CHICAGO (Dec. 19, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC selected five players in the MLS SuperDraft 2024 presented by adidas earlier today. The Fire selected Bryan Dowd (sixth overall), Olu Oyegunle (33rd overall), Jason Shokalook (35th overall), Laurence Wootton (64th overall) and Shane de Flores (72nd overall).
Chicago acquired the 33rd and 72nd overall picks from Atlanta United FC for $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money.
Dowd, 21, a goalkeeper from Willow Springs, Ill., started 21 of the 21 matches in which he played for the Notre Dame Men’s Soccer team in 2023. An Illinois native, Dowd led Notre Dame to the 2023 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, allowing only one goal in the tournament before falling 2-1 to Clemson on Dec. 11. As a starting goalkeeper for the Notre Dame Men’s Soccer Team, he also served as back-up kicker for the Notre Dame Football team. In the 2023-24 season, Dowd posted a career-best .699 goals-against average and was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy as the only goalkeeper on the list. Following the 2023 season, Dowd was named the Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Year, making him the first goalkeeper in the publication’s history to earn the honor. Dowd was a member of the Chicago Fire Academy and Chicago FC United prior to joining the Fighting Irish. At the international level, Dowd was a member of the U.S. U-17 Men’s Youth National Team.
Oyegunle, 21, a defender from Toronto, Canada, was a member of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Soccer national champion side with Syracuse University. He played 17 matches (16 starts) for Syracuse as a junior in 2023, finishing his career with 41 matches (37 starts) over three years for the Orange. Oyegunle helped guide Syracuse to the second round of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament, ending the year with a 9-5-7 record. The young Canadian won the treble as a sophomore with Syracuse, winning the NCAA National Championship, the ACC Tournament and ACC Atlantic Division regular season title.
Shokalook, 21, was voted the 2023 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year out of the University of Akron and was selected as First-Team all-BIG EAST. The young forward started all 17 games in which he played for Akron in 2023, leading the Zips in goals (14), assists (five) and game-winning goals (three). Shokalook played 59 total matches for Akron (41 starts), scoring 26 goals in his four years with the Zips and dishing out 17 assists.
Wootton, 23, was ranked No. 3 by Top Drawer Soccer as a freshman at Ohio State University. He was a member of the 2023 MAC Hermann Trophy watch list and was named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year in 2022 and 2023. He was one of only six Big Ten players to be named First Team All-Big Ten four times. As a senior, he started all 18 matches in which he played, scoring five goals. In his four years at Ohio, he played in 62 matches (61 starts) for the Buckeyes.
De Flores, 20, was named to the All-Far West Region third team by United Soccer Coaches following the 2023 season after scoring seven goals and registered eight assists for the Cardinal. In 2022, the California native was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Freshman Best XI after leading the team with eight goals and four assists. The redshirt sophomore helped Stanford to the 2023 NCAA Men’s Soccer tournament, where they advance to the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champions Clemson.
Name: Bryan Dowd
Position: Goalkeeper
College: Notre Dame
Height: 6-3
Hometown: Willow Springs, Ill.
Name: Olu Oyengule
Position: Defender
College: Syracuse University
Height: 6-3
Hometown: Brampton, Canada
Name: Jason Shokalook
Position: Forward
College: Akron University
Height: 6-1
Hometown: Erie, Pa.
Name: Laurence Wootton
Position: Midfielder
College: Ohio State University
Height: 5-9
Hometown: Stoke-on-Trent, England
Name: Shane de Flores
Position: Midfielder
College: Stanford
Height: 5-10
Hometown: Danville, Calif.
