Good afternoon folks. It took me a while but I have finally cranked out an MLS Mock Draft.
The mock draft consists of the first round and the first two picks of the second round (I had to include the Red Bulls pick in there for eager Red Bulls fans curious about who might fall to No. 12).
I don’t include trade possibilities but do have some potential deals for you to consider.
So here goes, the first SBI MLS Mock Draft. Enjoy.
2008 MLS MOCK DRAFT
1. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES- PATRICK NYARKO (Virginia Tech). With Kei Kamara the only forward on the roster, look for Frank Yallop to take the best striker in the draft. San Jose could also trade down into a later spot with hopes of landing midfielder Pete Lowry.
2. FC DALLAS- JULIUS JAMES (University of Connecticut). The Hoops signed Duilio Davino but still need more defensive help and James is regarded as the best in the draft. Andy Iro is also a possibility.
3. REAL SALT LAKE- ANDY IRO (UCSB). RSL’s defense played better later in the year but Eddie Pope’s departure leaves the need for a central defender. Iro is a mountain of a player who would be an ideal centerback partner for the smaller Nathan Sturgis.
4. LOS ANGELES GALAXY- ERIC AVILA (UCSB) This is a tough read. Eric Avila is the most talented player left but the Galaxy has needs on defense. Does Ruud Gullit pass on the most skillful player on the board, or does he help fill a need by taking defender/defensive midfielder Pat Phelan? This one was tough but I see
5. COLORADO RAPIDS- PETER LOWRY (Santa Clara). The player the Rapids desperately need is Nyarko so a swap with San Jose would make sense for both parties. If Colorado stays here, it could go for Lowry, a forward/midfielder who has shown an ability score goals and set them up. He is polished and looks like he could step in and contribute this year. He isn’t a pure striker but grabbing any of the other strikers in the draft this early would be a serious reach.
6. COLUMBUS CREW- XAVIER BALC (Ohio State). I haven’t really been impressed with Balc but the Crew has seen enough of him to know that he’s better than he’s shown at the combine. Could he be tanking it so a Colorado or LA doesn’t swoop in and take him? Probably not, but it might wind up landing him on his hometown team. Who else might the Crew consider?
7. CHICAGO FIRE- PAT PHELAN (Wake Forest). The Fire could use a goal-scorer but the options are thin in that department. Phelan is the best defender available and is capable of playing defensive midfield as well. He has too much value to pass up. It wouldn’t shock me if Chicago and Houston complete a deal for Houston’s designated player slot that lands the Dynamo this pick (among other things). If that happens, you can rest assured that Houston will grab Brek Shea here.
8. FC DALLAS- BREK SHEA (U.S. Under-17 national team). No player increased his stock at the Combine more more than Shea, who went from unknown to hot prospect in one weekend. Shea is from Houston Dynamo territory but moving up this high to get Shea will be tough (unless the scenario listed above happens).
9. TORONTO FC- CHANCE MYERS (UCLA). Mo Johnston is one of the best drafters in the league and he’ll find a very good value in Myers. Several teams love Myers’ game and ability to play either fullback spot (which can help when Marvell Wynne is with the US Olympic team). This isn’t a need pick, but a value pick that Johnston could trade. Assuming he doesn’t trade this pick beforehand.
10. TORONTO FC- ERIC BRUNNER (Ohio State). TFC came into the draft needing defense and will add two solid prospects in Myers and Brunner. The OSU product can play centerback and some fullback, versatility Mo Johnston surely likes.
11. KANSAS CITY WIZARDS- ANDREW JACOBSEN (Callifornia). The Wizards have plenty of needs but some central midfield depth is one that can be addressed here with Jacobson, a highly-regarded prospect who hasn’t necessarily blown people away at the MLS Combine but who still has first-round talent. The Wizards could also be tempted to grab goalkeeper Dominic Cervi to serve as Kevin Hartman’s potential successor.
12. CHICAGO FIRE– JOSH LAMBO (US Under-17 national team)– The Fire is still hoping to re-sign Matt Pickens, and still has veteran Jon Busch, but it will be hard to pass up as good a prospect as Lambo. He’s a local kid and is considered the best young goalkeeper in the U.S. pipeline since Chris Seitz, with some saying he’s further along at his age than both Seitz and Brad Guzan were at the same age. The Fire might wait until the late second round to grab a goalkeeper but both Lambo and Dominic Cervi will be gone by then. If the Fire waits for a goalkeeper, then look for Chicago to consider grabbing Duke midfielder Mike Videira.
13. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION- MIKE VIDEIRA (Duke). The Revs always find quality prospects in the draft and will be pleased to find Videira here. The Duke central midfielder could go much earlier, but in this mock draft he slides to New England, which needs to make up for the loss of Andy Dorman.
14. REAL SALT LAKE- JON LEATHERS (Furman). Very impressive player is on the small side for a central defender but has shown an ability to play fullback. RSL might grab a Generation adidas player like Alex Nimo, but Leathers and Iro can help right away.
SECOND ROUND
15. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES- STEPHEN KING (Maryland). Frank Yallop will be happy to find a player of King’s caliber in the second round. A U.S. Under-23 call-up, King is a smallish but skillful central midfielder.
16. RED BULLS- El-HADJ CISSE (North Carolina State). Juan Carlos Osorio is looking for athletic winger types and Cisse fits the bill. Cisse could slide in as a left winger for the Red Bulls and it doesn’t hurt that he has New York ties. The Red Bulls could be tempted to move up to make a run at Chance Myers, who the Red Bulls would like to add.
That’s all for now I’ll do at least one more before Wednesday (two rounds) and will do a final first round mock draft for ESPN.com on Thursday. Share your thoughts on these picks below.
I also think Balc will project as a left-sided player, and the Crew already have numerous players who fit there.
I have your Crew taking Chance Myers. I think Sigi puts him at LB and moves O’Rourke back to DM.
No way the Crew takes Xavier Balc. Rumor has it he was invited in to train over the summer and showed up drunk and stinking of alcohol.
In an exhibition in the summer. Many players said that he was talking smack about how terrible the Crew was and how poor the soccer is in Columbus.
As a Crew fan, I hope he slips to the supplemental draft!
2 center backs for RSL? You mentioned finding a partner for Sturgis. Is Mantilla gone?
On CHI, am I the only one who thinks Mapp will play on the right of midfield this year, with Conde on the left?
Is EJ going to Fulham?
“I think the Fire should trade for Kenny Cooper. Anyone else think this is a good idea?”
Sure I think the Fire should trade Blanco to FCD for Kenny Cooper, that would be a great idea?
How about if the Fire just trade for Becks?
I went to the 2nd day Sunday combine and here is my 3 SLEEPERS
1- Hatzke …left back from Santa Clara
2- Stratford…..midfielder from West Virgina (from London England so he may go home to start in a lower league for more than developmental money)
3- Zaher from UCLA…. I thought he played well and on the left side. Midfield 1st half and Left Back 2nd half. Always harder to find left sided players.
I do not see OSU Bunner going in the 1st or 2nd rounds.
Why not Steve King to the RBNY. Good skillful midfielder. He could apprentice under Claudio for a year and slot in when neccessary. He is a NJ native, albeit from Cherry Hill. Is it becuase Cisse looks ready to step in immediatley and contribute? I dont thknk RBNY could go wrong with either of the 2
Re: Any comments on midfielders Michael Videira, Andrew Jacobson or Stephen King? … I meant in terms of their performance in the MLS Combine.
Ives,
I don’t follow college soccer that closely so forgive me if these questions are out of touch with reality:
I thought Jason Landers of St. Johns was a big time prospect. What happened to him?
How come Julian Valentin gets so much attention by USMNT program but his teammate Pat Phelan does not but with the MLS draft, the table is suddenly turned? Why aren’t more of these top rated players among the players getting time with the USMNT U-17s, 18s and 20s?
Any comments on midfielders Michael Videira, Andrew Jacobson or Stephen King?
Any feedback on Sam Bailey or Ryan Cordiero? Of the seniors I saw play this year they were the ones that most impressed me (besides Julius James).
I bet David Horst will get taken before Eric Brunner.
Ives,
This is awesome, thanks so much for your thoughts.
I know he’s from ghana but is nyarko an american citizen?
Interesting you didn’t put Nimo in the first 17 picks…
I feel like he would be a good guy to take a flyer on eventually, maybe if he even makes it to New York’s pick.
Speaking of packages, if we decide to try and trade for some new players, I think the Fire should trade for Kenny Cooper. Anyone else think this is a good idea?
Good point Ives, especially when we know what Trader Mo is capable of…
OK folks, here is what I’ll say about my initial mock draft:
It was an INITIAL mock draft. The kinks will get worked out and I will mine for more info, but this was just a first crack at it.
Yes, I realize that Toronto FC doesn’t have a pressing need at fullback but I made that call as a “Mo getting a value pick to flip in a trade.” Several teams REALLY like Chance Myers and if he’s there at No. 9 it would be at least worth considering to take him for value and deal later. Johnston could just choose to address need.
My Red Bulls pick will change when the Mock Draft 2.0 goes up. Cisse’s lack of real speed won’t do for the Red Bulls. The only problem is that the quick wingers that are available don’t offer much in the way of physical development. I don’t mean them being tall, but just looking like they can handle the rigors of pro play. Dane Richards is a small guy but as tough as they come and relentless. I didn’t really see that from any of the wingers on display, except for Cisse, who lacks pure speed but has the other qualities.
Dominick Cervi is, for my money, one of the 10 best players in this draft. The issue is I just didn’t see where he would go in this initial mock draft. I think Chicago will seriously consider him, but if you’re the Fire and you’re considering adding a second designated player, you need all the cap help you can get, which gives Josh Lambo the edge because he’s Generation adidas (And a local kid). That said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see a team trade into the first round to grab him.
And Chicago fans, Pat Phelan is a ready for MLS defender and defensive midfielder. On talent alone, he’s probably a top four worthy player if you threw out generation adidas designations. I realize that the Fire has drafted 300 defensive midfielders in the past four years but Phelan’s first position is actually defender and no, CJ Brown isn’t getting any younger.
That’s all for now. I’ll be checking in to address any other questions, comments or concerns later.
if Hamlett/Guppy take ANOTHER GD D-mid Denis Sarachan better know a good groundskeeper because I’m salting the fields at Toyota Park so they can’t play.
We need a right mid (haven’t had one in oh…ever) and forward as Chad Barret is about as useful as contracting herpes simplex 2.
If there is no one at those spots, I’d rather we trade it for players or package it with a player for another DP slot if they have anyone in mind.
good ives, and very timely after your last night/this morning day 2 recap
So El-Hadji Diouf + Djibril Cisse = El-Hadj Cisse?
Great stuff Ives. I’m a sucker for mock drafts, first time I’ve seen one for the MLS.
EDB, I totally agree, but I gather that Phelan would be a value pick at #7. One way or another the Fire is going to need to land a legit scorer though.
Dominic Cervi is not a top 16 pick?
What about giving us an overall ranking top 25 say?? A bit like you get in the draft for hockey – not by position, but overall.
Of course, teams’ individual needs will determine whether they stay on target, but it would be interesting to get your perspective on who are the most talented.
I should prob read other comments before posting my own, HA
Hey Ives,
Cant say i agree with you on your picks for TFC as we are in need of wingers and perhaps a new striker. At most i see one defender coming out of the two first rounders that we have…
Ives,
Is Cisse the best winger available in that spot? I’m a little concerned that you and Buzz Carrick have both questioned his speed.
Also, wouldn’t a defender be a bigger priority for the Red Bulls?
Ives,
I hope your wrong but I dont see D-mid as a need. With Baki and Pause and depending on how Hamlett plays Conde and Robinson I think we are ok there.
But I guess D to groom for brown leaving soon wouldn’t be all bad.
unless you got a scoop, i just dont see toronto fc taking a fullback at all. They have right back help already and doesnt seem to be a need at the moment, with a team whos very weak at everything, i cant see us throwing both top picks at defenders.
Tho i do see a guy like brunner or iro landing on TFC
I don’t know any of these players enough to make real comparisons, so who am I to say I’d rather have Brek Shea than Cisse?
Having said that, I’d rather have Brek Shea than Cisse.
Hey Ives: What’s your opinion of Yannick Reyering from UVA?
If Valentin is around at #13, I think the Revs will take him.
So you think Yallop took a “Shining” to Stephen King?
Dang, I’m so funny!!!!!