Inter Miami gets Clemson’s Robinson with top pick in MLS SuperDraft; Nealis at No. 3
David Beckham said from the moment he announced he was bringing a Major League Soccer team to Miami that his team would play an attractive, attacking style. So, it comes as little surprise that Inter Miami on Thursday selected Clemson forward Robbie Robinson with the No. 1 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft.
Robinson, who is an imposing forward at 6-2, was the joint leading scorer in the nation last season with 18 goals in 19 games. He also had nine assists. The junior won the Hermann Trophy, the highest honor in college soccer, was named first-team All-American, and was the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
``We were drawn to Robbie because we thought he was the best attacking talent in the college game, and the system he played with in college would prepare him for the pros,” said Inter Miami sporting director Paul McDonough. ``We really liked him when we met him. He’s a little bit quiet, but he loves the game and wants to be with the ball all the time, so we figured to be a professional player you have to love the game, and he does.”
Beckham surprised Robinson with a Skype call after the draft.
``That was crazy; I had no idea what was happening,” Robinson said. “My coach came out with the iPad and David Beckham was on the screen and I was like, `What is this?’ I couldn’t hear. And then I was like `Wow, I’m talking to a guy I’ve been watching my whole life’. It was a crazy experience I’ll remember my whole life and can’t wait to start working for all of them.”
Clemson head coach Mike Noonan raved about Robinson: “Robbie cares so much about Clemson and our team doing well; he loves to play soccer. If he could play soccer 24/7, he would. His joy around playing the game is what has propelled him to doing so well this year.”
Robinson is tied for sixth all-time in Clemson history for assists in a match, with three in the team’s game against Syracuse. His 18 goals were the most by a Tigers player since 2002. Robinson is also the first Clemson player in 21 years to record multiple hat-tricks in the same season. He said he learned a lot from his older sister, India, who played for Furman University and led the nation in assists.
He led the nation in four statistical categories and ranked in the top 10 in eight different categories in leading the Tigers to the national quarterfinals. Robinson is also a Generation adidas player, a program for select promising underclassmen and youth national team players. Generation adidas player salaries do not count against a team’s allotted salary budget, and allow for players to continue their education.
``The offense we played at Clemson was a style adopted after Liverpool, high pressing, winning the ball high up the field, almost three forwards, so high intensity, a lot of goals,” Robinson said.
Inter Miami also had the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s draft, and selected 2019 NCAA champion fullback Dylan Nealis, 21, from Georgetown University. Nealis’ older brother, Sean, is a defender for the New York Red Bulls.
Nealis is a skillful right back who was the captain at Georgetown for two seasons. He started 76 of 78 games, had seven goals and 14 assists. He was a Hermann Trophy finalist, won Big East Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big East first team.
“Dylan is going to come in as a mature, stable, pro-ready guy -- probably the most pro-ready guy in the draft,” said McDonough. “The thing I really like about Dylan is Georgetown is a really successful program and a tough school, so if you can handle playing there, you have your life in order. We feel really fortunate to get him at three.”
Asked if the two draftees could contribute right away, McDonough said: “That will be (coach) Diego Alonso’s decision. It will be up to them every day to prove to him that they belong on the field. Do I think they have the talent to play in MLS? Yes.”
McDonough added that the team is still working on deals for a handful of other players -- two higher-priced Designated Players, and a few other internationals -- but he does not expect to have a full roster of 30 before training camp opens Jan. 18. A few deals may take longer to complete.
Reports out of Argentina said Inter Miami is close to a deal with Boca Juniors midfielder Agustin Almendra, 19, who has been compared to former Argentine star Juan Roman Riquelme. Almendra also has drawn attention from European teams Napoli, Valencia and Roma.
Scottish media reports that Inter Miami is in talks with Celtic winger Lewis Morgan.
Also, Inter Miami traded its fourth-round pick (No. 79 overall) to FC Dallas in exchange for the rights to Dylan Castanheira.
Castanheira, originally a 2019 SuperDraft selection of FC Dallas, is a 24-year-old goalkeeper with USL Championship experience. He spent the 2019 season playing for Atlanta United 2 where he made 21 appearances. From 2014 to 2018 Castanheira attended Columbia University, making 44 appearances and earning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Ivy League honors. He also broke the school record for clean sheets in a career.
McDonough has had MLS SuperDraft success with previous MLS expansion clubs, landing several quality players for Orlando City SC and Atlanta United. With Orlando, McDonough selected Cyle Larin first overall in the 2015 SuperDraft. Larin went on to win the MLS Rookie of the Year award and break the record for most goals in a season by a rookie. In Atlanta, McDonough selected Julian Gressel and Miles Robinson in the 2017 SuperDraft, both of whom helped the team win the 2018 MLS Cup in the franchise’s second year of existence. Gressel also won 2017 Rookie of the Year honors.
Inter Miami’s first game is March 1 on the road at Los Angeles FC. Their first home game is March 14 against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 12:39 PM.