The draft consisted of three rounds with each of the 18 MLS clubs participating.
[ref 1] The return of the Supplemental Draft after a two-year hiatus coincided with the return of the MLS Reserve Division in 2011.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC had the first overall selection in the draft, followed by the Portland Timbers.
The subsequent eight selection positions of clubs were sorted by fewest regular-season points, from among teams that went out in the same round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The fourth round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft was eliminated when the Supplemental Draft was re-instated.