MLS Superdraft update

The MLS Superdraft was exceptionally chaotic this year with a less than stellar draft class leading teams to maneuver their picks for any compensation or just to delay the inevitable.

The only player with outstanding potential was Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake (above) who was by far, the best college goalkeeper while at the University of Connecticut and has already been called up to the senior national team. Blake, by all accounts, improved his credentials with a solid performance at the MLS combine. His performance was enough to impress the Philadelphia Union to trade up to the number one spot and draft him despite already having two young goalkeepers.

Blake was not the only Jamaican named Andre to standout in this year’s draft. The Vancouver Whitecaps drafted Andre Lewis (above) with the seventh overall pick but it is very possible that Lewis will never play for them. Lewis signed with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (2nd-Division) sometime after the MLS Combine and before the draft after training with the Cosmos for the past few months. MLS teams were aware of Lewis’ situation and the Whitecaps drafted Lewis anyways.

MLS and the Cosmos entered an agreement that allows for Lewis to spend the MLS Preseason with the Whitecaps but if the Whitecaps want to keep Lewis for the regular season, they will need to work out a transfer or loan with the Cosmos. For what its worth, Lewis’ talents are not highly rated by some of his teammates at the Cosmos and it would not be surprising that Lewis fades into irrelevance.

A team by team breakdown of their draft. (The draft is technically not over as the third and fourth rounds will be held by conference call on January 21.)

Chicago Fire

Marco Franco, Centerback/Right back, University of California-Irvine, 1st round, 13th overall. They pick again three times in the fourth round at 61, 65 and 75.

Chivas USA

Thomas McNamara, Midfielder/Left Wing. Clemson University, 2nd round, 20th overall. They pick again in the third round at 40 and in the fourth round at 59.

Colorado Rapids

Marlon Hairston, Midfielder, Louisville University, 1st round, 12th overall. Grant Van de Casteele, Centerback, Notre Dame, 1st round, 19th overall. Jared Watts, Defensive Midfielder/Centerback, Wake Forest University, 2nd round, 33rd overall. John Berner, Goalkeeper, 2nd round, 35th overall. They pick again in the third round at 49 and in the fourth round at 68.

Columbus Crew

Ben Sweat, Leftback, University of South Florida, 1st round, 14th overall. They pick again in the third round at 42.

DC United

Steve Birnbaum, Centerback, University of California, 1st round, 2nd overall. Victor Munoz, Midfielder, UCLA, 2nd round, 29th overall. They pick again in the third round at 56 and in the fourth round at 69.

FC Dallas

Tesho Akindele, Forward, Colorado School of Mines, 1st round, 6th overall. They pick again in the third round at 43 and in the fourth round at 62.

Houston Dynamo

A.J. Cochran, Centerback, University of Wisconsin, 1st round, 16th overall. Mark Sherrod, Forward, University of Memphis, 2nd round, 32nd overall. They pick again in the third round at 54.

Los Angeles Galaxy

Kyle Venter, Centerback, University of New Mexico, 2nd round, 23rd overall. They pick again in the fourth round at 72.

Montreal Impact

Eric Miller, Centerback/Fullback, Creighton University, 1st round, 5th overall. George Malki, Midfielder, California Polytechnic State University, 2nd round, 37th overall. They pick again in the third round at 48 and in the fourth round at 67.

New England Revolution

Steve Neumann, Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder, Georgetown University, 1st round, 4th overall. Patrick Mullins, Forward, Maryland University, 1st round, 11th overall. Alec Sundly, Midfielder/Defensive Midfielder, University of Colorado, 2nd round, 31st overall. They pick again in the third round at 50.

New York Red Bulls

Chris Duvall, Rightback, Wake Forest University, 2nd round, 22nd overall. Eric Stevenson, Wide Midfielder, Akron University, 2nd round, 34th overall. They do not have a pick in the third or fourth rounds.

Philadelphia Union

Andre Blake, Goalkeeper, University of Connecticut, 1st round, 1st overall. Pedro Ribeiro, Midfielder, Coastal Carolina University, 1st round, 15th overall. Kevin Cope, Centerback, Michigan State University, 2nd round, 25th overall. Robbie Derschang, Leftback, Akron University, 2nd round, 27th overall. They pick again in the third round at 44, 46 and 52 and in the fourth round at 63.

Portland Timbers

Schillo Tshuma, Forward, Maryland University, 1st round, 17th overall. Taylor Peay, Centerback, Washington University, 2nd round, 26th overall. Aaron Long, Attacking Midfielder/Midfielder/Centerback, University of California-Riverside, 2nd round, 36th overall. They pick again in the third round at 39 and in the fourth round at 71 and 73.

Real Salt Lake

Ryan Neil, Rightback, University of California, 1st round, 18th overall.They pick again in the third round at 53 and in the fourth round at 70.

San Jose Earthquakes

JJ Koval, Midfielder, Stanford University, 1st round, 9th overall. Joe Sofia, UCLA, Centerback, 2nd round, 28th overall. They pick again in the third round at 47 and fourth round at 66 and 74.

Seattle Sounders

Damion Lowe, Centerback, Hartford University, 1st round, 8th overall. Jimmy Ockford, Centerback, Louisville University, 2nd round, 21st overall. They pick again in the third round at 55 and after the fourth round in a supplemental draft pick.

Sporting Kansas City

Adnan Gabeljic, Forward, Saint Louis University, 2nd round, 38th overall. They pick again in the third round at 41 and 57 and in the fourth round at 76.

Toronto FC

Nick Hagglund, Centerback, Xavier University, 1st round, 10th overall. Daniel Lovitz, Left Wing, Elon University, 2nd round, 24th overall. They pick again in the fourth round at 60.

Vancouver Whitecaps

Christian Dean, Centerback, University of California, 1st round, 3rd overall. Andre Lewis, Left Wing/Right Wing, Jamaica, 1st round, 7th overall. Mamadou Diouf, Forward/Attacking Midfielder, University of Connecticut, 2nd round, 30th overall. They pick again in the third round at 45 and 51, and in the fourth round at 58 and 64.