A collective bargaining agreement with the MLS Players' Union dictated that the draft be reduced from six to four rounds, although a supplemental draft was held to equip newly formed reserve teams and compensate for expansion.
^#4: FC Dallas → San Jose Earthquakes. January 14, 2005: San Jose acquired this pick, midfielder Brad Davis, and an allocation from FC Dallas in exchange for the #6 pick, the #29 pick, midfielder Richard Mulrooney, and midfielder Arturo Alvarez.[ref 1]
^#5: San Jose Earthquakes → Los Angeles Galaxy. January 12, 2005: Los Angeles acquired this pick, defender Todd Dunivant, and goalkeeper Steve Cronin from San Jose in exchange for the #6 pick, forward Alejandro Moreno, and defender Chris Aloisi.[ref 2]
^#6: MetroStars → Los Angeles Galaxy → San Jose Earthquakes → FC Dallas. January 14, 2005: FC Dallas acquired this pick, the #29 pick, midfielder Richard Mulrooney, and midfielder Arturo Alvarez from San Jose in exchange for the #4 pick, midfielder Brad Davis, and an allocation.[ref 1] San Jose had acquired this pick, forward Alejandro Moreno, and defender Chris Aloisi from Los Angeles in exchange for pick #5, defender Todd Dunivant, and goalkeeper Steve Cronin on January 12, 2005.[ref 2] Los Angeles had acquired this pick and future considerations from MetroStars in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft on January 14, 2004.[ref 3]
^#8: Columbus Crew → Los Angeles Galaxy. January 12, 2004: Los Angeles acquired this pick from Columbus in exchange for midfielder Simon Elliott.[ref 4]
^#10: Los Angeles Galaxy → Chicago Fire. January 16, 2004: Chicago acquired this pick from Los Angeles in exchange for the #14 pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.[ref 5]
^#12: D.C. United → MetroStars → FC Dallas → MetroStars. January 14, 2005: MetroStars re-acquired this pick from FC Dallas in exchange for forward Cornell Glen.[ref 6] FC Dallas had acquired this pick (originally future considerations) from MetroStars in exchange for midfielder Joselito Vaca on February 5, 2004.[ref 7] The future considerations were to be either MetroStars' 2006 natural first- and second-round selections or a 2005 first-round selection should MetroStars acquire a first-round pick prior to the draft.[ref 8] Earlier in the day, MetroStars had acquired this pick and pick #25 from D.C. United as final compensation for the March 2, 2004 trade which sent Jaime Moreno from MetroStars to D.C. United.[ref 9]
^#15: Chicago Fire → FC Dallas → Kansas City Wizards → Los Angeles Galaxy. January 14, 2005: Los Angeles acquired this pick from Kansas City in exchange for midfielder Sasha Victorine.[ref 10] Kansas City had acquired this pick (originally a conditional selection), the #4 selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, and defender Shavar Thomas from FC Dallas in exchange for defender Carey Talley, midfielder Eric Quill, and the #7 selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft on January 16, 2004.[ref 11] FC Dallas had acquired this pick (originally a conditional selection) from Chicago in exchange for goalkeeper DJ Countess February 20, 2004.[ref 12]
^#16: FC Dallas → Colorado Rapids → Kansas City Wizards. January 13, 2005: Kansas City acquired this pick from Colorado in exchange for pick #33 and pick #36.[ref 10] Colorado had acquired this pick from FC Dallas in exchange for goalkeeper Scott Garlick on December 17, 2003.[ref 13]
^#18: MetroStars → Chicago Fire. January 16, 2004: Chicago acquired this pick from MetroStars in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.[ref 14]
^#19: Colorado Rapids → D.C. United. June 29, 2004: D.C. United acquired this pick from Colorado in exchange for the rights to discovery player Alberto Delgado.[ref 15]
^#20: Columbus Crew → Colorado Rapids → Columbus Crew. January 16, 2004: Columbus re-acquired this pick from Colorado in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft and the rights to defender Stephen Herdsman.[ref 16][ref 17] Colorado had acquired this pick (originally a conditional pick) and pick #16 in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft from Columbus in exchange for defender Robin Fraser on January 14, 2004.[ref 18]
^#22: Los Angeles Galaxy → Real Salt Lake. January 14, 2005: Real Salt Lake acquired this pick from Los Angeles in exchange for an allocation.[ref 19]
^#23: Kansas City Wizards → Columbus Crew. January 15, 2004: Columbus acquired this pick from Kansas City in exchange for midfielder Diego Walsh.[ref 20]
^#24: D.C. United → Kansas City Wizards. January 16, 2004: Kansas City acquired this pick and pick #36 from D.C. United in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.[ref 21]
^#25: Real Salt Lake → Chicago Fire → D.C. United → MetroStars. January 14, 2005: MetroStars acquired this pick and pick #12 from D.C. United as final compensation for the March 2, 2004 trade which sent Jaime Moreno from MetroStars to D.C. United.[ref 9] Earlier the same day, D.C. United had acquired this pick from Chicago in exchange for D.C.'s natural second-round selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.[ref 9] Chicago had acquired this pick and a second-round selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft from Real Salt Lake in exchange for forward Dipsy Selolwane and defender Evan Whitfield on December 30, 2004.[ref 22]
^#27: Chicago Fire → FC Dallas. August 31, 2004: FC Dallas acquired this pick from Chicago in exchange for the discovery option on forward Andy Herron.[ref 23]
^#29: San Jose Earthquakes → FC Dallas → Chicago Fire. January 14, 2005: Chicago acquired this pick from FC Dallas in exchange for goalkeeper Henry Ring and a second-round selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.[ref 24] Earlier on the same day, FC Dallas had acquired this pick, the #6 pick, midfielder Richard Mulrooney, and midfielder Arturo Alvarez from San Jose in exchange for the #4 pick, midfielder Brad Davis, and an allocation.[ref 1]
^#30: MetroStars → San Jose Earthquakes. August 21, 2003: San Jose acquired this pick from MetroStars in exchange for a discovery player to be named later.[ref 25] The player was forward Andrzej Juskowiak.[ref 26]
^#31: Colorado Rapids → San Jose Earthquakes. August 19, 2003: San Jose acquired this pick, pick #41, and a first-round selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft from Colorado in exchange for the rights to goalkeeper Joe Cannon.[ref 27]
^#32: Columbus Crew → San Jose Earthquakes. January 13, 2004: San Jose acquired this pick from Columbus in exchange for midfielder Manny Lagos.[ref 28]
^#33: New England Revolution → Kansas City Wizards → Colorado Rapids → New England Revolution. January 14, 2005: New England re-acquired this pick from Colorado in exchange for pick #45 and a player to be named later.[ref 29] Colorado had acquired this pick and pick #36 from Kansas City in exchange for pick #16 on January 13, 2005.[ref 10] Info needed on how Kansas City acquired this pick from New England.
^#35: Kansas City Wizards → Chicago Fire. April 5, 2004: Chicago acquired this pick from Kansas City in exchange for midfielder Khari Stephenson.[ref 30]
^#36: D.C. United → Kansas City Wizards → Colorado Rapids → Chicago Fire. June 11, 2004: Chicago acquired this pick (originally a conditional selection) from Colorado in exchange for forward Rey Ángel Martínez.[ref 31][ref 32] To fulfill the trade requirements, Colorado acquired this pick and pick #33 from Kansas City in exchange for pick #16 on January 13, 2005.[ref 10] Kansas City had acquired this pick and pick #24 from D.C. United in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft on January 16, 2004.[ref 21]
^#41: San Jose Earthquakes → Colorado Rapids → San Jose Earthquakes. August 19, 2003: San Jose re-acquired this pick, pick #31, and a first-round selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft from Colorado in exchange for the rights to goalkeeper Joe Cannon.[ref 27] Colorado had acquired this pick (originally a conditional selection) from San Jose in exchange for midfielder Wes Hart on February 28, 2004.[ref 33]
^#42: MetroStars → San Jose Earthquakes. December 10, 2004: San Jose acquired this pick from MetroStars in exchange for defender Jeff Agoos.[ref 34]
^#45: New England Revolution → Colorado Rapids. January 14, 2005: Colorado acquired this pick and a player to be named later from New England in exchange for pick #33.[ref 29]
^#48: D.C. United → San Jose Earthquakes → D.C. United. January 14, 2005: D.C. United re-acquired this pick from San Jose for a player to be named later.[ref 35] San Jose had acquired this pick and a first-round selection in the 2003 MLS supplemental draft from D.C. United in exchange for forward Devin Barclay and a first-round selection in the 2003 MLS supplemental draft on February 11, 2003.[ref 36]
Other draft day trades
MetroStars traded its natural second-round selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft to Real Salt Lake in exchange for a youth international slot.[ref 37]