DALLAS (SMU) – Nicky Hernandez, Brandon Terwege and Talen Maples were selected in Thursday's 2021 MLS Super Draft. The selections mark the fifth time in program history that three players were drafted and the first since 2002 that all three were taken in the first three rounds.


FCDallas.com Release

Hernandez was first off the board for the Mustangs, going 15^th overall to FC Dallas. He is SMU's 12^th first-round pick in program history and helped extend SMU to four consecutive years with a first-round pick in the Super Draft.

In three seasons as a midfielder for the Mustangs, Hernandez played in 48 games with 43 starts, scored eight goals and totaled nine assists. Two of those goals were game winners during the 2019 season versus Lipscomb and UC Riverside. He was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament teams in both 2018 and 2019 and has been featured on ESPN's Top Ten. Hernandez graduated from the Hilltop in December of 2020.


Terwege was the next selection for SMU, being taken by Houston Dynamo FC in the third round as the 57^th overall pick. During the 2019 season, his first as a Mustang, the defender played and started in 19 games, had three assists and two goals, including the overtime game winner that advanced SMU to the AAC tournament championship game. Terwege was named to the AAC All-Tournament Team in 2019. He will continue to play for the Mustangs this upcoming spring season.


Maples was drafted by Toronto FC in the third round as the 72^nd overall selection, rounding out the evening for the Mustangs. As part of the Mustang back line, he played in 49 matches throughout three seasons, while totaling four goals and eight assists. Maples was an AAC First Team All-Conference selection in 2018 as well as a 2018 Third Team All-Region, 2017 AAC All-Rookie Team, and 2017-19 AAC All-Academic Team member. He graduated from SMU in December of 2020.

The trio helped lead SMU to a conference tournament title in 2019. The Mustangs then advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament after defeating Coastal Carolina in the second round and UCF in the third.