2023 NWSL Draft Big Board

By J.J. Post

It’s not much of a stretch to say that of all the American professional sports drafts, the NWSL draft is the hardest to correctly map out. Upwards of 250 players register each year for 40 available slots. Tape on these players is scattered among a litany of different paywalled streaming services, each lower quality than the next. As such, scouting out each year's crop of prospects can be an arduous, and perhaps on some level impossible, task. Thankfully, we do have some objective ways to view potential draftees: stats. And thanks to an army of different filters and search criteria, I’ve created a list of 16 players across four position groups that stand out statistically for one reason or another. 

To reiterate: this is not me saying these are the three best players in their respective position groups. Rather these are players that have at least one element to their statistical profiles that makes them stand out.

A Word About NCAA Data: all data used for this piece comes from Instat, the main data provider for NCAA Women’s Soccer. It’s important to note that InStat’s data is handtracked, and like all databases, not infallible, but it remains the only source with advanced college women’s soccer statistics so it is what we are working with. 

FORWARDS

1. Michelle Cooper (Duke)

Per InStat, the Duke dynamo converted an astounding 70% of her chances in 2022. That’s more than just good, it's unparalleled compared to her other attacking counterparts available for selection. No other player of the other forwards consistently mocked in or around the first round (Hocking, Spaanstra, Douglas, D’Aquila, Hopkins) even have a conversion rate of above 40%. She also racked up impressive totals in attacking challenges won, ranking fifth in InStat’s database in the category. 

2. Izzy D’Aquila (Santa Clara)

D’Aquila is a poachers’ poacher at center forward, generating more xG than any other player in college soccer last year according to InStat’s database. She proved more than just capable of getting into scoring positions as well, turning her high xG totals into 19 actual goals, good for second in the nation. And despite standing just 5’7, D’Aquila was one of just three players in InStat’s database to win more than 100 aerial duels in 2022.

3. Riley Mattingly Parker (Alabama)

When you score 17 goals in a season on a College Cup team, your NWSL draft resume more or less writes itself. But Mattingly Parker also showed plenty of mettle as a creator during her stellar 2022 campaign, ranking in the top fifteen for forwards in both chances created and xAssists. Parker also recorded the highest pass completion percentage (85%) of any forward that completed 500 or more passes last season.

An off the radar name to keep an eye on: Katie Soderstrom (Butler)

Soderstrom’s counting numbers don’t immediately catch eyes: six assists in the Big East is solid but nothing to write home about in a deep pool of forwards. But her underlying numbers tell a different story. According to InStat, Soderstrom racked up 13 xA in 19 games, good for fourth most in the database. More of a wide threat than the other three center forwards in this section, Soderstrom is also a strong dribbler with a dangerous cross.

MIDFIELDERS

1. Jenna Nighswonger (Florida State)

The MAC Herman award finalist was an engine of production at attacking midfield for the Seminoles, providing a balanced output both as a creator and scorer. InStat ranked her third in the country in total chances created in 2022, and she also finished in the top ten in xA. And while she wasn’t necessarily a prolific dribbler in college (only completing 35 dribbles last season) she was highly efficient when she did choose to take defenders on herself, recording a 74% success rate- good for the 5th best clip of any draft-eligible midfielder with more than 30 dribbles. One of the last entries to the draft-eligible list, Nighswonger is a near lock to be a high first round selection.

2. Carlee Giammona (Pepperdine)

Giammona has put up impressive numbers for Pepperdine for a couple years now following a transfer from Alabama, and enters the 2023 draft on the back of her best year yet. Tearing up the WCC, Giammona proved to be more than just a progressive passer (though she did plenty of that too, registering 33 chances created and 24 key passes), also accumulating nine goals on 10 xG according to InStat. For a player who may be moved forward to more of an attacking midfield role in the pros, that ability to find her own spots could be crucial.  

3. Molly McLaughlin (Xavier)

While the first two names profiled here are more creators who profile closer to 10s, McLaughlin is an old fashioned destroyer at the 6. Per InStat, no other midfielder in the draft won more challenges in 2022 than McLaughlin, who did so at a relatively efficient clip (61%) as well. She’s also a steady passer (72% completion rate), giving a smoother complement to the bite and energy that highlight her game.

An off the radar name to keep an eye on: Jadyn Edwards (New Mexico)

Plying her trade in the Mountain West, Edwards doesn’t have the Blue Blood pedigree of some of the other midfielders available for selection (like the players above who went to uh, Florida State, Pepperdine and Xavier). But she does have a well-rounded game in the center of the park, and, despite more than holding her own in the counting stat category with eight goals and two assists, profiles well as a ball-winner. Notably, InStat registers her as having won over 100 challenges in both the “attacking” and “defensive” categories, highlighting her ability to make an impact anywhere on the field.

DEFENDERS

1. Reyna Reyes (Alabama)

Reyes is almost certain to be the first fullback off the board and may well be the first defender altogether. There’s nothing the Crimson Tide standout can’t do. According to InStat, she led all draft-eligible defenders in challenges won last season as well as total accurate passes (doing so at an 84% completion rate). She also finished top three in her class of defenders in successful dribbles- and that’s not even getting into the fact that she also scored eight goals (doing so on, impressively, almost exactly 8.0 xG).

2. Ruby Diodati (Michigan State)

It’s no coincidence the ex-Colgate transfer’s first year at Michigan State coincides with the Spartans’ first ever outright Big Ten title. Diodati was a rock at the back, with InStat recording her as a mark of efficiency in both passing (80% completion rate) and tackling (winning 72% of her defensive challenges). As an added bonus, Pepperdine’s Trinity Watson was the only draft-eligible defender to generate more xA.

3. Sydney Collins (California)

Efficiency is the name of Collins’ game. No other defender eligible for selection had a better success rate at completing passes than Collins (89%). She also wins tackles and challenges at an impressive clip (79% and 75%, respectively), and racked up an impressive number of ball recoveries (217) during a banner 2022 campaign. Off the spreadsheet, Collins is a three year captain who’s missed exactly two starts since I was a senior in high school. I am currently a junior in college. Suffice to say, she’s as dependable as they’ll come. 

An off the radar name to keep an eye on: Abby Fusca (Elon)

If you’re looking for a fullback who can drive the ball forward, Fusca ranks among the best of the best in the class. InStat has the Vienna, VA native at an impressive 78 completed dribbles in 2022, good for second among all draft-eligible defenders. More than just a one-on-one threat, her 15 chances created last season are good enough to tie for second in the class for defenders.

GOALKEEPERS

1. Savannah Madden (Texas)

Per InStat, Madden’s xGA-GA last year was 10.91, the fourth best of any goalkeeper eligible for selection and the best of any power five keeper eligible. I could probably stop this blurb there and it would be a sufficient explanation for an analytics board (this is, after all, the original Matt Turner xGC truther site). But I’ll also add that she had a strong open play passing success rate (84%) - with a particular affinity for medium range distribution, completing over 400 passes in that category in 2022 -  and generally speaking was one of the least error prone goalkeepers in the country last year. 

2. Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA)

The #1 for the reigning National Champions posted more clean sheets in 2022 (15) than any other goalkeeper available for selection. Brzykcy also boasts a positive xGA-GA differential (7.4 in InStat’s database) and has a steady distribution game with solid range (72% completion rate on long passes and 82% completion rate on all open play passes).

3. Jordan Silkowitz (Iowa State)

Guess what metric I’m gonna note Silkowitz stands out in? Say it with me everyone, xGC-GC. Another positive score here, as InStat scores her differential at 7.52. She’s also comfortable in distribution, completing 94% of her short and mid range passes in 2022.

An off the radar name to keep an eye on: Makenna Gottschalk (New Mexico State)

I’ll get to the point. InStat has Gottschalk at a whopping 17.9 xGA-GA differential for 2022, with a 78% success rate on long passes. She also had the second highest shots saved rate of any goalie to make more than 100 saves this year. If you told me a non power-five goalkeeper got selected in this draft, the smart money would be to not bet, but I’d take Gottschalk.