FRISCO, Texas — With the MLS SuperDraft quickly approaching Thursday, January 9th, MLSSoccer.com's Greg Seltzer ranked the top five best clubs at the draft over the past decade — with FC Dallas topping the list at No. 1.
There's no doubt FC Dallas has managed to draft a few gems along with many quality starters over the years. The most popular draft pick of the last decade has to be Matt Hedges, a club captain and one of the most reliable defenders in MLS as well. Hedges was drafted 11th overall in the 2012 SuperDraft, and he helped lead FC Dallas to the 2016 U.S. Open Cup and Supporters' Shield to go along with three All-Star game selections. He recently earned a three-year contract extension with the club, solidifying him as a piece for the present and future.
One of the most versatile players in MLS, Ryan Hollingshead, was the second name Seltzer mentions in the list of players drafted by FC Dallas in the last decade. Hollingshead was selected with the 20th pick in the second round of the 2013 SuperDraft in what has become one of the most valuable picks in terms of draft position. It's rare for a team to find a contributor, let alone a reliable, versatile starter, that late into the draft, and FCD has been rewarded because of it. Hollingshead featured at just about every position last season excluding the No. 9, and he finished the season with the third-most goals on the team playing primarily as a left back.
Rounding out the three names first mentioned by Seltzer is LAFC center back Walker Zimmerman, who was drafted by FC Dallas with the seventh pick in the first round of the 2013 draft. He went on to feature alongside Hedges as the team's center back partnership for many years, including the 2016 double, until a trade sent him to LAFC in 2018. He's since been part of LAFC's foundation and will continue to be for the forseeable future.
FC Dallas has also drafted a few other gems in years past, including Tesho Akindele, Eric Alexander and Jacori Hayes, and the club will look to find another diamond in the rough at picks 14 and 17 on Thursday.
