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Major League Soccer has taken its first step toward setting up what could be one of the deepest drafts in recent memory by landing one of the college game's most coveted prospects.
Maryland central defender Omar Gonzalez is set to sign a Generation adidas contract with MLS, Craig Stouffer of the Washington Examiner reported on Friday. Stouffer is also reporting that fellow Maryland standout Jeremy Hall also looks set to sign with MLS.
The additions of Gonzalez and Hall to the MLS draft pool don't come as a surprise, but they should serve as the first of several key signings by the league for a draft that could be loaded if MLS succeeds in signing all of its top targets. Could North Carolina defender Sheanon Williams be one of those targets? According to Stouffer, the UNC freshman is ready to turn pro as well, and his solid performance in the NCAA Final Four didn't hurt his chances any.
Gonzalez is projected as a Top Four draft pick, although opinions on Gonzalez are mixed, with some teams rating him as a No. 1 pick and others considering him a project who wouldn't necessarily start in year one. Hall is the best left-sided player in the draft and is also expected to be chosen in the top half of the draft.
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