Sporting KC
Who should Sporting KC select in the 2026 MLS Draft? Part Two
Who should Sporting KC select in the 2026 MLS draft? I explore the potential prospects in part two of this three-part series.
Next on our series on who Sporting Kansas City should take with the number four pick of the 2026 MLS Super Draft, I wanted to highlight a potential midfielder who would add depth and quality to the roster: Kwaku Agyabeng from Clemson University. More on Kwaku below.
Be sure to check out part one, from yesterday.
Scouting Methods
For starters, to find these prospects, I pulled from the MLS’s college showcase list, as these players always tend to be drafted and often have players who are selected for Generation Adidas contracts. I do keep in mind that there are players who would have been invited but have teams that are playing in the college soccer cup. I scouted these players by watching one game without notes just to get a feel for their playing style and watching another game while taking notes. What I present are my raw notes on these players and their games. I also offer an overall assessment of their game based on the games I’ve watched and a summary of their potential fit with Sporting KC.
Kwaku Agyabeng, Central Midfield, Clemson University
Scouting vs Duke
Profile
- Freshman
- Definitely a ball-winning number 8
Defense / Ball Winning
- Can really run after the ball
- Twice chased midfielders and nicked the ball off them
- Getting to every loose ball
- Very strong in the tackle and “stout”
- One v one in space, takes the ball off the defender
- Stronger and more competitive than the guys he’s playing
- Pressed the Duke number 9 so well he isn’t able to get on the ball
- Knows how to pressure when the defender takes a heavy touch
- 18 minutes left in the half and already maybe 8 duels won
On the Ball / In Possession
- Tough on the ball and agile
- Understands positioning
- Wouldn’t say he has a ton of skill on the ball, but his off-ball work is really good
- Knows how to get the ball and play it
- Better with the ball than you think
- Nice turn and run after receiving from a center back
- Twice gets the ball, turns, and plays forward
- Can play disguised passes
- Knows how to turn and move the ball
- Has not misplaced one pass
- Very simple and steady
- Ability to turn is elite
Overall assessment: He has some shades of Darlington Nagbe. He’s raw, but the natural ability is there. To be able to win duels and have the technical ability to turn and play the ball is a skill that a lot of MLS teams could use today. I worry about his long-ball passing, but with his current skill set, that could be developed.
How does he fit with Sporting KC?
I put Agyabeng in the best player available category for Sporting KC. He’s not in a position of need for SKC, but if you select him and he plays well, then it’s a major win. Ultimately, though, he is good at something that Sporting KC struggled with last season: winning the ball. Even if he becomes a player who is just elite at winning the ball, turning, and playing, he elevates Sporting KC’s midfield. It might be a reach and a chance, but maybe years later we will find out it was worth it?
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Roster Tracker: USMNT World Cup 2026
Once again, the card is before the horse. Who is going to manage our side for the next season? We have no manager. I am not worried about who we are going to get for players until I know who is going to be managing the team Peter Vermes picked the last team and then KZ had to figure out how to win with it. It’s really perturbing that it’s almost Christmas and we do not have a manager yet.
100% agree with this. It is kind of maddening that it hasn’t been revealed. I St. Louis City SC just announced theirs. Unless the SKC already has someone and they haven’t announced it yet. A manager is so vital in team structure and style of play.
Also, is the draft really worth it any more (or ever was worth it)? I know it is a debate but it seems like a waste of time. Especially now that that the 2nd teams and academies are starting to produce talent. With the draft they may find a diamond in the rough every now and then. But It seems that College Soccer needs to figure something out if players really want to make it a viable option to go pro.
Re: whether it ever was worth it: players acquired by SKC via Super Draft: Davey Arnaud, Jack Jewsbury, Chance Meyer, Roger Espinoza, Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, and Dom Dwyer. . . .so yes, it was worth it. I would also argue that Afrifa and Jansen Miller are showing promise, and given their minimal impact on salary cap, very well may be worth it.
I see what you are saying. And I Appericate you bring those dudes up. You are right for back in the day. I guess I should have said in recent years it doesn’t seem that the draft holds much value except for a select few. Jansen I have Appericated, but the last 2 season (possibly 3) has not been positive. As we all know. It just seems to me that the draft now does not yield much. So we will see.
The draft is good to create virtual column inches. As we both recognize without a manager, there is no team and currently we have both. My personal belief is that our ownership is so jacked up that no one of Quality wants to invest their reputation in our side. The last name I heard associated with the manager’s office was someone so excellent that they got fired by Chicago.
If this guy from New York is so good then why does our Club headed into the Christmas season looking like pure shit?
There is obviously no plan. If there was, they would be trying to sell it to the fans and helps that we continue to not sell our tickets on seat geek. I’m sure last season attendance was abysmal. And I don’t see that changing. If this is a worldwide search for a manager then why is the only candidate mentioned someone that Chicago doesn’t even want?
Well, this is officially our guy. I feel pretty good about it. High work rate is absolutely something that translates to the next level. It’s easy to imagine them trying to build a high press team and this guy fitting in with that perfectly. I’m braced for the possibility that he might get some minutes right away, or at least until the summer transfer, with how slow this offseason has gone so far.