Academy Task 5: A Measured Analysis of Every First Overall SSL Draft Pick

[Metafiction]

In basically any sport that involves a prospect or college draft, a lot of attention and pressure is heaped upon the player that gets selected first overall. Entire sports media cycles are devoted to speculation on the identity of the first pick, their strengths and weaknesses (once they’re chosen), the expectations they face and whether or not they’re a bust (usually two games into their career when they’ve just been picked up by an organization with far bigger problems and naturally struggle to carry an entire squad on their back no I’m definitely not talking about Bryce Young why would you even ask).

The SSL is one of very few soccer organizations to implement a draft ([laughs in MLS]), meaning that each selection finds themselves under a level of scrutiny not usually seen in the soccer world. Some of these picks flourish, others…not so much. And that’s doubly true of the players taken with the number one pick.

So today, let’s look at all of the SSL players that have received this singular honor, and whether that honor propelled them to greatness or hung around their neck like an albatross. (Do albatrosses actually hang around people’s necks? I’ve always heard that saying, but I’ve never known if it was actually legitimate or not.)

A quick disclaimer: these assessments are based solely on the player’s career, not on the user who made them. I’m not casting aspersions on the people who made each player (unless it’s purely in the name of comedy), and I mean no ill will for any disparaging comments I make. With that out of the way…

S1: Alessio Calvatore - Cairo City

I’ve briefly written about Calvatore before, when I did a recap of the first ever SSL Draft ahead of the Season 16 edition (nearly ten seasons ago, good lord I’m old). Calvatore was a part of three title-winning Hollywood squads from seasons 6 to 8, but seems to have been fairly unremarkable outside of that and faded into the history books around Season 10. In these early days, nobody really had a yardstick for what sort of player was 1OA quality, and with basically everyone on roughly an equal playing field, it was always going to be a crapshoot on who would emerge from the crowd. Still, Calvatore made a more than respectable go of it.

S2: Jökull Júlíusson - CF Catalunya

Júlíusson was a mainstay of the expansion Catalunya team for a very long time, managing an average rating of 7.31 for the Reapers over a twelve-year stint in Barcelona. One of the most reliable defenders in the earlier days of the SSL, Júlíusson more than earned his high selection. The Icelandic defender would then spend three comparatively anonymous seasons playing for Athenai before calling it a career. Even though he didn’t get the storybook ending you usually expect a first overall pick to achieve, Júlíusson still has a lot to be proud of, and Catalunya can say with certainty that they got this one right.

S3: Siegward OfCatarina - CA Buenos Aires

OfCatarina never really set the league on fire the way Júlíusson did. They were respectable, certainly, and remained with the newly-created Buenos Aires all the way until the organization merge before Season 12, but their best season was likely Season 7, where they managed an average rating of 7.53. Apart from that, there wasn’t really a lot to write home about for Siegward. On the plus side, this draft also saw CABA select midfielder Aimo Tälli, who had a much better run in the league, so in its own way it sort of worked out, I suppose.

S4: Rizzo Rigmarole - Adowa Accra

Probably the first proper “bust” on this list, Rigmarole would only play four seasons for Accra, managing only a fairly pedestrian average rating of 6.83 over that time period. Rigmarole got another chance in Season 8 on a one-season deal with FC Kaapstad, posting a respectable 7.13, but it wasn’t enough to keep Rizzo employed. Apart from a brief cameo in Laos in Season 11, Rigmarole would fade from view as quickly as he arrived. In Accra’s defense, it wasn’t the most star-studded draft class—though missing out on Edwin van der Sloth four picks later, to say nothing of Vui Kemoeatu and Dogwood Maple, undoubtedly stings even to this day.

S5: Hol LeDiver - União São Paulo

The first true hit at 1OA, in my opinion. What a difference a single season makes. LeDiver would go on to become a mainstay of the league, best known as a key figure in Reykjavik United’s extended run of dominance. By all accounts a valuable locker room presence, LeDiver would turn out to be one of the league’s most recognizable defensive stars, and has plenty of accolades to show for it, not least of which being six league titles and two Team of the Year selections. It seems pretty safe to say that this was when teams really started to dial in their scouting and began to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff. USP are probably wishing LeDiver had stayed in Brazil, but at least they can take solace knowing they made an excellent selection…right?

S6: Toki Wartooth - Montréal United

Wartooth had a serviceable, if unspectacular, run in Quebec, playing eight seasons for Les Fleurs and generally anchoring the right side of defense during a relatively lean period for the team. Shortly after the org merge, the Finn found himself in a similarly struggling AS Paris, where he would play two more seasons before retiring. It’s just a shame that the player selected two picks later, Charles-Andrew-Simon Utley-Abara-Lunga, would go on to become one of the most prolific scorers in SSL history, and the pick after that, Dexter Hall, ended up as one of the most consistent goalkeepers in that same period. Those picks make this one look a little worse in hindsight, but you can’t really fault Montréal—this wasn’t a terrible selection.

S7: Henry Andrews - Reykjavik United

Another name synonymous with Reykjavik’s juggernaut era, and this time fully homegrown. Andrews recorded 73 career goals and 119 career assists, with his best season coming in S17 (12 goals, 26 assists, 8.42 average rating) en route to his one and only Golden Eye award. Andrews spent his entire career with Reykjavik, winning plenty of titles, but failed to win the World Simulation Football Classic despite abandoning his United States roots in favor of defecting to Zambia and playing for East Africa (I promise I’ve gotten over it, I really have, honest). Still, you really can’t argue with those kind of results, and even with talent like Heather Bull and Furious Chicken available in this class, Reykjavik probably found the cream of the crop in Andrews.

S8: Princess Changshan - Red Star Laos

The famously thin Season 8 class can best be summed up by Changshan’s selection at first overall. Though far from the worst player on this list—thanks in part to the existence of Rizzo Rigmarole—Changshan never reached the heights of other first overall picks. Five seasons, four goals and eight assists just weren’t what Laos needed, and Changshan was surplus to requirements in the newly merged Reykjavik organization. After a hiatus, Changshan played three more seasons as a squad player—one in Kaapstad and two in Tokyo—before retiring. Far from a regal display, it should be said, though the recently drafted Peach Toadstool may have what it takes to redeem the royalty in the SSL. Will we yet see a princess shine in this league? Only time will tell.

S9: Breadneeq LaVert - Hollywood FC

LaVert never quite captured the imagination in the way a first overall pick should. Though they managed a respectable journeyman career, which saw them play for six different teams, LaVert only had one truly great season—the Season 13 campaign with Kaapstad that saw them land an 8.05 average rating. That was good enough to earn them a spot on the São Paulo roster the next season, where they would languish before a three-season stint in Rome. LaVert’s career ended after being part of the inaugural season of CD Tenochtitlan, having never recaptured the heights of that S13 effort. Once again, rather than being amazing or terrible, LaVert ended up being just…kind of okay. And sometimes that’s all a team really needs, right?

S10: Kurt Lightning - Hollywood FC

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: “Kurt Lightning” might be my favorite name in the history of the SSL. I can’t explain why, it just is. A Hollywood/Kaapstad lifer, Lightning was one of the most reliable midfield grinders in the league. A steady presence on the ball and a patient dribbler, Lightning rarely made mistakes in his prime, and could be depended on to provide security in the center of the park for a Hollywood team that was in desperate need of stability at the time. Though hardly the flashiest player, Lightning did the job he was drafted for, and he’s an important factor in Hollywood’s return to prominence just before the org merge. Though Dombrofski Maximiliano and Momo Adamu may hav been more visibly skilled at their respective peaks, Lightning was hardly a pushover, and may well go down as the most underrated first overall selection of all time.

S11: Rippley Dieter - FC Kaapstad

The final draft before the merge, Kaapstad were relatively spoiled for choice. With players like Zlatan Ibruhimovic and Duncan Maxwell on offer, some smart drafting could easily land them a solid talent. The team from Cape Town ultimately settled on Dieter, whose career was solid but brief. Dieter would contribute to the ongoing Hollywood/Kaapstad project for a total of six seasons, occasionally capturing the imagination but never quite breaking through consistently. Dieter tried to catch on in Tokyo and London, but never quite found a proper groove, and ultimately retired after Season 20. Though hardly a failure of a pick, you have to wonder what might have been, if Kaapstad had gone in a slightly different direction.

S12: Jay Cue - AC Romana / Inter London

From this point forward, as a result of the merger between organizations and restructuring into linked Majors and Minors squads, teams would be drafting more for the future than for immediate fit. That ethos is already on display here; Jay Cue had a lot of hype around him as a top prospect for the future going into the Season 12 draft. Ultimately, though, he ended up in the shadow of players taken after him, most notably Jude Greer (definitely no bias there, what are you even talking about) and Kimi Hakkinen. He still managed a respectable career, lasting nine seasons before retiring. His son, Jay Cue Jr., was drafted ahead of Season 23, and is off to a promising start for Rova Mpanjaka, so fingers crossed Junior can carry the family legacy.

S13: Ljubica Kamenova - CF Catalunya / Seoul Mythic FC

The first player on this list who’s still active! Kamenova currently plays for Seoul, having spent her entire career in the Catalunya/Seoul organization. A serviceable left back, Kamenova has been a mainstay of a struggling Catalunya team, but was recently moved down to the minors to accommodate new promotees. It’s not clear how much longer Kamenova will be in the league, and indeed she never quite reached the heights of her classmates (specifically Wang Zhihao and Alessandro Del Pirlo, among others), but there’s something to be said for longevity, and Kamenova made a real name for herself among the Catalunya faithful.

S14: Leo Fiachra - CA Buenos Aires /  Athenai FC

Fiachra is another midfielder that saw a lot of pre-draft hype. And to be entirely fair, he’s been far from awful; last season was the first time he’s posted an average rating below 6.9 (nice?). It’s just that when you share a class with players like Jalen Brooks, Pete Martell and Steven Urkel, you’re always going to have an uphill climb. Fiachra worked out better than many picks in this class, but it has to be said that he’s been somewhat underwhelming for the amount of capital Buenos Aires/Athenai used on him.

S15: Nathan Cormier - Hollywood FC / FC Kaapstad

Far and away the best of a very thin prospect pool. With Ali Dia already committed to Hollywood, Cormier was the obvious target to strengthen the Lights’ backline. Cormier was brought into the Majors squad from the get-go, and the rest is history; two league titles and an SSL Cup later, Cormier is a Hollywood mainstay. He might be on the tail end of his career, but he’s fired up to try and deliver Hollywood its third league win in four seasons. Hollywood obviously nailed this one, especially given the alternatives on offer; it’s difficult to imagine them picking anyone else at this point.

S16: Beaklie Eilish - União São Paulo / AS Paris

The first of a trio of consecutive USP picks on this list. Newer players may not remember, but there was a time not that long ago when USP were actually sort of the banter club of the SSL. They went three consecutive seasons with only one singular victory, and failed to record so much as a draw on two occasions. As painful as it must have been, it did lead to some excellent players. Eilish was a defensive rock during USP’s rebuilding phase, and though she was ultimately traded to Tokyo before São Paulo’s first league title, the goose remains a stalwart of the Yōkai back line and a beloved locker room presence.

S17: Roquefort Cotswold - União São Paulo / AS Paris

The second of USP’s big three, and an absolute home run for them. Cotswold very well may be the best wingback in the SSL at the moment, and he’s just hitting his prime. With 68 career assists already, Cotswold is one of the main attacking threats on this São Paulo team; whenever he touches the ball, he makes something incredible happen. Indeed, this draft has been crucial to USP’s current run of success, as they also selected Yoma Hashimoto and Nerve de Groot, both fixtures of the organization and key contributors on and off the pitch. This draft may have marked the point when USP’s fortunes truly began to change.

S18: Julian Rubio - União São Paulo / AS Paris

An excellent striker with 135 career goals in all competitions going into Season 24, Rubio shone at the most recent WSFC with an impressive haul of 11 goals. Rubio is great and still getting better, and is currently just over 80 league goals away from breaking the Major League career goal scoring record of 180 goals, currently held by Owen Forty-Four. So yes, I’d say this was an okay first overall pick. (Bonus points again for USP, as their other picks—especially João Peixoto and Benecio Aguilera III—have also been absolutely stellar.) By my count, adding in Hol LeDiver, that makes USP a perfect 4/4 on 1OA selections—not bad for a club that once put up just three points over three seasons.

S19: Aart de Trella - CF Catalunya / Seoul Mythic FC

The center back was thrust into a starting role far earlier than most, having been drafted during a period when Els Segadors were at their lowest ebb in several seasons. de Trella has certainly been as advertised so far, quickly becoming a stalwart in the Catalunya back line, but the team is still struggling to keep their heads above water. Still, with plenty of growing left to do, de Trella might have what it takes to lead their team to renewed glory—and with the new promotion and relegation system in place, there’s every reason to believe they can spearhead a charge back to the top of the mountain.

S20: Marcel Voda - Shanghai Dragons FC / Rapid Magyar

Season 20 saw the biggest SSL Draft class to date, and with plenty of future stars to choose from, the newly-expanded Shanghai were, to put it mildly, spoiled for choice. They ultimately settled on Voda, a midfielder who had excelled in his academy season. While it’s still a bit too early to truly judge this pick, early signs are very promising. Season 23 was a real breakout season for Voda, with a phenomenal 14 goals and 6 assists to his name. Along with Thomas Hohenhahn, Voda provides plenty of bite to the Dragons’ attack—and he’s a positive locker room presence as well, making sure his teammates stay hydrated at all times. The future is bright for the Slovenian star, and if he continues this trajectory, he could easily become one of the SSL’s all-time greats.

S21: Maverick Jones - Hollywood FC / FC Kaapstad

As with Voda, it’s still a bit too early to truly tell whether this number one pick was truly worthwhile, but considering Hollywood received this pick in a trade with Catalunya, I doubt they’ll have any conplaints. Jones has impressed in goal for Kaapstad thus far, with 24 clean sheets over three seasons, and looks like a more than worthy long-term successor to Duncan Walrusson. A truly great presence in net can do so much for a team, and Kaapstad have undoubtedly benefited from Jones’ presence. It’ll be intriguing to see whether he can continue this performance when he eventually does make the jump to the majors; all signs currently point to “yes.”

S22: Benjamin Munro - Xelajú Cósmico / Masques Sacrés

Munro has made an excellent start to life in the SSL. As the first pick by the expansion Xelaju/Masques organization, there was a lot of pressure on the Chilean player, but he’s seemed to handle it well so far. 29 goals in two seasons for an impressive Masques side have immediately captured the imagination of SSL fans, and a three-season extension ensures that Munro will be a key member of Cosmico’s plans for the foreseeable future. Will he rise to the heights of Rubio? Who’s to say—but don’t bet against Munro or Cosmico.

S23: Kaspars Kalinins - Liffeyside Celtic / Rova Mpanjaka

Like their expansion comrades, Liffeyside and Rova have been a huge boon to the SSL in their brief time in the league. Though Celtic have had a less than stellar start, Rova have been an excellent package in the Minors, and that was only boosted last season by the addition of Kalinins. The Latvian midfielder had an excellent rookie season, posting an average rating of 6.93, and is poised to build on that in his sophomore season. Kalinins is one of the more exciting midfield talents from the last few classes, and while (again) it’s far too soon to truly judge whether he’s worthy of the first overall pick, there’s every reason to believe that he can live up to the hype and become an SSL icon.

S24: Bodhi Grizz - Tokyo SC / Cairo City

And now we come to the final name on our list, who as of this writing hasn’t actually played an official game yet. As such, it’s impossible to say how high he’ll rise. Give it four or five seasons and you’ll have a better picture. Regardless, I happen to know ltblackgrizzly from the SMJHL, and I can vouch that he seems like a cool dude, so I’ve got high hopes for his rookie season. Just…maybe don’t taunt the bear. That never ends well.

—

And there you have it. A comprehensive list of every player whose name was first off the draft board. Some were great, others really weren’t, a bunch were kinda just okay. It certainly feels like the overall quality of first overall picks has drastically increased in recent seasons, but how much of that is recency bias versus actual quality? That’s for more scientifically rigorous statheads to figure out; I’m just some guy on the internet talking trash about a fictional soccer league.

If I were forced to select a top three of first overall picks (which of course I’m not, but I need the extra cash so I’m doing it anyway, try and stop me), I think it would be as follows.

Third best for me is Marcel Voda; while it’s still early in his career, the speed with which he’s become a staple of the Shanghai lineup is incredible, and now that he’s been able to replicate his academy success in the Major Division, it’s only upward from here.

Second best goes to Hol LeDiver, largely on the strength of being a defensive mainstay for a dominant league-winning team that was taken first overall in an era where the concrete of the league was still setting. To find a genuine league legend in such an early draft is a genuinely impressive piece of business, even if he barely played fo the team that drafted him.

But I think it’s pretty clear that the best first overall pick in SSL history (so far) is Julian Rubio. An absolutely transcendent attacking threat, Rubio is on pace to etch himself in the history books forever as one of the SSL’s most prolific strikers. It’s genuinely insane the kind of scoring tear he’s already been on, and he’s still got room to grow. I think just about everyone is eager to see where he goes next.

Whoever gets taken first overall in the Season 25 draft will have some big shoes to fill, no doubt about that. The possibilities are just about endless; they might be the next Julian Rubio, or maybe they flounder like Rizzo Rigmarole. Or, like so many others, maybe they fall somewhere in between those extremes. That’s part of the beauty of the draft: you never know exactly what you’re going to get. So for the sake of every team selecting in the next draft, here’s hoping they find the superstar they’re after.

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