Biography Andrew Wenger Defenseman Duke Junior
Pros
Kicking Power: Wenger has the kicking power to kick long shots.
Durability: Wenger has played 20 games in 3 straight seasons at Duke without getting injured. Durability is a non issue as Wenger is one of the toughest players in college soccer.
Size: Wenger is 6 foot 185 pounds. That is pretty good size for a defender heading into the MLS.
Soccer IQ: Smart soccer player who is practically a gym rat off the field. Wenger studies a lot in the classroom.
Awareness: Wenger has the offensive and defensive awareness that you look for in a defender. Wenger’s decision making skills separate them from most defenders.
Intangibles: Wenger has amazing versatility for an MLS prospect.
Goal Scoring Striker: Wenger can be used as a goal scoring striker.
Can Be Used as a Forward: Wenger can be used as a teams main striker at forward with his offensive ability.
Can Be Used as a Secondary Striker: Wenger can be used as a secondary striker as an extra man in the right situation.
Can Be Used as a Winger: Wenger can be used as a left or right winger if necessary.
Can Be Used as a Attacking Midfielder: Wenger can play an attacking midfielder role on offense that suits him with his ability.
Can Be Used as a Midfielder: Wenger can win face offs for the team that drafts him if lined up at midfield.
Can Be Used as a Defensive Midfielder: Wenger can line up as a defensive midfielder.
Can Be Used as a Left Back: Wenger can play a left back role if necessary.
Can Be Used as a Center Back: Wenger has been a starting center back his whole career at Duke.
Can Be Used as a Right Back: Wenger can adjust to a right back role in the MLS very quickly.
Versatility: Wenger has the versatility that you look for in a player by playing on different areas of the soccer field.
Speed: Wenger has the speed that you look for from a defenseman.
Stamina: Wenger has the best stamina among this years defensive prospects. Wenger can play for 90 minutes.
Leadership: Wenger was a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy as the nations best college soccer player in 2010. Wenger has the leadership skills to lead a team over time.
Production: Wenger has 17 goals, 8 assists, and 42 points in 2011.
Potential: Wenger has the potential down the road. Will Wenger reach his massive potential as a player?
Cons
Learning Rate: While Wenger has the most potential among defenseman, he is also considered the biggest project in terms of development for 2012 defenseman. I am not saying Wenger will take a long time to learn how to adapt to the MLS. I just believe he will need some time to develop. I don’t see Wenger as an immediate impact player in this league.
One Year Wonder: Wenger only had 4 goals, 3 assists, and 11 points as a freshman. He only had 2 assists as a sophomore. Does anyone else find it strange that Wenger has 42 points in 2011 despite having lackluster numbers his first two seasons at Duke. I will not say Wenger is a one year wonder because Wenger provided a very strong presence as a defensive defender his first two seasons at Duke.
At the same time you cannot really say Wenger isn’t a one year wonder because his numbers indicate that he is a one year wonder in terms generating points as an offensive defender.
My thoughts on Andrew Wenger
There are people who have Andrew Wenger as the #1 player on their draft boards ahead of Akron forward Darren Mattocks. Mattocks is a sophomore forward who has shown consistency with 18 goals in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Wenger on the other hand has only had one sensational year in 2011. Wenger could be the best 2012 MLS Draft prospect in this draft class if carries his consistency from his 2011 NCAA season at Duke over to the MLS. At the same time Wenger could be an MLS flop if he fails to adapt to the game.
How quickly Wenger adjusts to the MLS along with seeing consistency out of Wenger could determine his success in the MLS. There is no question that Akron forward Darren Mattocks and Duke defenseman Andrew Wenger are the 2 best players in this draft. Its just hard to say Wenger is the sure thing at this point.
I know I am getting a sure thing with Darren Mattocks because he won a National Title as a freshman and continues to translate consistency despite losing a strong supporting cast. Mattocks is posting the exact same numbers as his freshman year despite losing 7 teammates to the 2011 MLS Super Draft and 2 teammates to transferring. There are 11 starters on a soccer team. Only midfielder Scott Caldwell and Akron’s goalie were returning key players from Akron’s 2010 NCAA Title Team if you exclude Darren Mattocks from the Zips.
Wenger is certainly one of the 2 best players in this draft. There are more questions with Andrew Wenger as a prospect than there are with Darren Mattocks at this point which is why I would take Darren Mattocks over Andrew Wenger.
The reason he has 42 points and 17 goals this year is because for the first time in his career at Duke they moved him from center back to forward. He hasn’t played defense at all this year..
Was the move made because Ryan Finley transferred to Notre Dame? Finley was an effective goal scorer at Duke before he transferred.
Yes, they moved Wenger to forward to make up for the loss of Finley transferring. The move is also the reason there was such a jump in Wenger’s offensive statistics this year.