CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte FC made a move to ensure the team would have a first-round pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft.
With that pick, Charlotte selected Tyger Smalls, a forward from Loyola Marymount University (LMU). Charlotte received the 14th pick in the draft from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for general allocation money (GAM) in 2024 and 2025. Specifically, Charlotte gave Colorado $75,000 in 2024 GAM and $50,000 in 2025 GAM.
Smalls scored seven goals and one assist in his junior season with LMU as he helped the team reach the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. The 2023 season was his first with LMU. He previously played for Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas before transferring to LMU.
Charlotte entered Tuesday's draft without a selection in the first round. The team traded away its pick to Colorado during the 2023 MLS SuperDraft in December 2022 to acquire the 12th pick in last year's draft, which Charlotte FC used to select Patrick Agyemang. During the 2023 season, Agyemang split his time with Charlotte FC and Crown Legacy FC. He scored 10 goals with the latter team while scoring one with Charlotte FC.
Colorado traded the pick acquired from Charlotte last year to the New York Red Bulls, who selected Aiden O'Connor 12th overall on Tuesday.
In the second round, Charlotte FC selected Jahlane Forbes, a defender from Wake Forest, and Jacob Babalai, a forward from the University of Portland.
Forbes has also played with Orlando City B (formerly USL League One), SIMA Águilas (formerly USL League Two), and the US U17 national team.
Babalai, a junior, has scored 26 goals in 55 games with Portland.
Charlotte FC's final draft pick was used on Nathan Richmond, a sophomore midfielder from Clemson. Richmond has scored six goals in 30 games with the Clemson Tigers, helping the team win the 2023 NCAA Men's Soccer National Championship.