Real Salt Lake Selects Six in 2026 MLS SuperDraft
MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Selects Six in 2026 MLS SuperDraft

Published on December 18, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


HERRIMAN, Utah - Real Salt Lake today selected six players via the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, headlined by a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference standout centerbacks taken in the first round - DF Lukas Magnason (13th overall - Clemson) and DF Dylan Kropp (25th overall - North Carolina).

The Claret-and-Cobalt started the draft festivities early, selecting the rights former FC Cincinnati centerback Lukas Engel in the second stage of the 2025 MLS Re-Entry Draft late Wednesday, potentially providing depth to the Claret-and-Cobalt back line, which this week inked veteran Sam Junqua to a new deal along with finalizing the permanent transfer of Trinidadian international defender Kobi Henry from French side Reims. RSL now has seven days from the re-entry claim to contact Engel with a genuine offer.

"This [Draft] is yet another of several player development tools, each of which helps what our Club does and what we strive for," stated Real Salt Lake Sporting Director Kurt Schmid. "We're excited about all the guys we picked, we think they all have high ceilings and high potential, they are all guys we will closely track and harbor high hopes for."

Entering this year's college draft day with six picks, including five in the first 48 selections, the Claret-and-Cobalt utilized its pair of first-round picks by selecting a vaunted ACC centerback duo of Icelandic sophomore Magnason and senior Kropp with the 13th and 25th picks.

Continuing the back line trend, Real Salt Lake selected DF Tre Wright from UCLA with the 33rd overall pick, before selecting MF Jefferson Amaya from High Point eight picks later at 42nd overall. RSL closed out the second round with another defender, Danish international Niklas Soerensen from Pittsburgh, with the 48th overall selection.

Real Salt Lake closed out its annual collegiate draft by selecting FW Brayden Beason with the 73rd overall pick, the Claret-and-Cobalt's lone third-round selection.

Magnason joins RSL from Clemson University after the completion of his sophomore year with the Tigers. The former 2024 ACC All-Freshman Team member backed up his strong start to his collegiate career, logging 21 appearances and 19 starts. Magnason scored two goals - including the game-winner against Elon on Oct. 4 - in the Tigers' run to the NCAA tournament.

"It's just a great feeling to be drafted; to be honest I am just speechless," said Magnason, just minutes after hearing from the Club. "I've never been to Utah but it looks really nice so I am excited to see it. I've heard great things. Obviously I'm super excited to join the club so there's no question about that and I would say the fans can expect a really aggressive physical defender."

Joining RSL from the University of North Carolina after the completion of his senior year with the Tar Heels, Kropp will report to Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni's side come January. Starting all 20 matches along the back line for Carolina and claiming second team All-ACC honors, Kropp led a defense that finished with an 0.85 goals against average and helped keep eight clean sheets. Klopp scored one goal, a header in the opener against UCF.

"I'm super excited. I know RSL has a really good history and a really good fan base," said Klopp on Thursday afternoon. "I'm honored to be picked by the organization and I can't wait to play. To the fans, I will give everything I have for the team and the club and for the fans who come to support us every day. I'll be there every day giving everything I have and hopefully will earn the respect of my teammates and coaches along with the fans. I hope we can win big things for the club."

Trading in the Bruins legendary Blue-and-Gold for the Claret-and-Cobalt, Wright departs from the University of California at Los Angeles after the completion of his junior year with the same program that has produced dozens of MLS standouts over the years, including RSL legends Nick Rimando and Tony Beltran. In 2025, Wright was a Big 10 tournament champion and received honors for his sportsmanship on and off the field, along with All-Academic honors. Wright appeared in a career-high 19 matches in 2025, starting 18. He recorded three assists and notched the fourth-highest minute total on the squad, with 1,548.

"Being drafted means the world to me, it's what I have always worked for and it's a dream," said Wright on Thursday. "I don't even think I have words to describe the moment that I felt celebrating with my family, we had the draft up on the screen and as soon as we saw RSL and my name up there we all just started jumping around and screaming. It was just amazing to have so many people that I love to be there for that moment. I would like to say hello to the fans and that I am very grateful and hope to bring in energy and motivation. My goal is to bring wins, love and support to the team. I think I can be a big help in the future and really make a big impact and build into a team that wins regularly."

Departing High Point University for the Wasatch Front, Amaya joins Real Salt Lake after a successful senior season, scoring four goals and notching four assists. Spending his entire collegiate career with the Panthers, Amaya earned Big South Midfielder of the Year and United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team honors. Leading High Point to a Big South Conference Championship, Amaya and the Panthers would go on to defeat West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA tournament, before ultimately falling to No. 7 Georgetown by a 2-1 score in the Sweet Sixteen.

"I'm feeling really excited, really happy and really grateful for this opportunity. It means everything to be drafted, it's something that I have worked so hard for and something my parents have worked and sacrificed so much for. Being drafted was one of the best feelings I've had in my life, it was just surreal and I couldn't believe it. I was just happy and started shedding tears so it was great. Diego Luna is a big time U.S. Men's National Team player so I'm excited to get to play with him and everyone else on the team. To the fans, I'm a central midfielder who likes to have the ball and progress up the field but most importantly I'm a player that you'll get everything from for 90 minutes or however long I'm on the field. I'm just humble, hardworking and just grateful for everything."

Sorensen joins RSL from the University of Pittsburgh after the completion of his sophomore year with the Panthers. The Danish defender started 12 of the 13 matches in which he appeared for the Panthers throughout 2025, anchoring the Panthers' back line to five clean sheets. Sorensen recorded three assists in his collegiate career and was selected to the ACC All-Freshman team in 2024.

Beason,19, joins RSL from the University of San Francisco after the completion of his sophomore year with the Dons. Over the course of his two seasons in the Bay Area, the sophomore scored 12 goals and notched 2 assists for his team. Beason also received honors for the WCC All-Conference freshman team in 2024 and WCC All-Conference first team in 2025. In his sophomore season, the forward logged 16 appearances, starting in 14 and logging a total of 1,111 minutes.

2025 MLS Re-Entry Draft Pick for Real Salt Lake:

DF Lukas Engel

* FC Cincinnati (On Loan from Middlesborough FC)

* Hometown, Kastrup, Denmark

* 5-foot-11/ 161-lb

* 6 assists with FC Cincinnati in across all competitions in 2025

* 7 goals and 8 assists in the Danish Superliga from 2020-24

* 2 goals and 4 assists with EFL Championship team Middlesbrough

2026 MLS SuperDraft Picks for Real Salt Lake:

DF Lukas Magnason

* Clemson Sophomore

* Hometown, Kopavogur, Iceland

* 6-foot-2 / 169-lb

* 2024 ACC All Freshman Team

* Two (2) goals / one (1) assist

* Scored the game winning goal against Elon (10/4)

DF Dylan Kropp

* North Carolina Senior

* Hometown, Powell, Ohio

* 6-foot-2 / 186-lb

* 2025 All-ACC Second Team honors

* 1 goal in the season opener v. UCF

* Helped keep UNC to 8 clean sheets

* 2023 Big East All-Tournament Team

DF Tre Wright

* UCLA Junior

* Hometown, Austin, Texas

* 6-foot-2 / 180-lb

* 2025 Big Ten Tournament Champion

* No. 4 in UCLA minutes (1548)

MF Jefferson Amaya

* High Point Senior

* Hometown, Charlotte, North Carolina

* 6-foot-1 / 175-lb

* United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team (2025)

* Big South Midfielder of the Year (2025)

* 17 goals / 20 assists in college career

DF Niklas Sorensen

* Pitt Sophomore

* Hometown, Thalwil, Switzerland

* 6-foot-3 / 165-lb

* 2024 All ACC Freshman Team

* 13 appearances / 12 starts in 2025

* Recorded 3 assists

FW Brayden Beason

* USF Sophomore

* Hometown, Keller, Texas

* 6-foot-2 / 165-lb

* WCC All-Conference First Team - 2025

* WCC All-Conference Freshmen Team - 2024

* 12 goals / 2 assists in college career

Check out the Real Salt Lake Statistics

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