Since we haven't yet given away our #1 pick yet I figured we might as well have a thread. Not a lot of chatter so far, but here's the first "big board" I've seen. http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/2016-mls-draft:-big-board-v-10_aid38483 12 is higher than we usually pick but probably still not high enough to get a GA player. I think Brandon Vincent would be ideal but there's little chance he would fall to us. Now that we've picked up Steres the need for a defender is less, but I still think it would be a reasonable choice. Or perhaps a 6 or 8.
I'd like to see us pick up the best #6 possible in the draft. That's a position of need and it's one you can usually find in the draft. Polster was a 7th pick. Ideally we could trade some of our dead wood to move up. I wouldn't even be opposed to including someone like Magnato in a deal.
We've also got both Grady Howe and Javan Torre graduating from UCLA this year and they both may be in line for HG contracts. I've not heard much about either in their tenures but Howe was a four year starter at UCLA and captain this year. He's a #6 so he may be a good option, but I don't know how good he is. I think I may post in the UCLA forum and get some feedback about him. Javan Torre I don't think ever really was a standout but is a centerback and right fullback who would probably isn't good enough to sign with the first team but may be a G2 option. If we're going to trade up in the draft, it looks like a lot of the top prospects are foreign, so moving Maganto, as @SoCalYid said, would make sense. I also would look to potentially move Gargan, who at $125k is an expensive backup to AJ. Plus you've got to hope Sorto makes the move to full fledged backup this year. Plus, looking at rosters around the league, there are a lot of teams very low on defenders. Chicago immediately comes to mind. Actually, Philadelphia may be a good destination for Gargan. They only have 13 players under contract (3 defenders, one of which is Maurice Edu) and Gargan is from Philly. Philly has two first round draft picks so perhaps we could work out a Gargan + #12 for #6 (or #3) if there is someone we have our eye on.
Torre had one of the worst performances I've seen in a USYNT shirt a few years back. I was curious not too long ago to see how he was getting on but apparently he hasn't improved much. I'm not sure what's the deal with him right now. Grady Howe was captain of our youth team and this past season was captain for the Bruins, so he must be doing something right. He's a DM so on that alone it might be worth it.
Grady Howe seems like an impressive guy but maybe not an impressive soccer player. Academic all-conference for three years, team captain, played significant time all four years. On the other hand, as a senior he didn't even make 3rd team all pac-12. Given that he's an econ major and comes from Newport Beach, he seems perfectly set up for a career in finance. But maybe he's maxed out on soccer ability. I think I'd rather give the time on G2 to the younger players.
Here's Ives's first big board. http://sbisoccer.com/2015/12/sbi-mls-draft-big-board-version-1-0 IIRC Bruce didn't even attend the combine last year and only picked Maganto because Saracen saw him there and was impressed. I don't think we put a lot of work into the draft anymore (or scouting anymore, but that's another issue). I can't see us trading players to move up. I could see us trading this year's first and next year's first to move up, but there's such a premium for the top picks that I doubt other teams would agree. I could see us moving down for allocation money. I like carrying five centerbacks so I might think about Campbell, Fisher or Carrol. It's a better-than-average group of outside backs, at 12 it would be Rosenberry and McCrary. For central midfielders, Hodan, Moberg, Wharton. Just speculation and it will depend a lot on the size of the GA class.
Anyone know anything about Eric Verso? I saw over on the college forum that he's listed as a Galaxy Academy product and he's at the combine. Midfielder for Stanford. http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208167635&DB_OEM_ID=30600 2nd team all-pac-12 He's a 92 so not particularly young
Here's Doyle's first mock. He's conservative with the GAs so it gives a better idea of where we stand: http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/...gnees-dominate-2016-superdraft-mock-draft-1-0 Positionally this make sense, but from the description he doesn't seem to have much of an upside. Not a great attacker and with defensive concerns. I could see Bruce taking more of a chance here. But if we get any offer of allocation money I expect us to trade out.
Gargan is not going to last forever so it is not bad to begin grooming more depth there. It may also be the old debate between taking the best guy on the board regardless of position as opposed to drafting for need.
I understand the choice but we already have a project at RB : Oscar Sorto, although I have absolutely no idea if he can become a MLS starter in the future. There are a few spots where we have absolutely no young players to develop : left back (and our depth here is AJ and Sorto, maybe Romney but his performances at this position aren't convincing) and defensive/central mid. Too bad that aside of Brandon Vincent, this 2016 class seems to be poor about LB.
I agree that right back is a concern. I gave Gargan more credit last season than most posters on this forum but I think he has stretched the limits of his aging body about as far as it will go. It's not like he was fast to start with. Injuries or just him slowing down even more are a big threat. I would say it's 50/50 at best that he will make it through 2016 as a starter. And Sorto will have to improve significantly if he hopes to be a quality MLS starter.
Alfaro - CB from our own back yard(CSUDH) projected to go to KC at 11th, right before us. http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/...referral&utm_content=news&utm_campaign=unpaid
Are we operating under the assumption that AJ will be played centrally? I certainly hope we don't have to hope that Gargan has anything left in the tank and that he's just fullback (both sides) cover and a good locker room guy.
Doyle's mock draft Older international player without much range. Who knew we could extend our off-season strategy to the draft!
Given our needs/where we have no big young prospects/past success in the Draft, I go for a CB or a DM. Because even if we sign a CB during this offseason I would like to have one more option of the bench than Romney and Steres, and we seem to not have a lot of young talented DM in G2. In the past we had the most success drafting CB : Omar, AJ, Opare, even Meyer has been very useful, the only one fail I see is Venter. And I like this strategy. I like Maganto and hopefuly he can become a good MLS player but it doesn't make a ton of sense to sign this type of player right now. Another thought : given our lack of international roster slots right now I predict we'll draft an american player.
one thing we know for sure is that our draft pick(s) will be out of left field and no one will predict them.
Absolutely no surprise here. We have the 42nd pick too, which is like a late second rounder. I wonder if we'll trade it too.
I laughed when I saw the news. I love Bruce! I bet he tried trading the other picks as well! "Cmon, I'll give you these 3 picks for that uh, um, .. Dallas Burn jersey! We can see it on eBay for TAM! Oh that's not how you get TAM?"