denotes Hall of Famers who have been selected to the All-Star Game |
| Player (in italic text) | Young Player of the Year |
| App. | MLS appearances |
| Goals | MLS goals |
| Asst. | MLS assists |

## List of first overall picks

| Draft | Selected by | Player | Nationality | Position | College/high school/former club | MLS rookie statistics | MLS rookie statistics | MLS rookie statistics | Ref. |
| Draft | Selected by | Player | Nationality | Position | College/high school/former club | App. | Goals | Asst. | Ref. |
| 1996 | Kansas City Wiz | Matt McKeon | USA | DF | Saint Louis | 12 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1997 | Colorado Rapids | Tahj Jakins | USA | DF | UCLA | 19 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1998 | Miami Fusion | Leo Cullen | USA | DF | Maryland | 31 | 1 | 4 | |
| 1999 | D.C. United | Jason Moore | USA | MF | Virginia | 16 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2000 | MetroStars | Steve Shak | USA | MF | UCLA | 23 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2001 | San Jose Earthquakes | Chris Carrieri | USA | FW | North Carolina | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002 | Dallas Burn | Chris Gbandi | LBR | DF | Connecticut | 22 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2003 | D.C. United | Alecko Eskandarian | USA | FW | Virginia | 23 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2004 | D.C. United | Freddy Adu | USA | FW | IMG Academy | 30 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2005 | Real Salt Lake | Nikolas Besagno | USA | MF | IMG Academy | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | New York Red Bulls | Marvell Wynne | USA | DF | UCLA | 28 | 0 | 3 | |
| 2007 | Toronto FC | Maurice Edu^ | USA | DF | Maryland | 25 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2008 | Kansas City Wizards | Chance Myers | USA | DF | UCLA | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | Seattle Sounders FC | Steve Zakuani^ | COD | FW | Akron | 29 | 4 | 4 | |
| 2010 | Philadelphia Union | Danny Mwanga | COD | FW | Oregon State | 24 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2011 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Omar Salgado | USA | FW | Guadalajara Academy | 14 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2012 | Montreal Impact | Andrew Wenger | USA | FW | Duke | 23 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2013 | New England Revolution | Andrew Farrell^ | USA | DF | Louisville | 32 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2014 | Philadelphia Union | Andre Blake^ | JAM | GK | UConn | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | Orlando City SC | Cyle Larin^ | CAN | FW | UConn | 27 | 17 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Chicago Fire | Jack Harrison | ENG | MF | Wake Forest | 21 | 4 | 8 | |
| 2017 | Minnesota United FC | Abu Danladi | GHA | FW | UCLA | 27 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2018 | Los Angeles FC | João Moutinho | POR | DF | Akron | 14 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019 | FC Cincinnati | Frankie Amaya | USA | MF | UCLA | 19 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020 | Inter Miami CF | Robbie Robinson | USA | FW | Clemson | 12 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2021 | Austin FC | Daniel Pereira | VEN | MF | Virginia Tech | 25 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Charlotte FC | Ben Bender | USA | MF | Maryland | 27 | 3 | 6 | |
| 2023 | Charlotte FC | Hamady Diop | SEN | DF | Clemson | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | Toronto FC | Tyrese Spicer | TRI | FW | Lipscomb | 19 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2025 | San Diego FC | Manu Duah | GHA | MF | UC Santa Barbara | — | — | — | |