THE DRAFT THROUGH RAPIDS COLORED GLASSES
Predicted #1 draft pick, forward Danny Mwanga of OSU
The MLS Superdraft is just around the corner so I wanted to take a look at the Rapids potential draft scenario.
Here is a break down of the Rapid’s picks: (4 picks total)
No first round pick:
- We lost our first round pick to the Columbus Crew for Pat Noonan.
2 second round picks:
- We lost one 2nd round pick to Toronto for Gregory Richardson.
- We received a 2nd round pick for Christian Gomez and one for Ugo Ihemelu.
1 in the 3rd and 4th rounds.
Last Years Draft:
After the 2009 draft most soccer writers, including myself, thought the Rapids had a decent draft. But by the end of the season the only draft player to make an impact was Michael Holody (picked in the 4th round, 58th out of 60.) While most other teams found at least one starter with their picks, the only positive the Rapids walked away with was acquiring Matt Pickens in a trade with Chicago on draft day. While getting a starting goalkeeper is never a bad thing, most Rapid fans, including myself, were disappointed that none of the speedy attackers we picked up made it past training camp. Ross Schunk, the rookie of out Redlands (DIII school) was the only forward to survive. His size made him a good backup for Conor Casey. Steward Ceus is the only other draft pick to survive. The rookie goalkeeper didn’t make any appearances for the Rapids, and spent most of 2009 on loan with the Charlotte Eagles in the USL2.
Will 2010 be any better for the Rapids?
The good news is that the draft should be one of the strongest in recent years. Last year the league lost some top talent to overseas clubs, but this year the league has been more aggressive in keeping players state side. The not so good news is that Smith and Guppy have been searching Europe, particularly France and England, for new players. Smith has already stated that the Rapids need better players and you cannot blame the coaching to staff for looking abroad. Although bringing in seasoned professionals sounds ideal, I think it would be a mistake for the Rapids to overlook the draft.
Without a first round pick it will be tough for the Rapids to find a Zakuani, Omar Gonzalez, Pontious, or Sam Cronin. But with the depth in this years draft, I think the second round could produce some real gems.
I’ll do a more in depth mock draft later, but for right now here are the players that I think will go in the first round.
Ike Opara, Danny Mwanga, Teal Bunbury, Corben Bone, Tony Tchani, Amobi Okugo, Andrew Wiedeman, Blair Gavin, Andre Akpan, Tony Stahl, Andrew Wiedeman, Zac Loyd, Austin da Luz, Dilly Duka, Jack McInerney, and Ofori Sarkodie.
For right now, these are the top prospects in the draft. Some will inevitably slip into the second round, but it is unlikely (barring a complete meltdown at the combine) these players slip much further than that. Here are the best second round picks available for the Rapids.
Goalkeepers:
The two best goalkeepers are still available in the draft. Generation Adidas signing Sean Johnson out of Central Florida is the top rated goalkeeper in the draft. He might sneak into the first, but not many teams are showing a need for keeper so they might pass. Brian Perk, a senior at UCLA, was the starting keeper for the US U20 team this summer. Also available, will be Jovan Bubonja a lesser known goalkeeper but probably the most ready to step right into MLS. The big Serbian is a Hermann Trophy semi-finalist out of Illinois. Although the Rapids aren’t really in need of a goalkeeper, landing one of these top prospects could serve as trade bait later.
Defenders:
There are some big boys left in the second round. Kwame Watson-Siriboe (6’3), Chris Schuler (6’4), and Nick Cardenas (6’5) are the three best central defenders left after Ike Opara is drafted. Siriboe is an easy candidate to go in the first round but could slip into the second round. Schuler has been compared to former Chicago Fire defender Bakary Soumare because of his size and athleticism. I think the best bet is Nick Cardenas out of San Diego State. He is a Colorado native and made a name for himself in the college game because of his ability to score on set pieces. I doubt the Rapids will pick a center-back in the 2nd round unless they plan on offloading one of their higher paid players (Gibbs, Moore, Boudet).
The Rapids are desperate for another fullback after Jordan Harvey got drafted by Philadelphia in the expansion draft. The best fullback prospect is Ofori Sarkodie, but most expect him to go in the first round. Sarkodie could slip down into the second round because of his poor 2009 season. Mark Blades out of Northwestern, Barry Rice out of Kentucky, Tim Ream from St. Louis, and Ryan Peterman out of San Diego are the next best options. Mark Blades is probably the most talented of the bunch, but Barry Rice is the most highly regarded. Rice’s superior athleticism has many MLS teams very interested. Ream can play both center back and left back which will raise his stock. Peterman is the 2009 West Coast Confrence player of the year and led USD to NCAA tournament.
Midfielders:
There will be some big names left in the second round this draft. The duo from UCLA, Kyle Nakazawa and Michael Stephens, might have gone in the first round had they left college last year. Nakazawa is a creative goal scoring midfielder that is game changer. Stephens is a talented and technically sound player. Both are very smart with the ball and are products of our youth national team system. Their teammate, freshman Amobi Okuga, stole the show this year at UCLA and as well as some the draft hype. But Stephens and Nakazawa will be amazing picks in the second round.
As much as we need a creative force in the midfield, I think defensive mid Ross LaBauex out of Virginia will be a wise choice. LaBauex has played wing, attacking mid, forward, and defensive mid during his time at Virginia. He has excellent speed and is tenacious tackler. His still a little bit rough around the edges but has the versatility and athleticism to make it in MLS.
The Rapids should be in the hunt for a quality outside mid/winger. I think the 2009 season clearly demonstrated how important outside mids/wingers are to coach Smith’s system. The Rapids are likely to have Collen Warner and Nelson Becerra to choose from. Becerra has had a great career at St. Johns and is one of the most highly regarded wingers in the draft. He has exceptional passing ability and technical skills but lacks a little bit in athleticism. Collen Warner will be a better fit, if they can get him. Warner was very impressive at Portland. He is quick, a smart passer, and is one of the best crossers in the college game. He might play himself into the first round at the Combine but he would be a steal in the second.
Forwards:
The forward crop in the second round is a step or two below the first with the exception of Zack Schilawski from Wake Forest. Schilawski could easily be a first rounder but might slip to the second due to the overall talent in the draft. Schilawski led Wake Forest with 14 goals this season and led the ACC in goals scored and points. He isn’t the biggest forward but he is a great passer and a very accurate shooter.
Drew Yates, out of Maryland, might be the better pickup for the Rapids. He is 6’1 with good athleticism and excellent vision and dribbling ability. He split time between forward and winger during his college career. Maryland coach, Cirovski, always believed Drew was a special player capable of being one of the top guys in the country. Although he never quite met those expectations it is undeniable that the kid is a quality player.
Other top strikers such as Two Boys Gumede and Irving Garcia will need to be very impressive in the combine to go in the second round. If not they are likely to be available in the 3rd or 4th.
Although not having a first round draft pick looks bad, two second round picks might be just as good. I’ll do a mock draft closer to the combine and right after. Let me know what you think the Rapid’s should do in the draft.