Also, I would imagine the Rapids will resolve the Casey situation before the draft. If Casey passes, then we may be drafting a big forward at #6. Zavaleta (#3) won't be available, but Mamadou Doudou Diouf (#11), Ashton Bennet (#17), and Mark Sherrod (#18) should be. They're all big forwards, too.
Here are the links for prospect rankings & mock draft. Published today, 11/16: http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/pro-prospects:-ranking-mls-talent_aid28074 http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/2013-mls-superdraft-mock-draft-v-10_aid28073
They have Jose Gomez rated as their #1 midfielder: 1. Jose Gomez, Creighton: Gomez sees the game at a different level than most college players, which should be a blessing in MLS. He plays (and thinks) at a speed a step quicker than the average player. Over the past three seasons, he has dictated the game from the midfield at Creighton, which is heading on 18 drafts with at least one player selected. Also a bunch of CB's ahead of Schoenle and no Zimmerman in the top 10.
Have followed closely last few drafts, CB are always lower rated but go in a bunch from 5-10 spot. Austin Berry last year was questioned if he could handle quickness in MLS and he is Rookie of year. Scouting has a long ways to go and any mocks before MLS combine (and GA selection) are really pointless. Here is Ives from 2012 and you can review http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/...n-adidas-darren-mattocks-andrew-wenger-122911
More player ratings for Superdraft http://wvhooligan.com/2012/11/19/15055/2013-mls-superdraft-prospects-defenders/ http://wvhooligan.com/2012/11/20/15069/2013-mls-superdraft-prospects-midfielders/ http://wvhooligan.com/2012/11/16/15044/2013-mls-superdraft-lists-goalkeepers/ GA article http://wvhooligan.com/2012/11/20/15073/making-sense-of-the-generation-adidas-program/
TFC blog profiles Walker Zimmerman. Looking more and more like Zimmerman will be gone, if he signs GA deal, way before we pick. http://www.wakingthered.com/2012/11/20/3671570/zimmerman-mls-superdraft-furman-toronto Zimmerman comes from a family with a long line of athletic success in his gene pool. Having both his grandfather and great-greatfather play D1 football and serve as captains at Auburn, an Aunt in the Tennis Hall of Fame, and a brother who also played football at Auburn shows that sports were a big part of his family.
Would love to try to pick up a tall center back. say 6-3 6-4 young guy to play with klute could be amazing. i'll take anything really tho. forward spot i would not want a rookie. i think casico could fit the st bill but i dont know nothing apparantly.
SBI Draft Big Board 1.0 is out: http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/11/sbi-2013-mls-draft-big-board-version-1-0.html
Well, just based on Ives' assessments, I'm laying out at least 6 players that we could use, meaning we'll be able to grab one of 'em at #6. Caveats, of course, are combine performances, and whether OP/Bravo see them being able to play the 4-3-3 system. Numbers in parentheses are Ives' Big Board rankings. * Indicates underclassman, will need to accept GA deal to be available. CB: (1) *Andrew Farrell -- Ives projects him to go first, however, if he accepts GA deal. (2) *Walker Zimmerman -- Also likely to be 1st / 2nd CB taken. CM: (3) *Mikey Lopez -- Freshman, but Ives' rates him #3, "scouts still rave about his skills." May be too young. (7) *Pedro Ribeiro -- "The Brazilian-born midfielder is tall (6-foot-2) but extremely skilled and capable of covering tons of ground in midfield as well as delivering pinpoint passes. His technical quality has scouts buzzing and if he keeps impressing in the NCAA Tournament he should play his way into a GA deal and top 10 spot in the draft." -- I like the sound of this. (8) Carlos Alvarez -- "The best pure playmaker in the draft." F: (4) *Patrick Mullans -- "Clinical finisher with the ability of playing wide as well as at forward." -- might be a fit for the Rapids 4-3-3. (9) *J.J. Johnson -- "Combining power and speed, Johnson is a physical forward who could be able to transition smoothly into the pro game." -- If we feel the need for a big forward. (11) *DeShorn Brown -- "Arguably the fastest player in the draft." Well, that's 8, so if they're all in the draft, we'll be able to snag one at #6. Unless Farrell or Zimmerman are available at #6 (unlikely), we won't want to pass over top prospects, so we'll wait until #25 for a CB.
pedro sounds like a great pick. with jeff and henry he could devlop into a great center defensive mid or a box to box mid. when does the draft take place?
I am thinking we will only go CB or Wingers in draft. Rivero is young and we have a couple of highly rated homegrown undersized attacking middies. I would think we will sign/ trade for a vet or 2 at center forward since we need offense now and not 2-3 years down road. Was reading a FC Dallas write-up and it said JL should be available from rapids if they don't resign de Guzman as expected and Hernandez retiring. Would link but posting from phone...
This one? sorry for stealing thunder but had to figure it out. http://www.bigdsoccer.com/2012/11/21/3675938/building-for-2013-midfielders ...Honestly, I don't see an easy way to keep de Guzman on this roster at that current salary. FCD will have allocation money to pay down his contract this winter if they re-sign him but certainly not enough to keep him at a DP-level deal. The money just doesn't add up well to keep him at a high contract, nor should it. But with that being the biggest need, there are options out there that are do-able in terms of cap space. A trade within the league for someone like Jeff Larentowicz from Colorado or even someone as polarizing as Kyle Beckerman from RSL would fit in the cap better than a DP at the D-mid spot. But that is another topic for another day....I have a list of players worth trading for (as I'm sure most of you do as well) that I may get into at some point this winter.
Okay, lets play musical bench space; who do we want from FCD for someone as important to us as JL? I know last season wasn't his best but he still has a perception in the league as one of our better players. (maybe because he is?) Do we bring Ugo back?
Looks like it. No one said it had to be FC Dallas, was just pointing out that other fans feel JL is available and worth trading for so maybe a match is out there somewhere. I would also guess we would be in for more international slots and draft picks, so what about a young player, #1 pick and an international slot or 2? Maybe the Revs who have stockpiled a lot of middies would part with a winger type and #1 pick?
I'd rather have David Fererra. I remember watching him in Dallas, he's great. IF he can stay healthy now.
Hooligan's Team Needs report: http://wvhooligan.com/2012/11/26/15085/2013-mls-superdraft-team-needs/ Only way I see Rapids going Attack Mid is if they know they will not be able to purchase Rivero (23 yo lets not forget) off of loan, makes no sense otherwise. Colorado Rapids - (3 picks – #6, #25, #30) – Adding depth and quality pieces will be the name of the game for Oscar Pareja as he builds towards his second season in the Mile High City. The Rapids dumped a slew of players a couple weeks ago which opens the door for many new faces and many needs across the pitch, the biggest in my mind being defensive depth at center back and some attacking options. That number #6 pick could go almost to anything but they need a playmaker. Needs: Attacking midfielder, defensive depth and flank help
I actually think it more likely the Rapids will not pick a CB with their first pick, and will pick the best winger or attacking mid available. Unless one of the top consensus MLS-ready-to-make-an-impact CB's is available (Zimmerman, Farrell), which is unlikely, then the Rapids will use the #6 on the best offensive fit available. With a 4-3-3 we need more midfield/wing bodies and fewer center forwards. Right now we only have 6 attacking midfielders & wings: Cummings & Akpan at center forward. Rivero at attacking midfield, Hill, Smith as backups. Castrillon, Cascio, Mullan, Hill, and Smith for the wings. We actually could use another attacking mid or right wing. Ribeiro, Alvarez, or Mullans from above.
Yep, CB and Wingers are choices I see. I prefer CB since scouting seems to be able to indentify this talent better, also feel this is value deal compared with signing a CB in open market. Given draft history it would be extrememly rare for 2 CB's to be drafted before our pick at 6. I understand Smith is out of contract but as far as we know Rapids are still working on contract with him. So you might have to pull him off your depth chart. Castrillon seems to me to fit at CF too since he rarely plays D and knows how to crash the goal. Omar plays wing for Jamaica, he just seems to have little success there playing it for Rapids.
Ives gives it another go, says mock draft will be updated later today PROJECTED 2013 GENERATION ADIDAS CLASS Andrew Farrell, Walker Zimmerman, Mikey Lopez, J.J. Johnson, Deshorn Brown, Patrick Mullins, Kekuta Manneh http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/11/2013-mls-draft-the-latest-on-the-generation-adidas-class.html From the growing likelihood that the Generation adidas class will be a small one, to the increasing sentiment that this year’s draft will be weak compared to previous year’s draft, the onus will be on teams to uncover the diamonds in the rough in a relatively shallow pool.
I think I'd be ok with any of those picks if available, except maybe Manneh -- teenager, and takes up an int'l slot. I kind of like the idea of Mullins, wing/forward, though if we bring in that Kevin Rozo, we wouldn't need another RW. I also like the idea of Ribeiro or Alvarez.
SBI's new prospect rankings based off their projected GA list. http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/11/sbi-mls-draft-big-board-version-2-0.html