2013 MLS Super Draft

Discussion in 'Columbus Crew' started by JB the First, Dec 11, 2012.

  1. JB the First

    JB the First Member

    Apr 28, 2009
    Texas
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Draft takes place on January 17 in Indianapolis. Crew draft 9th overall and 28th overall.

    Recent guys who have been picked at 9th overall include Austin Berry, Jalil Anibaba, Zack Schilawski, Michael Lahoud, and Julius James.

    If we make our projected HG signings, we're going to end up with the best incoming class of college guys in the league. Wiet, Barson, and Trapp are all top 5 players at their respective positions.

    List of MLS Combine invitees here. Obviously the GA signings will have a big impact on the top 10-15 picks in the draft.

    I would expect us to lean more towards a center back, target man, or speedy forward that can be converted to winger. With projected HG signings, we have plenty of youth in the back and George and Tchani in the middle. McCullers has been quoted as saying the Crew lean toward drafting guys they are more familiar with, so that usually entails drafting mostly players from the Midwest or players that have played with Crew youth teams in the past.

    Anyone you would specifically like to see us draft?
     
  2. kgilbert78

    kgilbert78 Member+

    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    United States
    Dec 28, 2006
    Cowlumbus, OH
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Given the parameters you mentioned, I'd half expect to see us draft an Indiana player, if available. That's one school we've been partial to over the years. That and UNC.
     
  3. Smithsoccer1721

    Smithsoccer1721 Member+

    Feb 16, 2007
    Middle of the Table
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The issue will be who is able to be claimed as a HG and who goes overseas. Zardes has interested in Europe and Caldwell could be a NE HG player.

    I could see us going after Jimmy Nealis (LB) from Georgetown, Dillon Powers (CM) Notre Dame, and Luis Soffner (CB) Indiana.

    My steal of the draft is Ian Christanson. I think he has a future in the league and could be a really good MLS player who likely won't go in round 1 and maybe not even round 2.
     
  4. JB the First

    JB the First Member

    Apr 28, 2009
    Texas
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We probably won't draft Soffner if we sign Luthy. No need for 4 GK's.

    There are a few guys from Louisville, Notre Dame, and West Virginia that pass the geography test, as well as Luke Spencer from Xavier, who I'm sure we're familiar with since he plays with the Walker brothers there.

    I could see us taking a speed forward like Ashton Bennett or Yannick Smith to move outside, or Eric Schoenle at center back.
     
  5. TrueCrew

    TrueCrew Member+

    Dec 22, 2003
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We will draft someone who won't be with the team in 2 years or less anyway (Dike, Balchan, Grossman, etc). Or if they are with the team, they won't be that good (Meram).

    Last impactful draft choice was Chad Marshall it seems like.
     
  6. POdinCowtown

    POdinCowtown Member+

    Jan 15, 2002
    Columbus
    The Crew should trade the superdraft pick for a useful vet if possible. We'll be young enough with the HG signings and the bottom of the roster guys we kept.
     
  7. MLSinCleveland

    MLSinCleveland Member+

    Oct 12, 2006
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Club:
    Cleveland C. S.
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  8. Kayak

    Kayak Member+

    Feb 16, 2007
    Columbus
    No it isn't; how many homegrowns does Cleveland State have being signed? Akron has Scott Caldwell (New England) Chad Barson (Crew) possible Trapp (Crew) they also have teams going after other underclassmen Serna (Colorado) and Yedlin (Seattle) Porter traded for the rights to Gallego but he doesn't seem to be coming out. That's not a down year Porter just recruited the academies, these guys would be high draft picks if they came out this year. I'm not trying to get this too off topic but even though I likes the idea of picking up Porter I'm interested to see him coach in MLS. Ken Lolla was not a bad coach, he built that program at Akron, he didn't leave the cupboards bare there when he left for Louisville. Porter has always had better talent than his competition, he could certainly be a boom but he might be a bust.
     
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  9. MLSinCleveland

    MLSinCleveland Member+

    Oct 12, 2006
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Club:
    Cleveland C. S.
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I realize that, but Akron still usually has multiple high-level (combine-invited) draft-eligible players. Not saying they're as low down the ladder as CSU (how that school affords soccer, I'll never know), but it's still not quite as good as most years for Akron.
     
  10. Kayak

    Kayak Member+

    Feb 16, 2007
    Columbus
    I think you're view might be skewed by the freak 2011 draft, here are Akron's SuperDraft picks for the last six years. This year would be pretty good with at least four SuperDraft picks.

    2012
    Darren Mattocks

    2011
    Darlington Nagbe
    Perry Kitchen
    Zarek Valentin
    Kofi Sarkodie
    Michael Nanchoff
    Chris Korb
    Anthony Ampaipitakwong

    2010
    Teal Bunbury
    Blair Gavin
    Ben Zemanski

    2009
    Steve Zakuani

    2008
    0

    2007
    Sinisa Ubiparipovic
     
  11. MLSinCleveland

    MLSinCleveland Member+

    Oct 12, 2006
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Club:
    Cleveland C. S.
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good point. I've come to take that as the good end of normal rather than freakishly remarkable.
     
  12. Kayak

    Kayak Member+

    Feb 16, 2007
    Columbus
    We'll have to see what happens Friday before we'll know what we're truly desperate for. If we get Opara we could still use another CB out of the draft but it will lessen that as a priority. I think we need a LB out of the draft, I don't think there is a single decent option available Friday. I'd like experience there too but right now all we have is Anor we need more competition for that spot, Williams should play CB not LB. I still prefer Kemp to Nealis but I'd be happy with either.

    We could use a speed option at forward but all of the can't miss guys will be taken before we get to pick. Of the guys that will be left someone like Ashton Bennet could be useful but it sounds like he has a bit of a personality some might call an attitude. I the right team picks him up he'll be a good get for them but I don't think we have the right coach to deal with that sort of player so I'd keep my distance.
     
  13. NC Soccer United

    NC Soccer United BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 25, 2011
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Why are we talking about which player to draft when we know Bobby Rifle will have that said player all screwed up after a few practices?
     
  14. POdinCowtown

    POdinCowtown Member+

    Jan 15, 2002
    Columbus
    Why do we need a LB out of the draft? We're certainly not looking for starters from the college ranks. The mysterious defender Bliss has mentioned is probably a left back since they weren't happy with Vukovic and have already mentioned Williams as a CB. If any rookie is starting for the Crew next year they better be a rookie of the year contender. Even then I hope we're not starting rookies.
     
  15. Kayak

    Kayak Member+

    Feb 16, 2007
    Columbus
    Like I said I think we need someone with experience there. I don't want a possible draft pick to start at LB but I want some depth. Anor is fine with me at this point as the third option at LM or LB but I don't really want him starting. If we get a solid LB and he gets injured do you want to be left with Anor and nothing else. Of course I am saying this from my perspective and I would start Williams at CB and I wouldn't want my best backup option if my LB went down to play my starting CB out of position. That said I'm not the one that picks the lineups and sets the depth chart.
     
  16. JB the First

    JB the First Member

    Apr 28, 2009
    Texas
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Because it's nice to have depth and the potential signing is probably in the Miranda/Padula mold where we'll only get a year or two out of him.

    I think you have to look at where we need cover right now, and look at each position and ask if the guy we have there is going to still be there in a year or two.
     
  17. ZipSix

    ZipSix BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 20, 2000
    Boston, MA
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    for the love of god, pick the best player available
     
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  18. thetank123

    thetank123 Member

    Dec 28, 2009

    The combine only invites seniors. It's hard to stock a combine when most of your kids leave before senior year and out of the three seniors who will go on to play in MLS, two are being aggressively pursued by their teams. Akron is going to lose 6-7 starters next year to the pro ranks. That doesn't sound like a down year to me.
     
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  19. POdinCowtown

    POdinCowtown Member+

    Jan 15, 2002
    Columbus
    That doesn't make much sense. The Crew constantly churn the bottom of the roster with few players from the college ranks hanging on for more than 2 years. Duka might be the only 1 if he's around next year. I'd certainly rather find a journeyman veteran every two years than hand the job to Grossman or Balchan and hope.
     
  20. NC Soccer United

    NC Soccer United BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Jan 25, 2011
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Why? So the Rifle can shoot his confidence down after a few practices?
     
  21. ZipSix

    ZipSix BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 20, 2000
    Boston, MA
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, what do you want to do? Pass?
     
  22. crewfan_in_columbus

    Feb 25, 2001
    Columbus is home
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You don't need depth when you have Josh Williams.
     
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  23. kgilbert78

    kgilbert78 Member+

    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    United States
    Dec 28, 2006
    Cowlumbus, OH
    Club:
    Borussia Mönchengladbach
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well, the truth is that we've been in the upper part of the league recordwise for a few years now. That leads to picking later in the round (not to mention the addition of the expansion teams pusjhing the picke even further back). And I looked back at some of the drafts recently and about half the first rounders don't stay with their drafted team that long (some of those go to Europe after a couple of season). We have some of those guys on our roster now--like Danny O (who was a no. 4 pick) and Tchani (who was the second player taken in his draft). That's only going to get worse with the Homegrown program. I'd say that Brad Evans was also an impactful draft pick, though we were not able to keep him long term due to the expansion draft. But I don't and really never have expected much out of the draft. We'll likely do better with the Homegrown program long term.
     
  24. JB the First

    JB the First Member

    Apr 28, 2009
    Texas
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So every two years you'd rather have a guy someone else cast off than someone that's been in the system for a few years and has a comfort level with where he is?

    I think the hope for everyone you draft is that they spend a year or so learning the ropes, then they develop into an everyday player. You don't draft guys with the intention of releasing them in two years. You draft them with the intention of developing them as players. You're basically saying let someone else do the developmental work and hope we can constantly fill holes with new players?
     
  25. JB the First

    JB the First Member

    Apr 28, 2009
    Texas
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lenhart has had a pretty good career in the league, too.
     

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