2022 NWSL Draft Recap: Most Notable Moves
This year’s NWSL draft was one to remember–four rounds, 12 teams, 50 picks with more than four hours of draft time. Fifty players saw a dream realized, the chance to hear their name get called and enter the ranks of professional soccer. There were some surprising moves to go with some trades and late-round gems, so let’s get you caught up on all the most notable moves from the 2022 NWSL Draft.
First things first, we’ll break down some of the first rounds of picks before getting into the draft’s later rounds.
No. 1: San Diego Wave FC — Naomi Girma, defender (Stanford)
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This was a bit of a shock, considering there were reports all week from multiple sources that the San Diego Wave was going to take Jaelin Howell. Instead, they went with Stanford star Naomi Girma who is also more than deserving to go No. 1.
It was still very surprising to see those reports be incorrect after hearing Girma’s name get called first overall, still a huge pick and player who will be a cornerstone on the backline.
No. 2: Racing Louisville FC — Jaelin Howell, midfielder (Florida State)
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Huge pick here for Louisville to instantly get better in the midfield and their new No. 6 for the future. One of the better college players we’ve seen since Catarina Macario, Howell will have an opportunity to make an impact right away.
This was a fantastic pick, and they were in a great spot knowing they’d be able to land either Girma or Howell, and it ended up being Howell.
No. 3: North Carolina Courage — Emily Gray, midfielder (Virginia Tech)
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Emily Gray was a player whose name shot up draft boards leading up to the draft, and the Courage seemed like they got exactly who they wanted to help the midfield.
With Debinha and Denise O’Sullivan likely to be away on international duties, this is a great pick for Gray to be a possible replacement. They could’ve gone for Mia Fishel with a bit more upside, but instead, they got more value by waiting at No. 6 for Diana Ordonez; more on that later.
No. 4: Racing Louisville FC — Savannah DeMelo, midfielder (USC)
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For Louisville to grab two star midfielders, two picks apart is huge for this team. They showed last year what they could do in attack, and now they’ve got some real potential in their midfield.
Savannah DeMelo was also among the top and most well-known players in the country and will have a chance to come in and start right away. If Louisville can develop their two midfielders, they will have a strong core to rely on for years to come.
No. 5: Orlando Pride — Mia Fishel, forward (UCLA)
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Amanda Cromwell must be thrilled to be getting a player she just coached in college. Mia Fishel wasn’t expected to fall to the fifth pick, but a player of her caliber is too good to pass up.
Orlando had three first-round picks and used them wisely. Fishel will be one of the strikers set to replace Alex Morgan. She, along with Sydney Leroux, Marta, and Taylor Kornieck, is an exciting prospect for Orlando because of her ability to score goals.
No. 6: North Carolina Courage — Diana Ordoñez, forward (Virginia)
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As mentioned earlier, the Courage got great value with Emily Gray first and then waited to see if they’d have either Fishel or Diana Ordoñez fall into their lap.
They selected Ordoñez, who was arguably one of the best strikers in the country for three years at Virginia. Ordoñez’s style of play might suit what the Courage is trying to do more than what Fishel brings, which is why they selected Ordoñez.
Either way, it’s a great pick, and she’s going to fit in nicely in North Carolina.
No. 9: San Diego Wave FC — Marleen Schimmer, forward (Grand Canyon Univ.)
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Marleen Schimmer capped off a great first round for San Diego as the German is expected to be a starter right away. After two solid years at Arizona State, she stayed in state and transferred to the smaller Grand Canyon University.
Aly Wagner raved about her on the NWSL Draft broadcast, and it’s easy to see why. We need more players with a European flair in the league, and Schimmer will provide that.
Notable Round 2 Picks
No. 14: Washington Spirit (trade with San Diego) — Tinaya Alexander, forward (LSU)
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The British striker joins the defending champions and only makes their attack that much scarier to go up against. With Ashley Hatch, Trinity Rodman, and Ashley Sanchez already there, Alexander is in a great place to make an impact right away. LSU head coach Sian Hudson helped get her ready for the next level, and she’ll be a player to keep your eye on for sure.
No. 20: OL Reign — Claudia Dickey, goalkeeper, (UNC)
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The best goalkeeper in the draft went to the OL Reign, which was a wise choice for the Reign. The Sarah Bouhaddi experiment didn’t really work out, and they will need another keeper for insurance.
North Carolina, of course, has the pedigree, and Dickey went up against the best of the best in the ACC and was highly touted coming into this draft, a great pick for the Reign.
No. 22: Portland Thorns FC — Gabby Provenzano, midfielder/defender, (Rutgers)
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The Thorns looked to get younger on their backline and did that with two picks of defenders in the second round. Gabby Provenzano was a key piece for Rutgers as she anchored their backline to a Final Four appearance this season. With Becky Sauerbrunn not getting any younger, the Thorns needed to make this pick and got a great defender in the process.
Notable Round 3 Picks
No. 28: Angel City FC — Hope Breslin, midfielder (Illinois)
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This is notable because Hope Breslin became the first player drafted by Angel City FC in the club’s history. Considering the Julie Ertz injury situation, there’s no word about when she’ll be back at 100%.
Therefore taking a reliable player like Breslin playing in a tough conference like the Big 10 makes this a nice fit for Angel City.
No. 35: Chicago Red Stars — Sarah Griffith, forward (Purdue)
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The Red Stars keep finding a way to grab all the best college stars in the draft’s later rounds. Sarah Griffith was one of the top scorers in college last year with 16 goals, a single-season record for Purdue.
Chicago has plenty in attack, but they don’t have a true No. 9 striker to put up top next to Kealia Watt and Mallory Pugh. Griffith might be able to come in and be that go-to goal-scorer for them in 2022.
No. 37: Chicago Red Stars — Kayla McKeon, midfielder (Arkansas)
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Two picks later, Chicago grabbed Kayla McKeon, arguably the best player in the SEC because Arkansas was the best team in the SEC.
She’s a player who can do it all in the midfield; she can attack, defend, and distribute the ball. The Red Stars core is aging, and taking a player like McKeon could be a future replacement, especially with Julie Ertz gone too.
Notable Round 4 Picks
No. 39: Angel City FC — Miri Taylor, forward (Hofstra)
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This might end up being one of the steals of the draft for Angel City FC. Miri Taylor was a first-team All-American who scored 17 goals and dished out 11 assists for a Hofstra team that made the NCAA Tournament every year.
The English transplant should be able to contribute right away. She’s also the youngest player to ever play for Chelsea at age 16; she’s the real deal, a huge late-round gem here for Angel City FC.
No. 43: Kansas City Current — Izzy Rodriguez, defender (Ohio State)
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A player of Izzy Rodriguez’s caliber should not have fallen to the fourth round. However, at this stage in the draft, most teams draft based on what they need rather than the best available player. The Current has quietly put together a solid roster that has depth at the back, but Rodriguez should have an opportunity to come in and add to that depth to help that backline get a little younger.
Overall, this was an exciting draft, and the extra two teams only added to that excitement. As the league continues to expand, the draft will only become a more important event as time goes on, and we at GSN are absolutely here for it.
Featured image via @weareangelcity on Instagram
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