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The Montreal Impact wasted little time in making it known who they would take with the first pick in Tuesday's MLS Supplemental Draft.
With their selection, which is akin to the first pick in the third round of the SuperDraft had the main event not been shortened, the Impact took Charlotte winger Evan James, a skilled, Canada-born midfielder who performed well at the combine after helping the 49ers to the NCAA championship game. The Impact announced their pick via social media about an hour prior to the scheduled start of the draft.
Vancouver followed suit by being the first team to select one of the foreign prospects invited to the combine, taking Mexican left back Gienir Garcia.
Here are other highlights from Tuesday's four-round draft (pick-by-pick recap can be seen here):
MLS SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT NOTES
- Real Salt Lake had UCLA defensive midfielder Andy Rose fall to them with the sixth overall pick, a pick acquired in an offseason trade with San Jose for midfielder Jean Alexandre. The fact that Rose, an England native, needs to occupy an international roster spot likely led to his not being picked in last week's SuperDraft, but the former Bruins captain showed extremely well at the combine and was one of the top remaining college prospects available.
- The Houston Dynamo landed two U.S. youth internationals in the first round in Virginia forward Brian Ownby and UCLA left winger Eder Arreola. Ownby's career has been beset by injuries, but his potential — and Houston's need at forward — makes him an interesting project for Dom Kinnear.
- FC Dallas continues to stockpile centerbacks with George John on loan — and perhaps transferring for good — to West Ham, adding Maryland's Alex Lee into the fold after taking North Carolina's Matt Hedges in the SuperDraft and signing Colombian U-23 centerback Hernan Pertuz. Injuries cost Lee a chance to perform in the NCAA tournament and at the combine, but he was the leader of the Terrapins' back line and has the tools to make FC Dallas' roster.
- Chivas USA, in need of goalkeeping depth behind starter Dan Kennedy, landed UCLA netminder Brian Rowe in the second round.
- The Seattle Sounders made intriguing back-to-back picks in the second round, taking UCSB centerback Tim Pontius (younger brother of D.C. United winger Chris Pontius) and English winger Jason Banton with the 33rd and 34th picks, respectively.
- Toronto FC built off its strong SuperDraft by adding even more well-regarded talent. After landing Luis Silva and Aaron Maund in the SuperDraft, Toronto grabbed 2007 U-17 World Cup standout and Santa Clara right back Mykell Bates and Southern Methodist attacking midfielder Arthur Ivo.
- Along with Garcia and Banton, foreign combine invitees Emiliano Bonfigli and Benjamin Ubierna (RSL), Kohei Yamada (Colorado), Yuri Gorentzvaig (Los Angeles) were also selected. Aldo Paniagua was the lone foreign invitee not picked.
- The Galaxy made two notable moves with their fourth-round picks. They used the pick acquired from Chivas USA for Juan Pablo Angel to take San Diego forward Stephen Posa. With the final pick of the draft, the Galaxy took San Diego State defender Justin Davies — younger brother of Charlie Davies.