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McCarthy's Musings: 2012 MLS SuperDraft Big Board
Akron forward Darren Mattocks and Duke defender Andrew Wenger stand out from the crowd ahead of Thursday's MLS SuperDraft.
Jan 11, 2012 3:44:00 AM
By Kyle McCarthy
Andy Mead
LAUDERHILL, Fla. – Leave it to UCLA forward Chandler Hoffman to explain the perils of the draft prognostication process.
“My friends have been reading all of the mock drafts,” the Generation adidas starlet and likely first-round selection said after the MLS Player Combine wrapped up on Tuesday. “They've got me going anywhere from one to 11. I could end up anywhere. I'm just trying to stay relaxed, stay calm and enjoy it. I'm trying not to get too caught up in it and lose the joy of it all.”
It isn't easy to cut through the endless stream of misinformation and sort out how the SuperDraft might unfold on Thursday. Most of the time, the result ends up as a desperately futile attempt to capture the shifting sentiments of a group of people with disparate viewpoints on the types of players they want to acquire.
This Big Board takes a different approach to the process. It relies heavily on the visual evidence provided by the Combine and sprinkles in a little common sense. It isn't meant to offer anything more than a rough guide to one person's opinion about how a draft board might look heading into Thursday.
With the preamble dispatched, here is a look at some of the players who might hear their names called early on Thursday:
The Top Two
1. Darren Mattocks, Akron forward (Generation adidas/SI): The speedy Jamaican striker represents the best value for the top pick with his potential resale value down the road.
2. Andrew Wenger, Duke defender/forward (Generation adidas): Versatility stands out as the buzzword for this U.S. U-23 international, but most observers seem to believe he'll eventually settle into central defense.
Midfield Madness
3. Kelyn Rowe, UCLA midfielder (Generation adidas): The U.S. U-23 schemer will inject plenty of creativity without hindering a club's salary budget.
4. Luis Silva, UC Santa Barbara midfielder (senior signing): His deft touches and surprising work rate offer teams a unique creative presence.
5. Nick DeLeon, Louisville midfielder (senior signing): Don't let the speedy winger's Combine absence fool you – he's going to go in the first round.
6. Tony Cascio, Connecticut midfielder (senior signing): Teams in search of a natural wide player could also opt for a player who spent parts of a couple of summers training with Real Salt Lake.
7. Enzo Martinez, North Carolina midfielder (Generation adidas/SI): His composure and his leadership make this skillful and tested center midfielder a promising prospect.
Playing the Value Game
8. Tyler Polak, Creighton left back (Generation adidas): A poor Combine won't send this off-budget left back option sliding too far down the board.
Need a Forward?
9. Chandler Hoffman, UCLA forward (Generation adidas): The Alabama native said he hoped his Combine performances answered a few questions about his next level potential. It's hard to argue with two goals and a series of good runs into dangerous spaces.
10. Ethan Findlay, Creighton forward (senior signing?): Saturday's hat trick likely clinched his MLS contract and probably reminded a few MLS technical staffers why he scored all of those goals for the Bluejays.
Seasoned Defensive Stalwarts
11. Matt Hedges, North Carolina defender: His Combine performance looked an awful lot like A.J. Soares' showing last year. Soares, by the way, went sixth overall.
12. Austin Berry, Louisville defender: A combination of big-game experience and solid, no-nonsense defending makes him a safer option than many potential selections.
Riding the Line
13. Callum Mallace, Marquette midfielder: Lots of production, little fuss in the center of the park.
14. Casey Townsend, Maryland forward (senior signing): Will his predatory instincts make the transition to the next level?
15. Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Connecticut defender (Generation adidas): He has the physical tools, but the questions persist about how well he will manage with the ball at his feet.
16. Aaron Maund, Notre Dame defender: See Jean-Baptiste, Andrew.
17. Colin Rolfe, Louisville forward: His stock has fallen quite a bit in recent weeks, but his body of work will warrant a long look toward the end of the first round.
18. Sam Garza, UC Santa Barbara forward (Generation adidas): This is about the time in the draft where any team would be thrilled to pick up a player who would not count against the salary budget.
19. Dom Dwyer, South Florida forward (Generation adidas/SI): This is also about the time in the draft where international status matters even more than it did in the early stages.
A Proverbial Hat Tip to a Combine Standout
20. Warren Creavalle, South Florida midfielder: Every year, one or two players pop onto the radar with solid performances in Lauderhill. Creavalle did his part this year by accepting a switch to right back and taking to the position well under a set of difficult circumstances. He likely won't come off the board this early, but the fact that he has entered the discussion at all signifies the importance of the Combine to some players.
Kyle McCarthy writes the Monday MLS Breakdown and frequently writes opinion pieces during the week for Goal.com. He also covers the New England Revolution for the Boston Herald and MLSsoccer.com. Contact him with your questions or comments at kyle.mccarthy@goal.com and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
“My friends have been reading all of the mock drafts,” the Generation adidas starlet and likely first-round selection said after the MLS Player Combine wrapped up on Tuesday. “They've got me going anywhere from one to 11. I could end up anywhere. I'm just trying to stay relaxed, stay calm and enjoy it. I'm trying not to get too caught up in it and lose the joy of it all.”
It isn't easy to cut through the endless stream of misinformation and sort out how the SuperDraft might unfold on Thursday. Most of the time, the result ends up as a desperately futile attempt to capture the shifting sentiments of a group of people with disparate viewpoints on the types of players they want to acquire.
This Big Board takes a different approach to the process. It relies heavily on the visual evidence provided by the Combine and sprinkles in a little common sense. It isn't meant to offer anything more than a rough guide to one person's opinion about how a draft board might look heading into Thursday.
With the preamble dispatched, here is a look at some of the players who might hear their names called early on Thursday:
The Top Two
1. Darren Mattocks, Akron forward (Generation adidas/SI): The speedy Jamaican striker represents the best value for the top pick with his potential resale value down the road.
2. Andrew Wenger, Duke defender/forward (Generation adidas): Versatility stands out as the buzzword for this U.S. U-23 international, but most observers seem to believe he'll eventually settle into central defense.
Midfield Madness
3. Kelyn Rowe, UCLA midfielder (Generation adidas): The U.S. U-23 schemer will inject plenty of creativity without hindering a club's salary budget.
4. Luis Silva, UC Santa Barbara midfielder (senior signing): His deft touches and surprising work rate offer teams a unique creative presence.
5. Nick DeLeon, Louisville midfielder (senior signing): Don't let the speedy winger's Combine absence fool you – he's going to go in the first round.
6. Tony Cascio, Connecticut midfielder (senior signing): Teams in search of a natural wide player could also opt for a player who spent parts of a couple of summers training with Real Salt Lake.
7. Enzo Martinez, North Carolina midfielder (Generation adidas/SI): His composure and his leadership make this skillful and tested center midfielder a promising prospect.
Playing the Value Game
8. Tyler Polak, Creighton left back (Generation adidas): A poor Combine won't send this off-budget left back option sliding too far down the board.
Need a Forward?
9. Chandler Hoffman, UCLA forward (Generation adidas): The Alabama native said he hoped his Combine performances answered a few questions about his next level potential. It's hard to argue with two goals and a series of good runs into dangerous spaces.
10. Ethan Findlay, Creighton forward (senior signing?): Saturday's hat trick likely clinched his MLS contract and probably reminded a few MLS technical staffers why he scored all of those goals for the Bluejays.
Seasoned Defensive Stalwarts
11. Matt Hedges, North Carolina defender: His Combine performance looked an awful lot like A.J. Soares' showing last year. Soares, by the way, went sixth overall.
12. Austin Berry, Louisville defender: A combination of big-game experience and solid, no-nonsense defending makes him a safer option than many potential selections.
Riding the Line
13. Callum Mallace, Marquette midfielder: Lots of production, little fuss in the center of the park.
14. Casey Townsend, Maryland forward (senior signing): Will his predatory instincts make the transition to the next level?
15. Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Connecticut defender (Generation adidas): He has the physical tools, but the questions persist about how well he will manage with the ball at his feet.
16. Aaron Maund, Notre Dame defender: See Jean-Baptiste, Andrew.
17. Colin Rolfe, Louisville forward: His stock has fallen quite a bit in recent weeks, but his body of work will warrant a long look toward the end of the first round.
18. Sam Garza, UC Santa Barbara forward (Generation adidas): This is about the time in the draft where any team would be thrilled to pick up a player who would not count against the salary budget.
19. Dom Dwyer, South Florida forward (Generation adidas/SI): This is also about the time in the draft where international status matters even more than it did in the early stages.
A Proverbial Hat Tip to a Combine Standout
20. Warren Creavalle, South Florida midfielder: Every year, one or two players pop onto the radar with solid performances in Lauderhill. Creavalle did his part this year by accepting a switch to right back and taking to the position well under a set of difficult circumstances. He likely won't come off the board this early, but the fact that he has entered the discussion at all signifies the importance of the Combine to some players.
Kyle McCarthy writes the Monday MLS Breakdown and frequently writes opinion pieces during the week for Goal.com. He also covers the New England Revolution for the Boston Herald and MLSsoccer.com. Contact him with your questions or comments at kyle.mccarthy@goal.com and follow him on Twitter by clicking here.
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