I thought I'd start a thread discussing and nominating potential P40 candidates for MLS. Hopefully we'll have some good opinion and eyewitness reports here. While MLS hasn't really looked too far outside youth national teams for P40 players, I'd like to think they have an open mind. I'd suggest Jason Thompson as an example of a guy who made the jump from relative obscurity to P40 based largely on college performance. To start the discussion, here are the goals and assists per game leaders (through 2 November) in Division 1 men's soccer, seniors excluded. Obviously stats aren't everything -- it's just a conversation starter. Goals (name, school, yr, games, goals, avg) 1 Jamie Holmes, Birmingham-So. Jr. 13 13 1.00 Daniel Wasson, Air Force So. 14 14 1.00 3 Ryan Pore, Tulsa So. 18 17 0.94 4 Derek McElligott, UMBC Jr. 17 15 0.88 5 Chris Lee, Marquette Jr. 16 14 0.88 8 Alon Lubezky, Hartford Jr. 20 17 0.85 9 Omar Alfonso, Loyola (Md.) Fr. 18 15 0.83 11 Jordan Hughes, Coastal Caro. So. 16 13 0.81 12 Randy Poggio, San Jose St. So. 15 12 0.80 15 Jeff Hughes, Western Mich. So. 17 13 0.76 17 Stephen Ademolu, Cleveland St. Jr. 16 12 0.75 Paul-Anthony Perez, Wright St. So. 16 12 0.75 19 Matt Nickell, Drake Jr. 18 13 0.72 24 Drew McAthy, UC Santa Barb. Jr. 16 11 0.69 Scott Visnic, Bucknell So. 16 11 0.69 29 Steve Alabi, George Mason So. 15 10 0.67 Assists (name, school, yr, games, assists, avg) 2 Ryan Johnson, Oregon St. So. 16 13 0.81 3 Michael Chumah, Winthrop So. 13 10 0.77 7 Sergio Lozano, Gardner-Webb Jr. 16 11 0.69 Marcus Sagastume, Air Force Jr. 16 11 0.69 9 Federico Peria, North Carolina St. So. 12 8 0.67 Jesse Servin, Cal St. Northridge Jr. 12 8 0.67 16 Reed Avren, East Caro. Jr. 16 10 0.63 18 Matt Nickell, Drake Jr. 18 11 0.61 19 Kyle Brown, Tulsa Jr. 17 10 0.59 Ramon Nunez, Southern Methodist Fr. 17 10 0.59 23 Darryl Roberts, Liberty So. 13 7 0.54 25 Andrew Dealy, Yale Jr. 15 8 0.53 Kenny Fechner, San Diego St. Jr. 15 8 0.53 27 Blake Camp, Duke So. 17 9 0.53 28 Chad Barrett, UCLA Fr. 16 8 0.50 Knox Cameron, Michigan Jr. 18 9 0.50 John DiRaimondo, St. Louis Fr. 16 8 0.50 Matt Groenwald, St. John's (N.Y.) Fr. 18 9 0.50 Peter Howe, Central Conn. St. Fr. 14 7 0. Ryan Pore, Tulsa So. 18 9 0.50 I didn't get into citizenship or other issues here because I'm lazy... So there!
I think MLS looks at youth national team experience before they look at college success when considering P40 candidates. That's not to say that they don't pick players based on their college careers who have no YNT experience, because they do. (Jake LeBlanc of the MetroStars, for instance.) Here's a list of candidates who COULD go P40. Guys in italics aren't youth national team regulars. Chad Barrett, Fr. F, UCLA (85) Knox Cameron, Jr. F, Michigan (83) Ryan Cochrane, Jr. D, Santa Clara (83) Steve Cronin, Jr. GK, Santa Clara (83) John DiRaimando, Fr. M, Saint Louis (86) Hunter Freeman, So. D, Virginia (85) Clarence Goodson, R-Jr. D, Maryland (82) Ned Grabavoy, Jr, M, Indiana (83) C.J. Klaas, Jr. D, Washington (83) Aaron Lopez, Jr. M, UCLA (83) Chad Marshall, So. D, Stanford (84) Trevor McEachron, Jr. D, Old Dominion (83) Drew Moor, So, D, Indiana (84) Justin Moose, So. M, Wake Forest (83) Ramon Nunez, Fr. M, Southern Methodist (85) Danny O'Rourke, Jr. M, Indiana (83) Heath Pearce, So. D, Portland (84) Ryan Pore, So. F, Tulsa (84) Jamie Watson, Fr. F, North Carolina (86) Eric Vasquez, Jr. M, Central Florida (82)
Also, from last years group of P40 recruits that opted for school: Greg Dalby,Fr.,D Notre Dame (85) Will Hall, Fr.,Dmid Virginia (85) Both excelled on the Youth Nat Level and have impressed MLS coaches.