There was a general sense throughout the 2021 NWSL Draft that Portland Thorns FC kept selecting high quality players that were surprisingly still available when it was their turn.
Coach Mark Parsons was nervous that Yazmeen Ryan would get drafted before they had a chance to select her. Same with Sam Coffey, who seemed to have slid under the radar, much to the joy of the Thorns. The most surprising in this regard, however, was when Amirah Ali was available with the 22nd pick of the draft. In fact, WoSo expert Chris Henderson stated, “I get the feeling some clubs are going to regret that in a few years.