Will Cleary: An analysis of Charlotte FC's 1st Round 2026 SuperDraft Pick
- Sam Vanolinda
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
By Sam Vanolinda
Charlotte FC has already made great use of the SuperDraft since the club's inception. Players like Patrick Agyemang and Andrew Privett have become key figures, and in Agyemang's case, have moved on to European football with Derby County.
Tyger Smalls has become a bench option, and who can forget Ben Bender's impact on the team in its first couple of years?
Much of the offseason is focused on big-name signings and roster moves, so the SuperDraft can often go under the radar despite the significant impact college players can have.
In the 2026 draft, Charlotte FC selected midfielder/defender Will Cleary with the 22nd pick in the draft, alongside Tulsa defender Luke Adams in the 2nd Round and University of South Florida goalkeeper Jahiem Wickham in the 3rd Round.
In the following, I'm going to focus on First Round pick Will Cleary and what he can bring to this squad in 2026 and beyond:
Career and accolades
Cleary finished his college career captaining Stanford University, leading them to the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament.
He ended his four-year career at Stanford with 79 games played, 66 starts, six goals, and nine assists, playing as a midfielder and right back. He saw the field all four years, quickly becoming a leader within the team.
In his Sophomore year, Cleary led Stanford to the Quarterfinal of the NCAA tournament, defeating the number 1 seed Marshall in the process.
Before college, Cleary was a highly decorated player in New England, earning All-American honors, and even trained with the TOVO academy in Barcelona.
Cleary is well known for his intelligence and work rate off the field, having made the PAC-12 Academic Honor Roll in 2023 and receiving the Founders Prize from Stanford for academic achievement and contributions to the school community.
Playstyle
The Windsor, Connecticut native is a dynamic player who can play in midfield and at right back. Depending on the moves Charlotte FC makes in the offseason, I see him being an option as a backup to Nathan Byrne at the start of his career.
He is a very progressive player within his team; he helps the ball flow from defense to offense, which is a need that Charlotte has going into 2026.
According to Paul Harvey of americansocceranalysis.com, who has created a database of all 2026 SuperDraft players, Cleary’s 12.49 progressive actions per 90 are among the best in the Nation.
He has 6.53 passes into the final third/90, which is also in the top percentile.
You can compare Cleary and Ashley Westwood: both leaders and both progressive passers who greatly help build-up play.
While he is just average in 1v1s and slightly above average in his creation, Cleary is one of the best finishers for his role, and also very impressive defensively.
His 6’2" frame makes him one of the best aerial players in the Nation, with 8.31 duels won per 90.
As shown above, he is a threat going forward due to his size, but he also has the speed to recover defensively and make key tackles. As shown below:
Whenever Cleary is in the game, you will find him in the middle of the action, doing the things that may go under the radar but help his team win games.
Breaking up play on one end, moving it forward to create a counterattack, winning duels, making interceptions, and occasionally getting forward to grab a goal or an assist.
The above shows what Cleary is about as a player. Winning possession, link-up play, and driving forward and delivering crosses into the box.
While it will take him time to adjust to professional-level defenders, and he won't just glide past guys as he did in college, once he adjusts to MLS, I can see him having a positive impact on Charlotte FC.
His versatility will help him get minutes early in his career, as when injuries happen, it's good to have a player who can play multiple positions. Because of his size, I could see him slotting into any position in the back line and the midfield.
Summary
Will Cleary makes me excited for the preseason to start and to see him get some minutes at the next level.
Charlotte FC's strategy in taking Cleary was to get a solid, experienced player who could help advance the ball into the final third and who has versatility in his game.
He is also a great set-piece threat, which is something we all know Dean Smith appreciates.
All in all, I think Charlotte made an intriguing choice with Cleary. Because of his versatility, he could make an impact with the Crown later in 2026 or beyond, depending on how quickly he adjusts to the increased speed of play.
Credit to ESPN/ Bruno Villa Audiovisual on YouTube for the Highlights