2016-17 Offseason "Draft's" consolidated thread

Did not see that coming, but here is his DU profile

 

I liked the kid when he was at DU. Gritty, tough, leader vocally and by example on the field. Wasn't the most talented or athletic...but he ran his ass off. Pure Pablo pick. Apparently didn't have a very good combine. Not likely to be an impact immeadiate starter. Kind of like you took Sam Cronin grit and mixed it with Powers box to box style.

 

Seems like a more long-term pick. I expect he'll spend a good chunk of 2017 in Charlotte.

 

With their second round pick at #2 (#24 overall) the Rapids took Liam Callahan, a left back out of Syracuse.

Some concerns about his ability to stand up to a full MLS season but you like having options at LB.

 

No one had Hamilton going in the first round. Jacori Hayes, Zeiko Lewis were still available. Oh well these things are crapshoots anyways.

 

I'm hoping that him being a local boy means the Rapids have seen something in him nobody else has and that's why he was lower ranked than the pick we used on him.

 

Must have been afraid Pareja would have picked him before our 2nd round pick

 

It sounds like they had a lot of looks at Hamilton:

"Sam was training with the guys this summer over at the Rapids,” Pioneers coach Jamie Franks said. “They’ve seen his body of work, they’ve seen him develop over the years.”

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/13/sam-hamilton-rapids-superdraft/

Also like ESPN FC's take on the pick:

"In regard to selection, the Rapids provided the biggest shock of the first round, grabbing University of Denver midfielder Sam Hamilton. He didn't make much of an impression at the combine and wasn't expected to go in the first round. But in Colorado's defense, this is a local product it had the chance to see many times at Denver. It isn't the first time the Rapids have made a pick out of left field in the first round, either. Two years ago, Colorado selected an unheralded defender named Axel Sjoberg, who has developed into a defender of the year finalist."

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...-solid-picks-surprises-and-trade-transparency

 

They did the same thing last year too. Emmanuel Appiah was picked 15th (sounds familiar) when most considered him a deep 2nd round pick. Appiah made two appearances with Charlotte before being released by the Rapids. BTW, Axel was taken 14th the year before.

So its pretty clear whatever method the Rapids are using recently to value college players it doesn't map to what everyone else is using. The question is are they finding more Sjobergs or Appiahs with their method? If they get a Sjoberg every other year or so then their method is working even if the rest of their first round picks are Appiahs. If Sjoberg is the exception though then we have a problem.

 

That seems like a high bar to pluck a Sjoberg every other year out of the lower half of the 1st round...does anyone but Sporting KC do that? (BTW I thought it was interesting they picked up Appiah after the Rapids let him go.)

Here's recent drafts #14-20.

2012 #14-20
14 Tony Cascio
15 Andrew Duran
16 Dom Dwyer
17 Enzo Martinez
18 Colin Rolfe
19 Tommy Meyer
20 Calum Mallace

2013 #14-20
14 Mikey Lopez
15 Tommy Muller
16 Emery Welshman
17 Taylor Kemp
18 Fernando Monge
19 Charlie Rugg
20 Ryan Hollingshead

2014 #14-20
(Hairston was picked #12 this season)
14 Ben Sweat
15 Pedro Ribeiro
16 AJ Cochran
17 Schillo Tshuma
18 Ryan Neil
19 Grant Van De Casteele (Watts was Rapids' next pick at #33)
20 Tommy McNamara

2015 #14-20
14 Axel Sjoberg
15 Otis Earle
16 Cristian Roldan
17 Miguel Aguilar
18 Leo Stolz
19 Sergio Campbell
20 Amadou Dia

2016 #14-20
14 Kyle Fisher
15 Emmanuel Appiah
16 Cole Seilder
17 Ryan Herman
18 Justin Bilyeu
19 Rodrigo Saravia
20 Ben Polk

Also, if the Rapids keep drafting the 14th or higher...I'll take that.

 

Actually, SporKS in those drafts haven't gotten much in since pulling Dom Dwyer #16 in 2012. (2015 was pretty good though.) They also traded away some of those 1st rounders:

2012:
16 Dom Dwyer
30 Cyprian Hedrick

2013:
14 Mikey Lopez

2014:
(Their natural #19 pick sent to the Revs Revs in the Benny Feilhaber trade; it ended up with the Rapids)
38 Adnan Gabeljic
41 Peter Schmetz
57 Alex Martinez
76 Reinaldo Brenes

2015:
10 Connor Hallisey
12 Saad Abdul-Salaam
20 Amadou Dia
53 James Rogers
73 Tony Rocha

2016:
(Their natural #11 went to DC United for TAM)
52 Ryan James
72 Faik Hajderovic

 

Seems like it's mostly a crap shoot. Commitment, hard work, long term trajectory are all important characteristics for determining a successful choice in the college draft. Not to mention the right player with the right team. Most true standout players (especially attacking) won't be found in this draft, they've already been ID'd as such by other leagues or homegrown talent (I know that's not new news around here). The draft is fun and creates buzz about possibilities, but I think ultimately plays a bit part in the league's talent pool.

 

Liam Callahan will look like a Hobbit compared to the redwood forest the Rapids acquired over the last few seasons.

 

I disagree. I think Smith has had a large effect on our draft strategy. This is his third draft and all 3 of them the general read is that we've stretched for our picks.

 

I hope they take Nathan Regis. Goal scoring machine, two time D2 national player of the year. Why not take a flyer?

 

Totally agree. Chip on his shoulder and something to prove!

 

I agree, I'm sure that scares off teams, if Rameriez is gone, no issues with Intl slot I think.
Tesho, yes, that was a swing and miss by the RFO.

 

Homegrown is what I really meant...local for all intents and purposes, but maybe he didn't want to sign for the Rapids.

 

We asked, he declined:

http://www.denverpost.com/2014/01/27/tesho-akindele-of-colorado-mines-takes-unusual-route-to-mls/