Daryl Dike, a key figure in Virginia’s run to the College Cup men’s final last month, is forgoing his final two years of eligibility to play in MLS.
The Oklahoma native vaults to the top of the draft list — or close to it — ahead of Thursday’s event. Expansion Inter Miami has the No. 1 and No. 3 picks and first-year Nashville SC owns the second choice.
Dike, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound striker, had 10 goals and eight assists in 23 matches in 2019. At the College Cup in Cary, N.C., with numerous MLS coaches and general managers in attendance, he scored twice in the semifinals against Wake Forest and notched a late equalizer against Georgetown in the final, won by the Hoyas in a penalty-kick tiebreaker.