Lpapi's S23 Mock Draft - 3 Rounds + 1st Round Explanations

[Lpapi]

Two big disclaimers! The first is that I will obviously be very wrong on this prediction. The second is that I made the deliberate choice to mostly ignore the possibility of rerolls because I have had scouting conversations with none of these players. Therefore, a few players fell in this draft because of how many wingers and wingbacks we have in this class, I'm sure quite a few will end up as CDs, CDMs, GKs, and what have you. tpe is accurate as of 10/20/25.

Round 1

1. Liffeyside Celtic FC - Arsène N'Goussou - @Pandar - Attacking Midfield - 527 tpe

Liffey currently has an inactive CAM on the majors roster and recently moved their minors CAM, Tlacaelel Tepoztli, to Schwarzwälder FV. Picking up a top earning SSL vet at a position of need would be a slam dunk.

2. Tokyo S.C. - Kaspar Talvik - @Froste39 - Goalkeeper - 519 tpe

Tokyo adds the top earning keeper in the class who happens to be another SSL vet. Tokyo has an aging team and needs to fill quite a few inactive slots. In what looks to be a decently deep class they might consider trading down to acquire more more and revitalize Cairo's roster with a large group of youngsters. They have needs across the frontline and at gk, and here I chose to address the goalkeeper position because it has less depth than attacking midfield in this class. 

3. (from ) Schwarzwälder FV - Kaspars Kalinins - @jacobcarson877 - Midfield - 534 tpe

Perhaps Schwarzwälder missed out on reuniting with its alumni that went 1st and 2nd but they added a top earner and prolific article writer. Kalinin can immediately earn a spot in Montreal's defensive midfield and has a clear path to eventually make a majors roster in an organization that already has a lot of attacker depth and strong center back prospects.

4. Shanghai Dragons FC - Lan Mandragoran - @Lan - Defender - 523 tpe

Shanghai gets a great new user who already holds a job and is the highest earning center defender in the class. Shanghai has great earners at almost every position but one of their majors CDs is inactive and in regression. Presumably Lind will be moving up to the majors which should open up a a glaring weakness in Magyar's defense that Mandragoran can fill.

5. Xelajú Cósmico FC - Freddy Adu - @Doc - Attacking Midfield/Forward - 524 tpe

Xelajú gets one of the highest earners in the class, and a user with prior sim league experience. The org has two inactive strikers and Adu has the flexibility to lead the minors attack right away.

6.   (from) Hollywood FC - Weston McNuggie - @swoosh - Attacking Midfield/Winger - 518 tpe

McNuggie had a fantastic academy season and his teammates have been very complementary. Hollywood has two inactive players at LAM and would likely welcome a high earning replacement.

7. CA Buenos Aires - Luke Walker - @fathands3k - Midfield - 533 tpe

Buenos Aires should be elated to get the best remaining player on the board and a top earner in the class. Buenos Aires probably needs a CD more(especially with OM Nico Grimes being a midfielder in the same class), but they can take a great user and figure the team needs out after.

8. CD Tenochtitlan - Dwayne Pruney - @Nike - Winger - 510 tpe

Tenochtitlan would be happy to acquire a high earner with prior sim league experience. Their roster is pretty set with good earners at most positions but I believe there might be an opening at LAM for Pruney to fill.

9. (from   ) Shanghai Dragons FC - Caroni Riveras - @Mafx - Wingback - 523 tpe

Shanghai should be delighted to grab a top 6 earner who had a great season in the minors playing two different positions. Great new user who has done some excellent media pieces.

10. Reykjavik United - Sky Scraper - @SFresh3 - Defender - 485 tpe

Reykjavik has done an admirable job of future proofing the team and has few holes on the majors or minors roster. Looking down the board to draft one of the highest earning center defenders is smart when 2/3 of the orgs 3 inactives are at the center back position.

11. (from ) A.C. Romana - Thomas Schwarte - @MetalTS - Wingback - 519 tpe

AC Romana's need at left wingback is perhaps the most glaring in the entire SSL. The organization has a single inactive left back and Schwarte will likely immediately slot in as the majors starter.

12. União São Paulo - Matt Oopsie Wrongsport Turk - @Matt Turk - Wingback - 504 tpe

Turk was one of the best performing players in the academy, holds a job, and won the fan vote for an alternate art sticker. USP will be happy to grab a user that they know well and who will take care of the tree.

13. (COMPENSATION PICK) Liffeyside Celtic FC - Jay Cue Jr. - @Opera_Phantom - Defender - 519 tpe

Liffeyside takes an SSL vet that is among the classes top earners. Cue Jr. could settle into a couple different positions of need for Liffeyside.

14. (COMPENSATION PICK) Xelajú Cósmico FC - Seth McNeil - @CamGoldenGun - Winger/Attacking Midfield - 516 tpe

Xelajú picks a user who has been quite active on the discord and also earned well. Seth McNeil should immediately slot in at the RAM slot for the minors squad.

Round 2

15. Liffeyside Celtic FC - Pardner Magool - @SamEagle76 - Defender - 501 tpe
16. Tokyo S.C. - Jiang You - @loosSerine - Winger - 498 tpe
17. (from ) Schwarzwälder FV - Nico Lam - @Zucker - Midfield -  518 tpe
18. Shanghai Dragons FC - Bob Berendsen - @McLumberjack - Winger/Forward - 472 tpe
19. Xelajú Cósmico FC - Hans Grudnar - @BOS - Winger/Forward - 490 tpe
20. (from) Liffeyside Celtic FC - Lucas James - @Meshable - Winger/ Attacking Midfield - 486 tpe
21. CA Buenos Aires -  Connor Reed - @ReadySalted - Winger/Forward - 454 tpe
22. CD Tenochtitlan - Tommaso Cappellari - @ChefTommaso - Midfield - 461 tpe 
23. Schwarzwälder FV - Tumelo Letsie - @AW13 - Goalkeeper - 434 tpe
24. (from ) CA Buenos Aires - Dr Squid - @Colton_MC - Defender - 458 tpe
25. Hollywood FC - Robbie Schuumans - @Katth - Winger/Attacking Midfield - 484 tpe
26. (from ) Liffeyside Celtic FC - Lucas Peioxoto - @Lpapi - Defender/Wingback - 535 tpe
27. (COMPENSATION PICK) Xelajú Cósmico FC - Dimitrios Karras - @Fluw - Midfield - 464 tpe

Round 3

28. Liffeyside Celtic FC -  Rean Schwarzer - @Bowl0 - Goalkeeper - 429 tpe
29. Tokyo S.C. - Scott MacLeod - @Yaldi - Winger/Attacking Midfield - 466 tpe
30. A.C. Romana - Miguel Alves - @Lolst02 - Defender - 422 tpe
31. Shanghai Dragons FC - Bad Wolf - @Thewhovian - Midfield - 422 tpe
32. Xelajú Cósmico FC - Isaiah Corrigan - @Deecee98 - Defender - 428 tpe
33. CF Catalunya - Monkey Buccaneer - @uhnp - Midfield - 437 tpe
34. CA Buenos Aires - Volkan Kızıltaş - @Estiarte - Winger/Attacking Midfield - 462 tpe
35. CD Tenochtitlan - John Faxe Kondi - @John Faxe Kondi - Winger/Midfield
36. Schwarzwälder FV - Danny Michati - @Probot - Wingback/Defender - 440 tpe
37. Reykjavik United - Billy Bobby - @Wiggo - Winger/Attacking Midfield - 446 tpe
38. Hollywood FC - Nepa Paya -  @nepapaya - Wingback - 445 tpe
39. (from ) CF Catalunya - Ross Downing - @saxoross - Midfield - 434 tpe

[norththegreatestshowman]

Dope article

[Froste39]

Good one. 2nd OA would be insane :o

[Mafx]

Love the writeup, making top 9 would be great and it would go full circle that Shangai were the first guys that reached out to me, if i could i would give you the 5/5 rating myself

[loosSerine]

Damn this was spot on for me

[Matt Turk]

Pretty spot on mock draft! Good researching.

Media Grade 5/5