SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - For the first time since 2015, a student-athlete from the University of San Francisco has been selected in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft as three-time WCC honoree Reid Roberts was selected with the fifth overall pick by the San Jose Earthquakes in the first round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft on Friday.
 
With his selection by the Earthquakes, Roberts is now the highest drafted player ever from the University of San Francisco. Additionally, he becomes the first Don selected in the first round of the MLS SuperDraft since Miguel Aguilar was picked seventeenth overall by D.C. United. Overall, he is the third first round pick to come from the Hilltop during the MLS SuperDraft era - Rob Valentino in 2008 (New England Revolution) and Aguilar in 2015 (D.C. United).

During this year's draft, legendary coach and National Soccer Hall of Fame member Bruce Arena, who is currently head coach of the Earthquakes, traded with the New England Revolution to obtain the fifth overall pick.
 
"From the time I recruited Reid from Real Colorado, he has been on a mission to turn our team into one of the best teams in the WCC and become one of the best defenders in the country," said head coach Chris Brown. 
 
"Reid has been a massive part of the growth and success of our program. Reid is a natural leader and a professional on and off the field, and a top student in the classroom. With all of his accomplishments, I am most proud of his character and how he has conducted himself in these three years on the Hilltop. He has set the standard for our program and is a great role model for our younger players. From his freshman year to the end of his junior season his growth as a player has been so rapid he has developed into the best left sided defender in the country. We are so proud of him for his individual accomplishments and thankful for everything he has poured into this program. Reid is a true Don!"
 
Throughout his three-year career at San Francisco, Roberts started in all 50 games he appeared in as he has helped rebuild a formidable back line for the green and gold. Overall, the Fort Collins, Colo. native totaled 4,446 minutes on the pitch for USF to go along with seven points, three assists, two goals and 27 shots, 13 of which were on goal. For these efforts, Roberts was a three-time WCC All-Conference selection - twice on the First Team (2023 + 2024) and once named an Honorable Mention (2022). In his debut season on the Hilltop, he also was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team.
 
This fall, Roberts became the first Don to win WCC Defensive Player of the Year since Rob Valentino in 2005. Notably, he was the only student-athlete to play every minute of every match for San Francisco this season as his 1,530 total minutes led the team in 2024. As a team captain, Roberts guided the Dons five shutouts this year, including the team's second straight win over a top 10 Stanford team. Offensively, Roberts finished with a career-high three assists on the campaign as the defender logged assists in San Francisco's win at LMU and Saint Mary's. Overall, the Fort Collins native helped the Dons to a 5-1-2 record in conference play in 2024 as San Francisco finished second in the final WCC standings, which also marks the program's highest finish since 2017.
 
Prior to the draft, Roberts was one of 44 players invited to the 2024 adidas MLS College Showcase from Dec. 11-14 in San Diego, Calif.
 
For updates and more information on the San Francisco men's soccer program, be sure to follow @USFDonsMSoccer on Twitter, @USFDonsMensSoccer on Instagram and @USFDonsMSoccer on Facebook.