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2013 MLS Supplemental Draft set for today (a look at the best available players)

By IVES GALARCEP

Just five days after the 2013 MLS Draft, the league’s 19 teams will have another chance to add from the incoming college talent pool by taking part in today’s MLS Supplemental Draft (2pm).

The New York Red Bulls have the first pick in today’s four-round draft and the Red Bulls will have several good options to choose from with that top pick. West Virginia centerback Eric Schoenle, Coastal Carolina forward Ashton Bennett and Virginia forward Will Bates are just some of the top players who slipped out of the regular draft into today’s supplemental draft.

While you may think the Supplemental Draft won’t have much talent to choose from, you must remember that the shortening of the regular draft to two rounds means there will be more talent available in the supplemental draft than ever before. Here is the draft order for today’s draft, with Chivas USA, Vancouver, Seattle and Philadelphia all holding multiple picks in the first round.

Who are some of the better players left on the draft board? Here is a look at how today’s first round could go in the draft, a one-round mock draft that should help give you a glimpse of the better talent available today:

2013 MLS Mock Supplemental Draft

FIRST ROUND

1. New York Red Bulls- ERIC SCHOENLE, West Virginia, Centerback

Red Bulls could find it hard to pass on the skilled centerback, even though questions about his lack of strength caused him to drop out of the regular draft.

2. Chivas USA- JOSE GOMEZ, Creighton, Attacking Midfielder

The Hermann Award finalist wasn’t regarded as nearly as solid a pro prospect by MLS teams as by some observers, but the Goats could see value in bringing in a skilled playmaker for a look.

3. Portland Timbers- ASHTON BENNETT, Coastal Carolina, Forward

The Timbers will have a tough time passing on the speedy Jamaican forward, even if his age and international status scared teams off in the regular draft.

4. New England Revolution- JOHN GALLAGHER, Penn State, Left Back

The Revs find some quality depth at left back after choosing to ignore that position with their four selections in the regular draft. Gallagher is athletic, fast, and one of the better defensive left backs in the draft pool.

5. Seattle Sounders- WILL BATES, Virginia, Forward

The Sounders will be thrilled to land a talented forward in Bates who dropped out of the draft after questions about his surgically-repaired knee. Bates was on the fringes of the Generation adidas conversation in 2011, before a torn ACL sidelined him. He came back to post a solid senior year, and could be a tremendous bargain for somebody today.

6. LA Galaxy- JOE FRANCO, Cal-State Northridge, Right Back

A torn ACL dropped Franco from potential first-round pick to draft afterthought. He remains the most talented right back prospect in the entire draft pool (not counting Andrew Farrell) and a team could find a real gem if they are willing to wait for him to recover.

7. FC Dallas- UWEM ETUK, West Virginia, Left Midfielder

Dallas could use some left wing depth with the imminent departure of Brek Shea, and while Etuk may not be ready to play heavy minutes he is talented enough to provide some depth on the flank.

8. Montreal Impact- ANTHONY ARENA, Wake Forest, Left Back/Centerback

The Impact have done their homework during the college season and if they scouted thoroughly they will find that Arena is one of the more talented defenders available here. A centerback who can also contribute as a left back, Arena just might be able to make the Impact roster.

9. Columbus Crew- JORDAN GAFA, North Carolina, Right Back

The Crew need some depth at right back and snag a player in Gafa who was the best (if the only) natural right back at the MLS Combine.

10. Vancouver Whitecaps- BRENTON GRIFFITHS, South Florida, Centerback

His international status (Trinidad & Tobago) scared teams off in the regular draft, but Griffiths size and solid passing skills make him a steal at this spot. He could battle for a roster place with Vancouver preparing to part ways with Martin Bonjour.

11. Vancouver Whitecaps- MARC CINTRON, Providence, Left Winger

Cintron is an athletic and technical winger who boasts an international goal against the Spanish national team on his resume (he scored it while playing for Puerto Rico).

12. Philadelphia Union- CHRIS THOMAS, Elon, Forward

The Union have other areas they could address but they find it tough to pass on a promising forward in Thomas, who is coming off a monster college season and a very good Combine.

13. New York Red Bulls- MACHAEL DAVID, UCSB, Central Midfielder

The Red Bulls are looking for defensive midfield, and central midfield depth, and while they addressed it in the regular draft, they’ll find it difficult to pass on a chance to bring in the athletic and tenacious David into camp.

14. Sporting KC- STEFANO PINHO, Brazil, Left Winger/Forward

Yes, we know, Sporting KC has as many forwards as any team in MLS, but the Brazilian who impressed at the Combine could be worth a look in camp as a left wing option. His versatility could be well-suited for KC’s attack.

15. San Jose Earthquakes- ADAM JAHN, Stanford, Forward

The Earthquakes don’t need much help at forward, but they’ll jump on the local product Jahn, a target forward who was one of the best in the Pac 10.

16. Seattle Sounders- JAMES BELSHAW, Duke, Goalkeeper

Bryan Meredith’s departure means there could be a good competition for the Sounders’ third goalkeeper spot and you can definitely argue that Belshaw was the best goalkeeper in the entire draft pool. His international status (Belshaw is British) dropped him out of the first round.

17. Philadelphia Union- LARRY JACKSON, Santa Clara, Goalkeeper

The Union could use another goalkeeper in camp and John Hackworth goes with a netminder he is familiar with from his time as U.S. Under-17 national team coach.

18. Houston Dynamo- YANNICK SMITH, Old Dominion, Forward

Dom Kinnear loves his athletic forwards, and while he already has plenty of fast strikers, he’ll be tempted to take a flier on Smith.

19. Chivas USA- JOSE ALTAMIRANO, San Diego State, Central Midfielder

If the Goats are scanning the college player pool for potential diamonds in the rough, they could do much worse than snagging Altamirano a skilled playmaker from nearby San Diego.

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

GKs– David Meves (Akron), Scott Goodwin (North Carolina)

DEFENDERS– Dan Wenzel (Wake Forest), Jossimar Sanchez (UConn),

MIDFIELDERS– Michael Bustamante (Boston), Ryan Clark (Monmouth), Alex Isern (Winthrop)

FORWARDS

Comments

  1. I’m shocked, SHOCKED at Chivas Jr.’s projected pick. I thought surely they would go for Ashton Bennett, John Gallagher, or Will Bates.

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  2. I don’t see the Crew taking a right back. That’s probably their deepest position with Williams, Barson, Beckie and Finlay all able to play there. I think they’re going to look on the left side most likely

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    • Neither Williams or Finlay are natural right backs and Barson was a centerback in college. Not sure i’d call right back “deep”. In fact, Columbus took a right back with their first pick today, so there 😉

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  3. Thanks for the projections, Ives. I was curious about what type of players were left over. Seems to be a lot of outside back prospects left unpicked

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  4. There is talk that the Revs will use Alston as their left back, and they’ll have Tierney and possibly Smith as backups. Plus they have Polak as a backup at left back. Not sure if they need the depth at that position.

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  5. Bates has mobility issues (probably did even before his injury), but he’s also strong as an ox, plus he’s a winner. I’m surprised he dropped this far.

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    • Playing on a successful team has no direct bearing on how good a professional you will or won’t be. Akron goalkeepers aren’t usually required to do that much work during the course of a season.

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      • No one in NCAA history had as many wins or as many shut outs as Meves. Sorry but that speaks for itself. A lot of good pro goalkeepers have come out of the NCAA, were on good teams, and still didnt produce the numbers he did. Also, the team he had in front of him was different all four years he played for Akron; it was really one good team.

      • Again, his record and statistics are based primarily on how good his team was. No one disputes Akron’s superiority over the fast 4/5 years. That doesn’t, however, have any direct bearing on how good a pro he is or the level of his quality as a player.

    • I’m rooting for Meves, mainly cause it would suck to have 11 pros with MLS come out of your championship winning Akron team and for you to not get drafted. Numbers-wise he had an outstanding career in college and definitely should get drafted, but with some questions raised it is probably more of a longshot. Also I think it would be cool to be able to form a starting 11 out of pros that were all playing together on one championship college team. At the very least maybe Caleb takes a flyer on one of his former players?

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  6. This doesn’t make any sense. Why would the Red Bulls take a centerback when they’re stacked 4 deep there and Petke has already said they weren’t looking at centerbacks in the draft? I think it’s more likely that they’ll look at a player like Ryan Clark or Pinho, who play in a position of need at left midfield.

    Chivas USA taking *another* attacking mid?? They just picked one up in the first round! Why not go for Bennett the speedy forward or some other Mexican-American player completely? I have a hard time seeing them just keep stacking up “attacking” midfielders…

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    • You really have nothing better to do than to complain about supplemental draft projections? The point of the list was more about showing the kind of players available, as I wrote in the intro. Perhaps you should slow down with your hand-wringing and see the post for what it was intended.

      Reply

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