Final 2021 NWSL First Round Mock Draft

by Travis Clark

January 13, 2021

Over the past two days, plenty has already changed with regards to the NWSL Draft.

Brianna Pinto and Trinity Rodman officially applied for the draft, adding two talented underclassmen to the pool. Based off that, plus the news that Catarina Macario and Malia Berkely have officially joined clubs in France, below is the final TopDrawerSoccer Mock Draft ahead of the draft of January 13.

ORDER	TEAM	NAME	COLLEGE	POS
1		Brianna Pinto	North Carolina	M
Tuesday brought the announcement that the Tar Heel junior is officially in the draft, with other media reports indicating she will play the 2021 spring season before turning pro. With the NWSL season not kicking off until mid-May after the Challenge Cup, Pinto can wrap up her time in Chapel Hill and move to the new franchise.
2		Trinity Rodman	Washington State	F
Leaving school after just one season, Rodman is a longer term project, a young forward with plenty of upside. That's going to make this pick a valuable one for the Spirit, as they could dangle it for a trade or take the young forward. Provided Pinto goes first overall, Rodman seems likely for either the Spirit or a team that trades up.
3		Emily Fox	North Carolina	D/M
Presuming Pinto and Rodman are the first two off the board, Fox could be the next name. The left back can also play as a wide midfielder and is currently in camp with the U.S. women's national team.
4		Tara McKeown	USC	F
The slashing attacker had a big breakout in 2019, scoring goals for fun and helping the USC attack thrive. She can play underneath the striker or out wide.
5		Kiki Pickett	Stanford	D
Part of Stanford's rampant success during her time in Palo Alto, Pickett is one of the top outside backs in the draft and should be a first round pick. If she's going to play right away, it would make sense for the new franchise to go in that direciton.
6		Madison Haley	Stanford	F
The Red Stars went out and brought in Mal Pugh during the offseason. And while she's yet to really fire in the league, Haley is a great complement forward, as she showed playing up front with Macario. While Chicago already has forwards on offer, Haley's progress at Stanford is sure to set her up, as she's a clever and intelligent striker that could be a real asset if given time to adjust.
7		Samantha Coffey	Penn State	M
A creative central midfielder, Coffey available here would be a nice boost to the Thorns' depth in central midfield. Coffey is currently planning on playing the spring season before turning pro, and this would be a nice landing spot for her talent.
8		Taylor Otto	North Carolina	M
While there are potentially higher ceiling players out there, Otto has the talent and ability to at least be a candidate to see minutes in the league. The central midfielder will help reinforce a Sky Blue roster ahead of the new season.
9		Mikayla Colohan	BYU	F
Alex Morgan leads the line for the Pride, although it's unclear if Sydney Leroux will re-sign. Grabbing a forward like Colohan, who was one of the nation's best attacking players in 2019, would be a solid add.
10		Yazmeen Ryan	TCU	M/D
Versatile enough to play as an outside back or in the midfield, Ryan would be a perfect addition to the Courage. She could compete for minutes at outside back and lean on her ability to play at different positions to provide a high-quality depth player.