The top 10 steals in MLS SuperDraft history

Going through the MLS SuperDraft can be a little disheartening for fans of teams picking later in the day, as the best players get snatched up with the earliest selections. But fret not! There are hidden gems to unearth on draft day, too!

Here are the 10 biggest surprises and steals in MLS SuperDraft history:

10) Steven Lenhart

When the Columbus Crew selected Steven Lenhart in the fourth round of the 2008 SuperDraft, little did the team know exactly what kind of striker they were bringing into the roster; Lenhart was the definition of a bruiser, the kind of players that defenders dread playing against.

Lenhart truly found his feet and his fame with the San Jose Earthquakes and, now, his 48th-overall pick label is but a footnote in the legend of this notorious, nefarious striker.

9) Jonathan Bornstein

In 2006, now defunct-Chivas USA found themselves a future U.S. international late in the draft in left full-back Jonathan Bornstein. Selected 37th overall in the fourth round, Bornstein soon established himself as a key figure in the Chivas lineup, scoring six goals in his rookie year.

Bornstein was with the U.S. national team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and is currently playing with Mexican outfit Queretaro.

8) Luis Robles

Is Luis Robles the best goalkeeper in MLS today? His Goalkeeper of the Year award for 2015 would certainly attest to that, but Robles wasn't heralded as such back in 2007 when he was drafted 50th overall in the fourth round by D.C. United.

Few goalkeepers earn the sort of respect Robles has garnered in MLS, so it's a bit surprising to see such a stellar 'keeper fall so deep.

7) Alan Gordon

Alan Gordon was the Crusher to Steven Lenhart's Bruiser at the San Jose Earthquakes, but when he was getting started, Gordon was selected deep into the sixth round of the 2004 SuperDraft (53rd overall) by the LA Galaxy.

At San Jose, he and Lenhart formed a duo known as the "Bash Brothers" with the trademark "Goonies never say die" mantra - and the attitude that came with it. Gordon never had trouble scoring in MLS, though, having notched 49 goals in 223 games over a 15-year career - not bad for a sixth-round pick.

6) Joao Plata

When teams took a look at Joao Plata back in 2011, they saw a 5-foot-2 winger from Ecuador who couldn't possibly survive the physicality of MLS. But, Plata was easily the best player in the MLS combine and Toronto FC took a chance on him in the third round, picking him up 49th overall.

He impressed in his first year with the Reds, made the switch to Real Salt Lake and earned a Designated Player contract soon after. Not too shabby.

5) Jozy Altidore

"The Beast" of Toronto FC got his start with the New York Red Bulls back in 2006, drafted 17th overall in the second round. Sure, it was a different time, and there were less players available, but Altidore certainly didn't look the part of second-round player, dominating the field in his debut season.

He returned to the league on a big-money contract and is one of MLS' more marketable stars, being a U.S. international and all.

4) Geoff Cameron

It's hard to believe a mainstay of the English Premier League could have gone completely unnoticed in the draft, but back in 2008, Stoke City midfielder Geoff Cameron watched as his name dropped down into the third round of the draft.

He was selected 42nd overall by the Houston Dynamo, played with the club for four seasons before leaving for the Premier League, where he has now amassed over 100 appearances for the Potters.

3) Michael Bradley

He's the captain of the U.S. national team and Toronto FC; the most iconic American player since Landon Donovan; a leader, a big-money Designated Player, and a Serie A regular, too. But in 2004, when Michael Bradley was just 16 years old, he was drafted by the New York MetroStars with the 36th overall pick.

It seems unfair to place Bradley on this list as his only downfall at the time was his age; it was clear he was a star ready to shine. Still, for a player who has become the face of U.S. soccer, the draft was not his day under the spotlight.

2) Nick Rimando

If Robles is the best goalkeeper of the past season, then Nick Rimando can certainly make the case that he's the best goalkeeper in MLS history - but, like Robles, Rimando wasn't a known quality back in the 2000 SuperDraft, where he was selected 35th overall by the Miami Fusion.

Since that time, Rimando has won the MLS Cup and has become a full member of the U.S. national team. The Miami Fusion ... no longer exist.

1) Chris Wondolowski

San Jose Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski is among the most prolific goal-scorers in Major League Soccer's 20-year history; he was drafted in the fourth round, 41st overall, in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft.

What!?

Wondolowski was essentially scraped off the bottom of the barrel by the Quakes, an eighth-round overall pick who had no business being a star. And yet, here he stands, a titan among the league, a U.S. international, a leader of men. Wondolowski is San Jose.

Isn't the American dream a beautiful thing?