The 2012 MLS Draft has been reduced from 3 rounds to 2. I anticipated the draft being 3 rounds. With this recent announcement I will wait until after the 2011 MLS Playoffs to make a 2 round mock. Here is how the standings look if you take into account the 2 to 2 tie from earlier today between the New England Revolution and Toronto FC.
I previously mocked Andrew Jean Baptiste 3rd to Vancouver in my mock. New York Red Bulls Academy own his rights so I think that means he cannot be a part of the 2012 MLS Draft.
We could have a tie between the New England Revolution and the Vancouver Whitecaps for the 2nd pick. This is huge because Andrew Wenger is the consensus #2 overall prospect behind Darren Mattocks who should go #1 overall to the Impact. Below are the tiebreakers.
Tiebreaker 1 Regular Season Record Does this mean we proceed to tiebreaker 2 if both Vancouver and New England end the year with 28 points. The Revolution have 5 wins in 34 games while the Whitecaps have 6 wins in 33 games. Could that play a role in who picks where? Go to tiebreaker 2 if tie is not broken.
Tiebreaker 2 Worst Goal Differential picks first Proceed to tiebreaker 3 if tiebreaker 2 is not broken.
Tiebreaker 3 Goals Scored Advance to tiebreaker 4 if tiebreaker 3 is not broken.
Tiebreaker 4 Goals Allowed Advance to final tiebreaker if still tied after all 4 tiebreakers
Tiebreaker 5 Coin Flip
2012 MLS Projected Draft Order At This Point
1. Montreal Impact Will Pick 1st because their an expansion team
Impact should get a striker and Akron forward Darren Mattocks is a franchise player in my opinion. Montreal signed a midfielder, defender, and goalie. Expansion teams usually build soccer teams around strikers.
2. New England Revolution 28 points, 5 wins, -20 goal differential
Andrew Wenger should get picked 2nd regardless of whether New England or Vancouver picks 2nd because Wenger leads the NCAA in points and he is a defenseman.
3. Vancouver Whitecaps 28 points, 1 game left, 6 wins, -19 goal differential
Austin Berry can be used as a center back or a defensive midfielder he should be the 3rd pick regardless of whether New England or Vancouver picks here. Austin Berry was my projected #1 pick before Louisville’s loss to North Carolina.
There is talk that Notre Dame defensive midfielder Dillon Powers could go 3rd if the Whitecaps pick there. I am not buying it though since Powers is only a defensive midfielder.
Austin Berry like Andrew Wenger can be used as a center back or a defensive midfielder. That is why I see Berry going 3rd regardless of whether the Revolution or the Whitecaps pick here.
4. Toronto FC 33 points I think Toronto FC will sign a big name center back in free agency.
I am predicting that junior Will Bates the Virginia forward will be the pick here. Bates has 14 goals, 4 assists, and 32 in 14 games. Will Bates should get Generation Adidas consideration if he decides to come out. I think Bates will leave a year early with most of his supporting cast graduating.
At this point I am only certain of who the top 4 picks will be in the 2012 MLS Super Draft due to the draft order. The NCAA Mens Soccer Tournament along with the Generation Adidas Rosters have to be announced before you can read into MLS Draft talk too seriously. Still, Mattocks, Wenger, Berry, and Bates look like the top 4 picks in that order at this point.
The team who picks 5th will have their choice between Enzo Martinez, Casey Townsend, Dillon Powers, and Kelyn Rowe. That is when the 2012 MLS Super Draft gets interesting.
5. San Jose Earthquakes 35 points, 1 game left, -7 goal differential
6. Chivas USA 36 points, 1 game left, 0 goal differential
7. DC United 39 points, 1 game left, -2 goal differential
8. Chicago Fire 40 points, 1 game left, 0 goal differential
9. Portland Timbers 41 points, 1 game left, 0 goal differential
Those 9 teams among the 19 drafting will miss the playoffs and are guaranteed top 10 picks. All of these teams are picking in the top 9 that is certain. Its just a matter of whether Vancouver or New England gets the 2nd pick and a matter of who picks where between the teams currently projected to pick 5-9.
San Jose currently projects to pick 5th. The Earthquakes can do no worse than picking 6th.
Chivas USA currently projects to pick 6th. Chivas USA could end up picking 5th best case scenario and 7th worst case scenario if DC United loses along with a Chivas USA win.
DC United currently projects to pick 7th. They could move up to the 6th pick best case scenario. United could also fall all the way to 9th worst case scenario.
The Fire project to pick 8th with the Timbers projecting to land the 9th pick. Both teams could end up picking anywhere between 7th and 9th.
The rest of the 10 teams will know where they pick after the 2011 MLS Playoffs. The playoffs got expanded from 8 to 10 teams this year.
The top 3 teams in the East will represent the East while the top 3 teams in the West will represent the West.
The Houston Dynamo play the LA Galaxy tomorrow at 7 PM. Once that game ends we will know who stands where in the playoffs. After tonight the draft order should be determined.
I will post a projected draft order of the top 9 as soon as tonights games end to give fans a better idea of who the top 9 picks may be.
