By IVES GALARCEP
The 2013 MLS rookie class has produced several quality contributors who have already begun playing key roles for the teams that drafted them, Â but no rookie has enjoyed as strong a start to their career as Colorado Rapids midfielder Dillon Powers.
The Notre Dame product has been instrumental in Colorado’s season, and one of the key reasons why the Rapids have been able to stay in the playoff conversation despite being hit with a plethora of injuries.
Powers leads all MLS rookies in minutes played, registering three goals and two assists while anchoring the midfield on a Rapids team that sits just one point out of a playoff spot.
So what other rookies have done well through the first half of the season? Here is SBI’s list of Top Five rookies so far this season:
SBI MLS MID-SEASON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RANKINGS
1. DILLON POWERS
MLS rookie leader in minutes played, Powers has been a force in the Colorado midfield. Powers has three goals and two assists and has set the tone for the Rapids midfield.
2. DESHORN BROWN
The Rapids rookie striker hasn’t been as consistent a force as Powers, but he has been one of the team’s better attacking options. He leads MLS rookies in goals (4) and assists (4)
Has started every match he’s been available for, and a key reason why New England has allowed the fewest goals in MLS this season.
4. DEANDRE YEDLIN
The speedy right back has turned heads with his attacking qualities and maturity for a 19-year old. Earned a spot on the U.S. Under-20 World Cup team thanks to his play for Seattle.
5. ADAM JAHN
The MLS rookie leader in goals with four (tied with Brown), Jahn has been a steal for the San Jose Earthquakes, and is the only player on this list who wasn’t either a first-round pick or Homegrown Player signing.
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Now it’s your turn to cast your vote for MLS Mid-Season Rookie of the Year. Cast your vote here:
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What do you think of our selections? Who would get your Rookie of the Year vote at the mid-way point of the season?
Share your thoughts below.
I wouldn’t rank Jahn higher than Powers or Brown, mostly because I haven’t seen the other rookies play much, but Jahn has a higher Goal/90Min ratio ( 0.48 to 0.31). I’m not overwhelmed my Jahn’s skills, and doubt he has the same upside as the others listed, but I’ve been amazed by his composure and maturity. If you look at his production for only 754 min, it’s pretty impressive.
I still would like to see how an all college team would do against international competition. Last years team could have looked like this:
————-Zardes–Brown————–
Hurtado-Powers-Caldwell-Mullins
Sweat-Zimmerman-Farrell-Yedlin
——————–Blake——————
That team looks pretty good and thats leaving out (Allen, Zavaleta, Mata, Martin, Garcia, Lopez, Stertzer, Sherrod, Jahn, Trapp, Robinson, Sandoval, Venter, Miller, Serna, Boateng, Ambrose, Tshuma)
Powers should have been on the GC Roster this year.
He is 22, kinda old for that!
Your GC my GC.
22 but plays a mature game and does what the manager wants. We can start developing some of these younger players more when Klnsi completes his tour of duty in Aug 2014 and a new manager is in place.
I agree with the top 5, but my money’s on Devon Sandoval to be one of the best rookies in the league after the month of July. With Saborio gone, Sandoval is most likely a starter every game, and he has the talent to be RoTY. We’ll see in a month!
For a draft class that was supposedly down there have been some pleasant surprises. It makes me think the college system isn’t totally inept and producing some players here and there. All of these guys have been fantastic in spurts. I would rank them in order: Yedlin, Powers, Ferrell, Brown, and Jahn. I watch Powers & Brown week in and week out. They have certainly been fun to watch but it’s hard to ignore the fact Yedlin has done the business in the league and in the Champions League for Seattle.
Throw Cascio and O’Neill in with Powers and Brown, and the Rapids have a strong nucleus for future success.
I’m not sold on Casico. I don’t see it. I just don’t . Much to the chagrin on some Rapids fans. But yea, we do have a good nucleus with Powers, Brown, O’Neill, a healthy Rivero, an emerging Klute, and a rejuvenated Strugis. We just need someone that can score on a regular basis and teach Brown how to finish. Buddle ain’t cutting it.
Interesting that only two from the top 10 in the last draft are listed there (brown and farrell). Hard to argue with it, will be interested to see who else emerges over the second half of the year.
Powers & Brown have both been fun to watch. Can’t wait until Rivero can get back into the mix with them.
Didn’t know Brown was a rookie that boy can play.
Brown looks so dangerous when he gets running with the ball. He doesn’t quite have it all yet, but it’s on its way!