2022 NWSL Four Round Mock Draft

by TopDrawerSoccer

December 16, 2021

This year's NWSL Draft for the 2022 season is set for this Saturday, December 18. The list of eligible players is out, and 50 players will have their name called.

For this year's Mock Draft, TDS has teamed up with Christopher Gerrish of Soccer Dossier. TDS made the odd selections, and SD the even ones. This mock draft has been cross-posted on their site. Draft order is updated as of Dec. 15.

Check out a complete four-round mock draft.

FIRST ROUND

ORDER	TEAM	NAME	COLLEGE	POS
1		Jaelin Howell	Florida State	M
It seems clear from media reports that the central midfielder will be the pick here for San Diego. Howell's an addition that should be able to compete for minutes right away. Don't be surprised to see the Wave move this pick, but as of now, this is the move.
2		Naomi Girma	Stanford	D
Girma is the top defender in this draft class, and has the resume to prove it. Plenty of youth national team experience, two time Pac-12 defender of the year, and a Hermann trophy semifinalist two years running.
3		Mia Fishel	UCLA	F
Adding Fishel to a talented crops of forwards gives her the benefit of learning from the likes of Lynn Williams and Jessica McDonald, while also adding to the club's depth up front.
4		Savannah DeMelo	USC	M
USC's No. 10, DeMelo becomes one, if not the best attacking midfielder in this draft class. CeCe Kizer plays the role well for Racing, but Louisville prioritizes midfield depth after losing (potentially) Parker Goins or Savannah McCaskill in the expansion draft.
5		Diana Ordonez	Virginia	F
A prolific scorer at UVA, it will be fascinating to watch Ordonez, who could be a hit in the right circumstances. The direction new head coach Amanda Cromwell takes here is going to be a fascinating one, and taking a shot at a forward could be one avenue.
6		Sydny Nasello	South Florida	F
A MAC Hermann semifinalist with a 27 point senior season, Nasello dribbles her way into the first round to a Houston team that may lose some attacking depth in the upcoming expansion draft.
7		Emily Gray	Virginia Tech	M
One of college soccer's most underrated players during her time in Blacksburg, Gray's quality and skills both on and off the ball make her a prime first-round prospect.
8		Sydney Cummings	Georgetown	D
A stretch? Maybe, but Cummings and several other Georgetown players will have their names called this year, and early. Sydney has international experience on the Guyana National team, and was First Team All Conference at Georgetown this year after her transfer from Brown.
9		Caitlin Cosme	Duke	D
The expansion franchise can go in a number of different directions with several roster slots available. Cosme recently wrapped up a stellar season at Duke, helping to anchor one of the nation's best defenses from a center back role.
10		Raleigh Loughman	Michigan	M
Loughman was a key piece in Michigan's Big Ten tournament win and their run in the College Cup. A midfielder who can create and score, she fills a need left by several key loan departures for the Reign.
11		Sammi Fisher	Notre Dame	F
Adding attacking options is never a bad thing, and Fisher is coming off an impressive senior season with the Irish. She posted career highs in goals (13) and assists (6) while leading the Notre Dame offense.
12		Julie Doyle	Santa Clara	F
Doyle has recently spent time training in London, and her speed on the wing was evident at Santa Clara. She checks all the boxes for someone who should go in the first round.

SECOND ROUND

ORDER	TEAM	NAME	COLLEGE	POS
13		Isabel Rodriguez	Ohio State	D
The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in the spring season, Rodriguez is an experienced left back that can bolster Portland's defensive depth. She could potentially be tried as a left center back.
14		Marley Canales	UCLA	M
Youth caps with the US national team, multiple-time all Pac-12, AND she's from San Diego. A good fit in the top of the second round as the Wave grow their midfield core.
15		Ryanne Brown	Wake Forest	D
A quick defender that has a bit of versatility, Brown had a great fall with Wake Forest. She has the defensive attributes to stick as a depth defender, at minimum.
16		Kelly Ann Livingstone	Georgetown	D
Livingstone strengthens the Racing defensive line as they continue to build next to Emily Fox. First team All Big East, and a center back that led one of the best defenses in the country this season.
17		Sarah Griffith	Purdue
There aren't many holes to fill for KC on its current roster, so it can shift to a best player available approach in the second role. Griffith is the reigning Big Ten Forward of the Year that's likely to feature as a winger or wide forward depending on the tactical setup.
18		Gabby Provenzano	Rutgers	D
Losing Sarah Gorden (and plenty of other talent) in the run up to the expansion draft leaves over 2000 minutes unaccounted for on the back line. The reigning Big Ten Defender of the Year helps patch that situation.
19		Giovanna DeMarco	Wake Forest	M
A smart, quality central midfielder that can play deep, DeMarco's quiet excellence this season was a big part of the accomplishments of a young Wake Forest team.
20		Miri Taylor	Hofstra	M
I'm surprised Miri declared with her ties overseas, but OL Reign has international slots available, and Taylor just capped off a 45 point season at Hofstra. Look for a team to take a chance on the England youth international early.
21		Claudia Dickey	North Carolina	GK
Jane Campbell is the No. 1 in Houston, but Houston is one of a handful of clubs that could look to land a goalkeeper. There are options, though Dickey's coming off a strong career in Chapel Hill.
22		Haleigh Stackpole	Mississippi	F
Portland lost Simone Charley and Tyler Lussi to Angel City, and they need depth at forward. Stackpole just had a 16 assist season (along with 5 goals) and should be a great addition next to Sophia Smith and Morgan Weaver.
23		Renee Guion	Clemson	D
Defensive depth is the move here, with the Clemson left back going to Chicago where she is more than a capable backup to Arin Wright.
24		Natalie Beckman	Denver	F
An 89 point career, with an 18 assists her senior year, Beckman provides depth up front to the young Gotham striking core.
25		Chyanne Dennis	South Florida	D
The 5-foot-11 center back has good mobility and is one of the best defenders from outside the Power 5.
26		Daisy Cleverley	Georgetown	M
This is Angel City's first pick in the draft, and they take the New Zealand international to add to their midfield. Cleverley worked her way onto the Mac Hermann watchlist and earned all Big East second team honors this past season.

THIRD ROUND

ORDER	TEAM	NAME	COLLEGE	POS
27		Elyse Bennett	Washington State	F
A tough, direct forward, Bennett is another attacking prospect that the new team can hope to come in and compete for depth in the final third.
28		Charme Morgan	Oklahoma State	D
Morgan provides depth (or the ability to start) at the outside back position for the new expansion franchise. A previous All-Big 12 performer, Charme was key to Oklahoma State's success the past few years.
29		Jenna Menta	Wake Forest	D/M
There aren't any other UCLA products to link with Cromwell with Fishel and Canales picked. Orlando goes with another forward here, as Menta played a fifth year at Wake after a decorated four-year career with Georgetown. She adds to the team's depth out wide.
30		Athena Kuehn	LSU	M
Depth and positional versitility are welcome at Louisville, and they take a player who can play the defensive midfield role or add minutes across the back line. Kuehn finished her college career at LSU after a productive few years at Minnesota.
31		Kayla Bruster	Georgia	D
Bruster did earned Second Team All-SEC honors in the spring and has the mix of size and quality to cope with NWSL attackers.
32		Mijke Roelfsema	Rice	D
A Boston College transfer, the Dutch international goes to the Reign in the third round to cap off a season where she landed on the Mac Hermann Semifinalist list.
33		Calista Reyes	Pepperdine	F
The left-sided player can play on the left wing in a more forward-thinking role, though left back could be the way she sticks in the pros. The Nevada native provides quality and versatility.
34		Jayda Hylton-Pelaia	Arizona State	D
A regular on the Jamaican international team, Hylton-Pelaia provides great outside back depth for Gotham, a team in need of defensive assistance.
35		Luciana Zullo	South Carolina	F
A left-footed forward that played on the right side for South Carolina, she's another versatile addition of a prospect that could end up in a number of spots for Chicago.
36		Shanade Hopcraft	Colorado	M
Hopcroft has moved around a few times in college, progessivley going to larger and larger schools, and succeeding at every one. The former All-Pac-12 player is also the owner of a great bicycle kick on YouTube.
37		Rachel Philpotts	Wisconsin-Milwaukee	M
It was a senational season for the Panthers, and Philpotts was at the heart of it all as a defensive midfielder. She'll need to show she can handle the athleticism of the league, but she is tough in the challenge and a good passer.
38		Lauren Chang	South Carolina	M
Chang has played over 1000 minutes every year she's been at South Carolina, and has been All-SEC multiple times.

FOURTH ROUND

ORDER	TEAM	NAME	COLLEGE	POS
39		Kaitlin Fregulia	Long Beach State	D
This is the stage of the draft where local products and schools really get a long look. Fregulia is a solid center back from Long Beach that was named Big West co-Defensive Player of the Year this past fall. It was the second time she won the honor (2017).
40		Jada Talley	USC	F
Agreeing with what Travis said in the pick before, the California born Talley re-entered the draft this year after her rights were claimed last year, and she stays close to home.
41		Jenna Winebrenner	TCU	D
Winebrenner took a fifth year at TCU after playing four seasons at Notre Dame. The central defender logged more than 2,000 minutes for the Big 12 program in the fall, helping them reach the NCAA quarterfinal and sweeping the conference regular season and tournament.
42		Mollie Belisle	Georgia	F
The fifth leading scorer in the nation and the SEC forward of the year, Belisle takes her 15 goal senior season and adds to it at Louisville.
43		Sydney Pulver	Washington State	M
A defensive midfielder for the Cougars, Pulver finished her career in Washington with nearly 100 appearances. She can mix it up and provide steel for the KC spine. Playing as a center back provides added versaility.
44		Madison Elwell	Vanderbilt	M
Two-time all SEC and played over 1000 minutes as a freshman, Elwell adds quality depth to a Houston side that could lose a star midfielder in the expansion draft.
45		Madiya Harriott	Vanderbilt	D
If Harriott goes here, it would be back-to-back Commodores. Harriot had a great 2020-21 season, and battled injuries this fall. There is versatility here that would give her a shot at making the team, as she can play right back or defensive midfield.
46		Hensley Hancuff	Clemson	GK
Gotham just lost Mandy McGlynn to Sweden, and need a quality prospect to grow behind the newly acquired Ashlynn Harris. Hancuff fits that role, and the 6-foot-3 keeper is in a great place to grow with Gotham.
47		Olivia Van der Jagt	Washington	M
The local angle could lead to Van Der Jagt, an every-game starter at UW since 2018. She's a straightforward central midfielder that can connect play and isn't afraid of battling for possession.
48		Lucy Shepherd	Hofstra	F
Multiple time All-CAA, an Aston Villa youth product, and the owner of 75 career points at Hofstra. Portland grabs more depth up front for the international departures of Sophia Smith.
49		Tinaya Alexander	LSU	F
The approach to internationals in this draft will be an interesting one. Someone like Alexander showed that the can be a difference-maker at the NWSL level, but returning home to England could make more financial sense. Either way, grabbing her rights here wouldn't be a bad move for Chicago.
50		Jojo Harber	Stanford	M/F
A veritile outside back with US youth national team experience, Washington ends the draft with a depth signing to play behind Kelly O'Hara.