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Jackson lands on MLS Draft Big Board
1/9/2018 9:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
GCU star named to Top Drawer Soccer's list of Top 50 draft prospects
Recently-graduated Grand Canyon standout Niki Jackson landed a spot on Top Drawer Soccer's 2018 MLS Draft Big Board published on Monday. The list, which features three individuals from the Western Athletic Conference, is comprised of the top-50 draft-eligible soccer players coming from NCAA institutions.
The Major League Soccer SuperDraft consists of four, 23-pick rounds with the first two rounds taking place on Friday, Jan. 19 and the final two rounds on Sunday, Jan. 21. Los Angeles FC, an expansion franchise beginning play in the upcoming 2018 season, will make the first overall pick in the draft which is set to take place in Philadelphia.
Jackson is slated at No. 42 on the board which, as it currently stands, is a late second round pick held by New York City FC. UNLV forward Danny Musovski is ranked No. 10 while Seattle U midfielder Alex Roldan comes in at No. 29. Michigan forward Francis Atuahene checks in at No. 1 overall.
The WAC has had 11 players selected in the MLS Draft all-time, including one in each of the last four renditions. Seattle U's Kyle Bjornethun went to the local Seattle Sounders in the fourth round of last year's MLS Draft.
Historically, the conference has been home to two top-10 picks; the best overall pick being Fresno State's Brian Johnson who went No. 7 overall to the Kansas City Wizards in 1997. The WAC's biggest year came in 1999 when three players were selected, a mark which the conference could very well reach in this draft.
Jackson was not one of MLS's 60 combine invitees announced on Dec. 21, but was named one of seven snubs from the invitee list by Top Drawer Soccer.
After a four-year GCU career that featured 41 goals, Jackson ranks second all-time in the WAC record books for goals in a career, only behind the aforementioned Musovski. Jackson won WAC Player of the Year for his 16-goal season as a junior and was a two-time All-West Region honoree. He was also one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award in 2017, honoring the nation's top senior factoring successes on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
To view Top Drawer Soccer's entire draft board, click here.
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The Major League Soccer SuperDraft consists of four, 23-pick rounds with the first two rounds taking place on Friday, Jan. 19 and the final two rounds on Sunday, Jan. 21. Los Angeles FC, an expansion franchise beginning play in the upcoming 2018 season, will make the first overall pick in the draft which is set to take place in Philadelphia.
Jackson is slated at No. 42 on the board which, as it currently stands, is a late second round pick held by New York City FC. UNLV forward Danny Musovski is ranked No. 10 while Seattle U midfielder Alex Roldan comes in at No. 29. Michigan forward Francis Atuahene checks in at No. 1 overall.
The WAC has had 11 players selected in the MLS Draft all-time, including one in each of the last four renditions. Seattle U's Kyle Bjornethun went to the local Seattle Sounders in the fourth round of last year's MLS Draft.
Historically, the conference has been home to two top-10 picks; the best overall pick being Fresno State's Brian Johnson who went No. 7 overall to the Kansas City Wizards in 1997. The WAC's biggest year came in 1999 when three players were selected, a mark which the conference could very well reach in this draft.
Jackson was not one of MLS's 60 combine invitees announced on Dec. 21, but was named one of seven snubs from the invitee list by Top Drawer Soccer.
After a four-year GCU career that featured 41 goals, Jackson ranks second all-time in the WAC record books for goals in a career, only behind the aforementioned Musovski. Jackson won WAC Player of the Year for his 16-goal season as a junior and was a two-time All-West Region honoree. He was also one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award in 2017, honoring the nation's top senior factoring successes on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
To view Top Drawer Soccer's entire draft board, click here.
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