The Chicago Fire selected former Syracuse midfielder Mo Adams with the 10th overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.

“It’s a bit of sigh of relief to finally be able to call myself a professional soccer player,” Adams said, “but you know it kind of shows all the sacrifice and hard work I put in finally payed off.”

The Fire traded up to pick Adam’s at No. 10. His selection marks the second straight year a Syracuse players has been selected in the first round, as Miles Robinson was picked second-overall in 2017.

Two weeks ago, Adams declared for the draft by signing a contract with Generation adidas, a joint program between the MLS and Adidas that signs “top collegiate underclassmen, select youth national team players, and seniors.”

Adams, a native of Nottingham, England, spent two season with Syracuse. In his freshman season, Adams was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference freshman team and third team All-ACC. In his most recent season with SU, Adams served as a team captain and was named to the All-ACC second team.

“When you get an opportunity to do what you love for a job and a living it’s an opportunity you have to grab,” Adams said.