Catanese: Revolution Rebuild Needs to Capitalize on SuperDraft
New England has a long and storied history with the MLS SuperDraft, something the current front office needs to focus on again with a high draft pick this year.
Okay, I know the New England Revolution have been rather busy the last few weeks, and this Leo Campana guy who used to hangout with Leo Messi is joining the team. It’s a pretty big deal, literally and figuratively - the Revs gave up over $2 Million in GAM to make the deal happen.
But today is the time for a return to simpler times, a time before the Beckham Rule and DPs, GAM, and TAM. While the Revolution have a rather…checkered history with big transfers, they have been a dominant force when bolstered by the college ranks.
I do not know if there is an award for best drafting team ever of all time in MLS, but there should be and it should permanently reside in Foxboro. Maybe Everett soon.
Today’s 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place via conference call at 3pm Eastern as the Revs hold the #5 pick in the first round as well as their natural 2nd and 3rd round choices at #35 and #65 overall.
Legends like Twellman, Joseph, Noonan, Dempsey, and Parkhurst bolstered my mainstays like Andy Dorman, Wells Thompson, Adam Cristman, Kevin Alston, Darius Barnes, and Zack F Schilawski all harken back to the Nicol era of SuperLiga and Open Cup glory.
The last two relevant teams in Revolution history were bolstered by several years of first round picks. The 2014 Eastern Conference champs had Steve Neumann and Patrick Mullins as rookies, Andrew Farrell (#1 overall in 2013), Kelyn Rowe (#3 in 2012) and AJ Soares (#6 in 2011).
Then the 2021 Supporter’s Shield winners had Brandon Bye (#8 in 2018), Tajon Buchanan and DeJuan Jones (#9 / #11 in 2019), and Henry Kessler (#6 in 2020) and of course the undrafted MAAC legend Matt Turner who signed in 2016 but took over as starter in 2018.
Since then and in between there have been some solid players like McCrary, Gamble, Femi, Donnie and Joshua F Smith, Kizza, Wright who have mostly plied their trade in lower leagues successfully but were all late first round or later round picks for the most part. The Revs have mostly had a good eye for drafting talent even if that talent flourishes elsewhere while the Revs senior roster is at its peak.
However, since 2019 the Revolution have passed on five late round picks and sold/traded away all of their 2024 picks. Having whiffed on #4 overall pick Joshua Bolma in 2023 and last year’s midsummer trades with DeJuan and Kessler, the Revs have zero picks on their senior roster dating back to 2019.
And not selecting that talent and having it develop has clearly hurt the Revs over the years and I think it showed in the Revs struggles and collapse last year. For the successes like Esmir and Peyton Miller last year, Damian Rivera and Noel Buck were mostly on loan when there was a need for them at the first team. The loan sagas of Jack P and Ryan Spaulding were also interesting given the overall depth issues that plagued the Revs seemingly all year.
The Revs have generally been good about using their draft picks in other ways, like trades to acquire Ian Harkes with a 2024 2nd Round pick and some GarberBucks. I have long said the Revs are the best team in MLS at getting value from their draft picks and trades yet when that pathway dries up so to does the Revs success on the field.
Missing on a top five pick in particular really hurts especially for a team that usually crushes the top of the draft when they are there. I didn’t like the Revs selling their first-round pick last year under the assumption that the roster was mostly complete and clearly it was not.
Even with all the changes over the years with homegrown players and MLS NextPro, New England should never turn down a chance to add talent to their team. Not GarberBucks for future deals - but actual playing prospects.
Something else that has plagued the Revs after recent successful years - a mediocre to non-existent offseason like the one they had right before the disaster that was 2024. Yes the Revs expected to take a step back after the sales of Turner/Tajon/Buksa, but they really didn’t spend that war chest until yesterday. Injuries aside, the Revs have needed a true home run signing like they think they have in Campana to go along with the savvy value deals and back-end youth.
All phases haven’t been clicking when just two years ago the Revs capitalized on selling a DP, a top draft pick, and an undrafted player in like six months. That is an unheard of return on investment and yet the Revs thought adding another $100K in GarberBucks to the (at the time) third-largest piggybank in MLS was more important than taking a player at #20 last year.
There are still massive needs for depth across the entire backline (another UVA center back and future All-MLS name like Nick Dang?) and I wouldn’t say no to one of the striker prospects like UMass’ 6’3’’ Alec Hughes or the top end central midfielders projected to go in the top ten in the MLS Mock Draft.
Surely the Revs have probably been doing a lot more research than I have but I don’t want the Revs to forget how important the draft has been to them in the past and should still be. Because these needs were arguably there last season too.
I know the SuperDraft’s importance has been waning over the years, and the draft isn’t even on any form of TV or streaming this year for reasons I can not comprehend. Perhaps the draft will go the way of the NWSL and become a free agent free for all of sorts or with teams having priority for local prospects and/or schools. I still think international eligible draftees shouldn’t count against the international roster slots at least as rookies but the focus being on domestic players is also fair. There is still a balance to be had in an age of academies and developmental teams of scouting and signing college talent.
Perhaps the next few years will be the last of the SuperDraft era in MLS. If it is, then the longtime two decade title belt holders should go out in a manner worthy of their exemplary drafting ability before becoming a dominant force at whatever the league thinks up next.
Because the league should not fear the team with the best Designated Player history…but the team that is the undisputed blind draw champions ever of all time when they hit on that big deal.