The MLS Combine is set to kickoff at the end of the week. College seniors and select underclassmen will play 3 games in five days to bolster their position in the draft.  The combine takes place on Jan. 7 to 11, and the Supedraft is set for Jan. 13.

Here is the Green Army’s mock draft of the first round of the 2011 Superdraft. I’ll post a two round version next week, and finally a three round version before the Superdraft. Enjoy.

Round 1

1. Vancouver Whitecaps: Darlington Nagbe, F, Akron

Nagbe is arguably the best attacking player in the draft. He’s drawn comparisons to Seattle Sounders midfielder and former Akron player, Steve Zakuani. Except that Nagbe might actually be better. That is good enough reason to pick him at #1. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Whitecaps traded the #1 pick for a player and some allocation money. DC United is a likely candidate to trade for the #1 spot.

2. Portland Timbers: Perry Kitchen, M/D, Akron

Kitchen is a tough midfielder with tons of upside. The defensive midfielder, has college cup and youth national team experience.  The Akron freshman kept the national champions organized with his tough tackling and smart passing. Kitchen also has a wicked shot that was on display during the College Cup. The gritty young midfielder would fit right in with Portland’s blue collar philosophy. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes at #1.

3. DC United: Zarek Valentin, D, Akron

DC United needs players at every position but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team stepped in for a defender as their top pick. They might trade up to get Perry Kitchen, if not I see them taking Zarek Valentin. Valentin is a smart, tough defender with U20 national team experience. Kofie Sarkodie is another option here, but DC already signed homegrown and Maryland defender Ethan White as a right back.

4. Chivas USA: Omar Salgado, F, US U20

The young forward has the most upside of any player in the draft, but is definitely a project for the future. The Chivas connection might play a role, considering Salgado was a part of the Guadalajara youth system. Salgado is a talented 6’4 striker. He is a member of the US U20 team and has star quality written all over him. At 17, he probably won’t make a big impact this season, but he seems to have unlimited potential.

5. Philadelphia Union: Corey Hertzog , F, Penn State

The Union tried to sign Hertzog as a homegrown player so I would be surprised if they didn’t grab him with their top pick. Hertzog was the top goal scorer in the country in 2010. He has great pace, decent technical skill, and a nose for scoring goals. I can see him producing for the Union this season but he isn’t the answer up top for the Union. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Union traded this spot or took a defensive player.

6. New England Revolution: Stephen McCarthy, M, UNC

The Revs, like many teams in the east, need help at a number of positions. I think Nicol uses their top pick to reinforce the midfield. McCarthy is a big, 6’4, defensive midfielder. His work rate should complement Shalrie Joseph. McCarthy is also very dangerous on set pieces.

7. Houston Dynamo: Zac MacMath, GK, Maryland

The loss of Pat Onstad leaves the club without a franchise goalkeeper. Houston could easily take a forward here, but I think they take a chance on the young and talented MacMath. He could be the face of the club for years to come.

8. Vancouver Whitecaps: Kofi Sarkodie, D, Akron

After snapping up the best attacking player in draft with their #1 pick, the Whitecaps can move on to shore up the backline. Kofi Sarkodie is easily a top 3 talent and the Whitecaps will be on cloud nine if they can grab him at #8. The talented right back is the best attacking right back in the draft. He’s been a consistent member of the US youth national team system and is projected to become a future national team player.

9. Chicago Fire: Will Bruin, F, Indiana

Bruin is easily the best goal scorer in the draft. Chicago lost iconic striker Brian Mcbride and needs to find a suitable replacement. Bruin has the potential to become that player. His 6’2 frame makes him an ideal target forward. His knack for scoring goals could see him develop into a 10-15 goals a season forward.

10. Sporting Kansas City: AJ Soares, D, Cal

Sporting lost Jimmy Conrad in the Re-Entry Draft and will look to fill that void. Cal defender AJ Soares is one of the best defenders in the draft. He is a great passer out of the back, has solid one v one defending skills, and is dangerous on set pieces. The big defender could make an impact right away.

11. Seattle Sounders FC: Michael Farfan, M, UNC

Farfan is probably the best attacking midfielder in the draft. He has excellent vision, above average technical skill, and the ability to score goals. Farfan can play wide or centrally and should provide the depth that Seattle is missing in the midfield.

12. Columbus Crew: Michael Nanchoff , M, Akron

Nanchoff is a dynamic left midfielder. The Ohio native provides great service to the forwards and has a good work rate. Nanchoff is also an attractive pick because his Generation Adidas contract will not count against the salary cap, a major bonus for a team trying to rebuild.

13. New York Red Bulls: Jalil Anibaba, D, UNC

New York still has to resolve some issues on their backline. Anibaba is a big and athletic center back that could partner well with Tim Ream. New York also needs a midfield playmaker but I don’t see them finding that player in the draft.

14. Real Salt Lake: Ashley McInnes, M/F, Tulsa

Real Salt Lake will look to replace striker Robbie Findley. Ashley McInnes has tons of speed and decent technical skill. McInnes could play as a striker or as an attacking midfielder. He is a good passer and keeps possession well.

15. San Jose Earthquakes: Justin Meram, F, Michigan

San Jose is thin at striker and needs someone that can partner Golden Boot Winner Chris Wondolowski. Meram is an exciting forward with excellent ball skill and goal scoring ability. He has good size and good enough speed to hold his own against MLS defenders. His willingness and ability to go at defenders set him apart from the other forwards in the draft. He should be a steal at #15.

16. Los Angeles Galaxy: Bobby Warshaw, M/D, Stanford

The loss of midfielder Dema Kovalenko leaves a void in the midfield. Bobby Warshaw is one of the better defensive mids left in the draft and the Galaxy should pick him up here. Warshaw can play as a central defender or defensive center mid. Warshaw is a very athletic and physical player. He also served as a deep lying playmaker for Stanford because of his good vision and ability to score goals.

17. FC Dallas: Jason Herrick, F,  Maryland

FC Dallas lost Jeff Cunningham in the Re-Entry Draft and need some reinforcements at forward. Herrick is one of the better forwards left on the board. Herrick isn’t as prolific as other strikers in the draft, but he does a ton of work that makes him an attractive prospect. He pressures defenders, holds the ball up well, and finds his teammates in scoring position.

18. Colorado Rapids: JT Murray, D, Louisville

The Rapids need depth in the backline and JT Murray is the best left back in the draft. The MLS Cup champions are particularly thin at left back after trading away Danny Earls. JT Murray provides good speed, power, and dribbling ability.

I’ll have a two round mock draft after the combine gets underway. Let me know your thoughts on the first round mock draft.

US Soccer announced the roster for the January training camp. The camp begins on January 4 in Southern California, and concludes with a friendly match against Chile on January 22 at the Home Depot Center.

Here is the 24 man roster:

GOALKEEPERS (4): Dominic Cervi (Celtic), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Matt Pickens (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (9): A.J. DeLaGarza (Los Angeles Galaxy), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Ugo Ihemelu (FC Dallas), Zach Loyd (FC Dallas), Ryan Miller (Halmstads BK), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Anthony Wallace (Colorado Rapids), Marvell Wynne (Colorado Rapids)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Eric Alexander (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Sam Cronin (San Jose Earthquakes), Mikkel Diskerud (Stabaek), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Dax McCarty (D.C. United), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Justin Braun (Chivas USA), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Here are my thoughts:

Who the ‘F’ is Ryan Miller?

I know you asked yourself that question when you saw his name.  Lucky for you I’m here to explain these things. Miller, an Illinois native, is a midfield/defender that plays with Halmstad in the Swedish Allsvenskan league. He played his college ball at Notre Dame before joining the Columbus Crew in 2008. After two unsuccessful seasons in MLS, one with the Crew and the other with DC United, Miller went on trial in Europe and wound up in the Swedish league. The 26 year old probably needs to impress at this camp if he wants a call back in the future.

Youth Movement

The group is young, with an average age of 23.  The most experienced player on the team is 23 year old Alejandro Bedoya with 6 caps. First year professionals such as Eric Alexander (Age 22), Zach Loyd (23), and Sean Johnson (21) are coming off strong rookie campaigns. The trio was probably brought in to get a feel for the system and the staff,  but we might see at least one of them on game day. This experience should boost their development.

Its nice to see youngsters Juan Agudelo, Teal Bunbury, and Mikkel “Mix” Diskerud in the camp. The three attackers earned their first cap against South Africa last month.  Mix and Agudelo combined for the winning goal that night.

This is the first step in preparation for the 2014 World Cup, so it isn’t surprising that Bob Bradley took chances on some young players.

MLS Success = USMNT Opportunity

Strikers Chris Wondolowski, MLS Golden Boot winner, and Justin Braun had breakout seasons with their MLS clubs.  Both are fairly young and the race for a forward spot is wide open at the moment.

MLS Cup Champions Colorado Rapids are represented by four players: Marvel Wynne, Matt Pickens, Jeff Larentowicz, and Anthony Wallace.  All four were pivotal figures in the teams MLS Cup run. I see Wynne and Wallace with the most opportunity in this camp. Wynne, typically deployed as a right back, might see time as a central defender against Chile. The young defender has excelled for the Rapids in his first season playing centrally. Wallace is young, athletic, and has a good left foot. He is also a very smart defender that can contribute to the attack. I think the left back spot is his for the taking.

The 2014 center backs?

Tim Ream, Omar Gonzalez, and Brek Shea are turning heads with their defensive play. Ream (23) is a very refined defender who had a rookie of the year caliber season in 2010. He earned his first cap last month against South Africa and impressed with his calm and composed demeanor on the ball. Omar Gonzalez (22), 2009 R0okie of the Year, is one of the best defenders in MLS. His towering 6’5 build makes him an ideal candidate to inherit the center back role. Brek Shea (20) has played everything from forward to center back. The young FC Dallas midfielder astounded observers with his play at center back during the Generation Adidas tour in Spain. It is also suggested that Sir Alex Ferguson commented that Shea’s best position would likely be as a central defender.  Shea’s 6’4 build is suited for that position and we could see Bradley groom Shea with that goal in mind.

Let me know your thoughts on this roster.