NWSL Draft 2024: Five promising stars to watch in the new NWSL season – scout report

The annual NWSL Draft always gravitates significant interest among those who follow the American women’s game, with it giving players a chance to take their first steps into professional life, clubs an opportunity to freshen up their squads ahead of the new campaign and fans a glimpse of who could be the stars of tomorrow.

The 2024 event was no different, with some incredibly talented names hoping to be selected by one of the 14 clubs in the NWSL and waiting eagerly to see if they would be lucky enough to secure a place in one of their squads. For many, their dreams were realised, and they will be experiencing life in the division when the action gets underway in March. This tactical analysis will pick out five of those who did secure places in a team to show why they could be worth watching as the weeks go on, breaking down their games and showing how they can fit into their new employers’ tactics.

Ally Sentnor

It is always tough to be the No.1 pick in the Draft each year, with that title carrying an enormous amount of pressure due to the calibre of names who have been previous occupants of that position, with USWNT regulars Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, new NJ/NY Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle and Arsenal Women’s recently acquired full-back Emily Fox among that group.

This year, it is North Carolina Tar Heels’ Ally Sentnor who will need to shoulder that expectation, with her being selected first and joining Utah Royals, who are returning to the league as a franchise for the first time since their withdrawal in 2020 (when their assets transferred over to Kansas City NWSL, now Kansas City Current).

Her performances last season, though, showed that Utah have selected well, with Sentnor, who is capable of playing as a midfielder or as a forward, demonstrating why she is so highly regarded by so many. She has not been as prolific in front of goal as others have been, having only scored 11 times last season and picking up five assists, but her game is about much more than simply being a threat in front of goal.

She especially thrives in taking the ball through lines and moving opponents out of the game, with her always a difficult player to stop once she gets into her full flow. In this situation, her natural pace and silky control of the ball allows her to evade the tackle attempts of Virginia Cavaliers trio Maggie Cagle, Ella Carter and Jill Flammia, with her making several sharp changes of direction on the way before feeding the ball through to the far side of the goal area for fellow forward Mia Oliaro to run onto.