After finishing the 2024 season with a team-high seven goals, Michigan senior Jason Bucknor caught the eye of the LA Galaxy. The reigning MLS Cup Champions drafted him in the first round, 20th overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft on Friday.
“Our program is very pleased that we had another student-athlete drafted by the MLS,” Michigan coach Chaka Daley told The Michigan Daily in a statement Monday. “We believe we create an environment that fosters great people, strong characters and soccer players ready for the next level. We are also very excited about the opportunity the LA Galaxy has given Jason, and we are confident he will be prepared for the journey ahead.”
Bucknor is the fourth Wolverine in history to be drafted in the first round, and the first since 2018, when FC Dallas selected former Michigan forward Francis Atuehene fourth overall.
Hailing from Weston, Fla., Bucknor joined the Michigan men’s soccer team from Inter Miami CF’s youth academy in 2021. He made 59 total appearances for the Wolverines while tallying nine goals and five assists. He had his breakout season in 2024, netting seven goals and finding one assist. He also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Bucknor is a versatile player who can play multiple positions on the field. Starting out as a left winger, he transitioned into full back at Weston FC’s Development Academy, and played primarily right back with Inter Miami. For the Wolverines, he has played left wing, right wing, left back and right back, though in the 2024 season, he mostly played as a right wing back.
Some of Bucknor’s best traits are his flair, speed, ball-striking and one-on-one defending. One of Bucknor’s season highlights was against Indiana in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, when he lasered a half-volley into the roof of the net from the corner of the 18-yard box in a 1-0 win. This was also his final goal for Michigan.
Bucknor also has some ties to the Galaxy prior to being selected by them; David Beckham, who is the president and co-owner of Inter Miami, won two MLS Cups while playing for the Galaxy. Beckham has held his position at the club since its inception in 2018, and saw Bucknor come through the ranks at Inter Miami’s youth academy.
The Galaxy is the most successful franchise in the MLS, having won the MLS Cup six times. The Los Angeles team won its most-recent Cup after defeating the New York Red Bulls in the final, 2-1, on December 7. Bucknor will join the MLS champions in January and will fight to earn an MLS contract in lieu of the 2025 season starting on February 23.
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