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A look at the best available players remaining in MLS Draft

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Photo by Andy Mead/Courtesy of MLS
 

By IVES GALARCEP

The second half of the 2015 MLS Draft will take place on Tuesday, and while there isn’t a ton of attacking talent left for teams to find, there is still plenty of quality defensive depth to choose from.

The draft’s wealth of centerback options has carried over to the third and fourth rounds, which take place on Tuesday.

UCLA centerback Aaron Simmons and UC-Davis centerback Ramon Martin Del Campo are among the better options available when Orlando City kicks off the second half of the draft. There are some good fullback options as well, including Notre Dame right back Luke Mishu and Syracuse left back Jordan Murrell.

The attacking cupboard isn’t completely bar. North Carolina forward Andy Craven and California midfielder Seth Casiple are players likely to go early in the third round.

Here is a rundown of the best remaining players in the 2015 MLS Draft:

TOP REMAINING PLAYERS IN THE 2015 MLS DRAFT

GOALKEEPERS

Spencer Richey, University of Washington. Showed well at the Combine, looked more like the top prospect he was prior to the 2013 college season.

Andrew Wolverton, Penn State. Ranked high by some teams, but there are questions about durability and lack of quickness.

Earl Edwards, UCLA. Highly athletic former U.S. Under-17 goalkeeper is still too raw for some teams, but could be worth a late-round flyer.

Eric Osswald, Xavier. Surprised at the Combine with some good moments, but is still a long-shot to be taken.

DEFENDERS

Aaron Simmons, UCLA. Poor testing results at the Combine left teams wonder just how good an athlete he was, but he is a good bet to be the first player chosen on Tuesday.

Ramon Martin Del Campo, UC-Davis. A big and vocal centerback who gained attention after training against, and playing well against the U.S. World Cup team last May. A shaky Combine crippled his draft stock, but he’s very much worth a third-round pick.

Anthony Manning, Saint Louis. Big 6-foot-4 centerback with good feet, Manning should come off the board early on Thursday.

Daniel Keller, Louisville. For teams looking for a more technical centerback, Keller will be the option. His passing skills out of the back are impressive, but not all teams see him being physical enough for MLS.

Jordan Murrell, Syracuse. Skilled left back who missed out on a Combine invite and is in Europe seeking a deal. Worth a late-round flyer.

Luke Mishu, Notre Dame. Mobile right back who passes well on the flank, Mishu was preferred to more athletic options in the early rounds, but should be the first right back taken on Tuesday.

Emeka Onyonye, Wright State. A small-school defender who wasn’t invited to the Combine, Onyonye will be on the list of teams who follow PDL closely.

Shawn McLaws, Coastal Carolina. Quick right back who didn’t get to shine much at the Combine, but who is talented enough to make an MLS roster.

Nick Miele, New Mexico. Tall centerback who deserved an MLS Combine invite but didn’t get one. Teams that did their college homework could find a gem in the fourth round in Miele.

Jose Ribas, Creighton. A quick and technical left back who had some good moments at the Combine, but who some teams think isn’t physical enough. A possible third-round pick, but should draw a camp invite.

Nikola Paunic, South Florida. Former Canadian Under-20 national team defender is worth a flier by one of the league’s Canadian teams.

Craig Nitti, Loyola Marymount. Big and physical centerback with surprisingly good feet, Nitti lacks the lateral quickness of a top central defense prospect.

MIDFIELDERS

James Rogers, New Mexico. Quick right winger  who struggled to make his mark at the Combine, but who has been on scouting radars for several years.

Seth Casiple, California. Highly-skilled central midfielder who was relatively anonymous at the MLS Combine. West Coast teams should have enough familiarity with him to give him a shot, which should lead to a third-round look.

Jaineil Hoilett, Canadian Youth International. Junior Hoilett’s younger brother showed some flashes at the MLS Combine after being a late invite, but may not be enough to

Tyler Arnone, Michigan. Central midfielder with a good motor and good feet, but lacks the quickness and high-level passing to be a high draft pick.

Adria Beso Marco, UConn. Highly-technical playmaker is small, but one of the league’s possession-minded teams are likely to take a flyer on the UConn midfielder.

Duke LaCroix, Penn.

Fabio Machado, Providence.

Laurie Bell, Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Jean Carlos Moscoso, Dominican Republic.

FORWARDS

Andy Craven, North Carolina. Fast forward who should be one of the first players taken Tuesday.

Cameron Porter, Princeton. Good passer and mobile, Porter has the goods to transition to the next level, but isn’t a lock to go before the fourth round.

Cameron Iwasa, UC-Irvine. Quiet the first two days of the Combine, Iwasa broke out on day three and showed why folks on the West Coast consider him a sleeper.

Sal Bernal, UNLV. Very quick and skilled, but looks more like a midfielder than forward, which may be hurting his stock. What he lacks in size (5-foot-7) he makes up for with a good soccer brain and speed.

Andy Bevin, West Virginia.

Marc Fenelus, Cal-State Fullerton.

Alex Shinsky, Maryland.

Tyler Engel, North Carolina.

Sidney Rivera, Old Dominion.

Zach Bateer, Stanford.

Adam Montague, Michigan State.

BEST REMAINING PLAYERS (OVERALL RANKINGS)

1. Aaron Simmons, Central defender, UCLA

2. Andy Craven, Forward, North Carolina

3. Ramon Martin Del Campo, Central defender, UC-Davis

4. Anthony Manning, Central defender, Saint Louis

5. Daniel Keller, Central defender, Louisville

6. Andrew Wolverton, Goalkeeper, Penn State

7. Luke Mishu, Right Back, Notre Dame

8. Cameron Porter, Forward, Princeton

9. Spencer Richey, Goalkeeper, Washington

10. James Rogers, Right winger, New Mexico

11. Jose Ribas, Left back, Creighton

12. Cameron Iwasa, Forward, UC-Irvine

13. Sal Bernal, Forward, UNLV

14. Tyler Arnone, Central Midfielder, Michigan

15. Jordan Murrell, Left Back, Syracuse

16. Andrew Bevin, Forward, West Virginia

17. Seth Casiple, Central Midfielder, California

18. Emeka Onyonye, Central Defender, Wright State

19. Tyler Engel, Forward, North Carolina

20. Alex Shinsky, Forward, Maryland

21. Nick Miele, Central Defender, New Mexico

22. Will Seymore, Central Defender, Oregon State

23. Craig Nitti, Central Defender, Loyola Marymount

24. Adria Beso Marco, Attacking Midfielder, UConn

25. Nikola Paunic, Central Defender, South Florida

26. Duke LaCroix, Forward/Winger, Penn

27. Marquez Fernandez, Right Back, UMBC

28. Sidney Rivera, Forward, Old Dominion

29. Earl Edwards, Goalkeeper, UCLA

30. Zach Bateer, Forward, Stanford

31. Fabio Machado, Midfielder, Providence

Comments

  1. I’m surprised that Craven is still available, especially when you consider that he was a Hermann Trophy Finalist. How did he not get drafted in the earlier rounds?

    Reply
  2. I am surprised Cameron Porter is still available. He led the NCAA Div. I in goals scored (despite the Ivy league’s shorter season) and points per game. He has good size, speed and can dribble well in tight spaces.

    Reply

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