MLS 2004 Super “Mock” Draft Comments: Given the fact that this year’s senior class is so weak, I’m looking for most of the first two rounds of players selected to be P-40. Last year 10 of the first 15 players selected were P-40 and the first six taken were P-40. Obviously, since the draft doesn’t take place until Friday, January 16 at the Charlotte Convention Center (10a.m. ET- 2:00p.m. ET; Fox Sports World is going to carry the first hour live) much of what I’m about to suggest is only a guess. MLS has not yet released the draft order so I inverted this years point totals with the exception of the first pick which we all know went to DC from Dallas for Freddy Adu. Round 1 Pick Team Player Comment 1. DC United Freddy Adu, F (high school) Phenom will bring national attention to draft 2. Los Angeles Chad Marshall, D, Stanford Will this powerful back leave Stanford early? 3. Columbus Ryan Cochrane, D, Santa Clara Aging back line could use some help 4. Dallas (DC) Ned Grabavoy, M, Indiana Slippery midfielder with some game 5. Colorado Joseph Ngwenya, F Coastal Car Transitional Int’l with great pace and touch 6. Metrostars Chris Wingert, D, St. John’s Local choice makes a great deal of sense 7. Kansas City Adolfo Gregorio, M, UCLA Creator with a well-rounded attacking game 8. New England Sumed Ibrahim, M, Maryland This year’s Damani Ralph; Senior Intl could hurt 9. Chicago Knox Cameron, F, Michigan Another talented young player for the Fire 10. San Jose Steve Cronin, GK, Santa Clara Onstad is getting up in years, California boy Round 2 11. Dallas Jeremiah White, F, Wake Forest Could be this year’s sleeper in the draft 12. Los Angeles Leonard Griffin, D, UCLA Blood could be thicker than water 13. Columbus David Wagenfuhr, D, Creighton Crew continue to rebuild through defense 14. DC United Seth Stammler, D, Maryland Stock is rising and DC needs some defensive help 15. Colorado William Hesmer, GK, Wake For With Garlick gone the Rapids need a backup 16. Metrostars C.J. Klaas, M, Washington Imposing figure who works tirelessly 17. Kansas City Drew Moor, D, Indiana He may decide not to go P-40 if taken this late 18. New England Guy Melamed, D, Boston College A veteran of Israeli youth National Team 19. Chicago Cesar Cuellar, F, Connecticut Bolivian forward---Transitional Int’l 20. San Jose Jordan Harvey, D, UCLA Another U20 player who may not come out Provided by DawgFan1953@yahoo.com Your comments are greatly appreciated…11 of these top 20 are considered P-40 candidates. As yet these are only guesses since I have no knowledge or insight
I'm glad someone finally started this thread. BTW San Jose also has Colorado's #5 pick. I think your mock draft is pretty decent punditry. I wonder whether Ngwenya will go so high since his scoring exploits were against low quality opposition. (Even his strike partner was among nation's top scorers). Also I doubt SJ will take Cronin because they already have a promising local youngster in Saunders. My guess is that there are several 21 year-old seniors that none of us really know anything about that will shake up the draft. Most of us, including me, have next to no knowledge of players who weren't US youth squad stars or Hermann award challengers.
DawgFan1953 you always have to remember the trades and stuff. Why don't you have another crack at it with the right order. 1st Round 01 DC(from ass rape of Dallas) 02 CLB 03 LA 04 DAL(from DC) 05 SJ (from COL) 06 DAL(from LA via Metros) 07 KC 08 NE 09 NE(from CHI) 10 SJ 2nd round 11 LA(from DAL) 12 CLB 13 LA 14 CHI(from DC) 15 COL 16 CLB(from Metros) 17 KC 18 NE 19 CHI 20 SJ 3rd round 21 Metros(from DAL) 22 CLB 23 LA 24 DC 25 CLB(from COL) 26 SJ(from Metros) 27 KC 28 NE 29 DAL(from CHI) 30 SJ
Re: Re: MLS 2004 Super "Mock" Draft On #15- Colorado have Cannon, Vallow, and another keeper. I don't think they'll draft a fourth. On #19- The Fire have 3 SI's and Damani is a TI. Another TI is highly unlikely. I believe the Fire have DC's second round pick for Stoitchkov.
wait a week or two... The Project 40's has such a strong impact on the draft that until we know who they are no mock draft can be attempted. The only P-40's signed to date are Adu & Marshall and Adu has been awarded the DCU at #1 in the draft. The league will only sign guys likely to go in the first two rounds of the draft so if there are 15 signed then 15 of the first 20 picks will be P-40's.
Ughh, while I would love United to get a crack at Stammler, they don't have any picks until the 4th round I believe (other than the league mandated #1 pick for Adu) and they most certainly don't need any help defensively.. Mike Petke Ryan Nelsen Brandon Prideaux Milton Reyes Galin Ivanov David Stokes Bryan Namoff I like Stammler a lot too, but he won't play ahead of any of the players mentioned above.. If anything United has too many defenders and could look to move one of them to move up in the draft.. Goal scoring forward is their achilles heel..
Re: Re: Re: MLS 2004 Super "Mock" Draft Why would another TI be unlikely? They can stay a TI for a couple of years, you can have as many as you want as long as the number in the league doesn't exceed 22. Also I doubt that all of the SI's will be back next year. Selowane or Bolanos will probably make way. Williams has probably earned his spot for next year (Will this be the first time he plays for the same team 2 seasons in a row?)
Yes, but nothing in the first three rounds. The Fire got a "Conditional" Draft pick in 2004 along with Faria. I didn't even try to go beyond the 3rd round because of all the conditional draft picks and stuff like that gets awarded in the last three rounds. Any way, the Metros traded away their first two 2004 "natural" picks in the 2003 draft and traded their 2004 "natural" 3rd round pick to SJ for Joskowitz. The only reason the Metros have a pick in the first three rounds is the Bonsue/Jolley trade that gave them DAL's third round pick so based on that, I'd have to say that the "Conditional" draft pick to CHI will come in the last three rounds. Probably the 6th round. The Fire also got a conditional draft pick from SJ for the Faria trade. Once again, I think that will be a 6th round pick.
Re: Re: Re: Re: MLS 2004 Super "Mock" Draft If I'm not mistaken, not only was Williams upset with Sarachan by the end of the year, his contract is up and he's doing everything possible to play somewhere in England next year. He was quoted on Bergin's site as saying "it was time to start over someplace else", or something to that effect. So I think a SI slot will open up for Chicago. (Presuming he was a SI and not a TI.)
Here's how I think it might go w/P-40s added in First Round 01 DC---Adu F/M (P-40): no...really...news huh? 02 CLB--Marshall D(P-40): After Adu best pick and at a position the need to upgrade. Not even Andrulis will F this up...or will he? 03 LA---Ngwenya F(TI): LA needs someone to pair with Ruiz and then replace him when he leaves. Ngwenya is big and fast and perfect for Ruiz. Ralph's good form this year pushes Ngwenya to the first round despite the TI. I can also see LA going with Grabavoy instead. 04 DAL--Cochrane D(P-40) Dallas fans want Marshell, but will get Cochrane. The fans will be angry at first, but then realize Cochrane is a hell of a player to have as well. I can also maybe see a trade with CLB for the #2 pick if Dallas really covets Marshell and Andrulis has a brain fart. 05 SJ---Grabavoy M(P-40)The only places I see that SJ might need help in is at CAM and CB positons as their veterens get older. Grabavoy could be a good replacement for Eckland and work well with Malrooney. 06 DAL--Nunez M(P-40): Dallas needs someone in the middle and I think Nunez will come out. If he doesn't come out maybe they go for Memo Arzate or try to trade. 07 KC---Thompson F(P-40): KC needs an upgrade in their forwards. They have the often injuried Wolff then....who? I think Thompson could come out and KC would do good to get him. If he doesn't come out I think they go with F Cuellar 08 NE---Dempsey M(P-40): After CHI and SJ the hardest team to guess about, but I think with Kamler's salary and their salary cap problems, they look for a possible upgrade at LM and the P-40 don't hurt. 09 NE---Wingert D:The left side is the weakest link in NE, IMO, with Franchino getting older and I just don't see Wingert not being picked in 1st round. I can see maybe Gregorio being picked here or trade at this spot as well. Maybe the Metros or Colorado, though I don't see what either could offer NE. NE could go prospecting and pick the team they think will not finish well next year and get a 2nd or 3rd round pick this draft and hope for a low 1st round draft pick next year. 10 SJ---Griffin D: Agoos is getting up in age and Griffin is the best CB left and should be a solid CB in MLS. 2nd Round 11 LA---Memo Arzate M: The steal of the draft for anyone who will pick them and LA has a need here. 12 CLB--Alan Gordon F: CLB needs a fourth forward who won't have any other obligations 13 LA---Gregorio M: Cobi is gettin up in age and it just seems right as I think Gregorio falls to the 2nd round. LA could also go after Cronin 14 CHI--Cronin GK(P-40) I don't know if CHI is happy with Ring or not, but they could use a roster exempt 3rd choice keeper. If Cronin isn't picked here he won't be until the Metros pick in the 3rd round. 15 COL--Alan Vasquez M(P-40) This is really a far fetched prediction here. I think he'll be the "Logan Pause huh" P-40s I think the M from CFU comes out and I know COL has a need at CAM. 16 CLB--Wagenfuhr D: When doesn't CLB need a left footed player? 17 KC---Cuellar F(TI) Once again Wolff then....??? KC has a real good chance to improve thier F corps if Thompson comes out and Cuellar is left this far down 18 NE---Moor D(P-40) He's going to be the "Ricky Lewis" P-40 this year if he comes out and why not select a P-40 this late with salary cap problems. 19 CHI--Kevin Wickert D: If Boca leaves Chi will need a CB and I think Wickert has the potential to be another Curtin like player. 20 SJ---Testo M: Mark my words someone is going to do it and why not a team that really has nothing to lose picking him here.
Mock Draft Myshap, not too bad, except I would disagree with your top forwards; I agree with Joseph Ngwenya, however, Cuellar and Gordon will not be in these 2 rounds because there are better strikers out there and Cuellar's international status and his poor performance this year dropped his stock.
Grabavoy or Cochrane would be a steal at the number five pick for the Quakes. Don't expect to take a keeper as we have Saunders, Conway and Onstad. Look for us to draft midfield help if Ekelund doesn't return or defensive help as Agoos is getting long in the tooth. We wont go for a forward as we're loaded with them right now. I expect to see the order something like: Adu#1 Marshall#2 Grabavoy#3 Cochrane#4 ????????#5 It's a crap shoot, if one of the teams above us makes a poor pick we could pick up an impact player, if not, we have to make due with what's left.
I also think Dallas will end up with Cochrane if they can't get Marshall. However, if the IU / U20 defender(can't remember his name right now) goes P-40, I wouldn't mind seeing Dallas take him either. Here's hoping Nunez comes out this year! I really want Dallas to get him. If he waits until next year, something tells me Chivas USA will be all over him.
One forward I could see KC drafting, but not two, after Wolff, is Igor Simutenkov, who played well this past year. He'll be teamed up front with a hopefully healthy Wolff next year. Then although he might not produce, there is Wolde Harris, and although the Wizards could use one forward. There are other things that the Wizards need to look at, for instance defense is a big thing we need. We also need someone that is able to replace Tony when he's finally done. I just don't see the need for the Wizards to draft two forwards when there are so many other needs for the teams as well. Then you got to think about the fact that Gansler has not been the greatest with the young players.
I just don't have a lot of faith in Wolff staying healthy all year and then KC is basically left with Wolde Harris to fill in for him and he is just horrible, IMO. I think teams like SJ, NE, and CHI showed the value in having several servicable forwards available to them as well. If Moor is left that far down, and I just don't see him going in the top 15 if he does come out, I can see KC picking him there. If they do, it will be best player at draft position type thing more then a need for D. I can see KC going after Sumid Ibrahim as well who can play M or F with Preki bound to retire some year. Though I am not very high on Ibrahim. As GKs, it's probably the best GK year every in MLS draft history as that position goes. A lot of good talent coming out this year and KC could easily pick up a good GK in the 3rd or 4th round. There are so many good GKs this year that the #14 pick I have of Cronin to CHI is iffy, IMO. I could see CHI going with M help in the second round and hope to pick up Cronin with their #19 pick or wait until the fourth round to select one of the very good senior GKs out there.