2013 MLS Mock Draft
I made one 2013 MLS Mock Draft prior to this before all of the Generation Adidas Announcements were made back in December. This will be my second 2013 MLS mock draft. This mock draft is based on my inaugural 2012 MLS Power Rankings. Giuseppe Gentile took Charlotte from an unknown team in the 2011 College Cup and led them to the finals only to lose to North Carolina. What Gentile did with the Charlotte 49ers in college soccer nearly equals what Virginia Commonwealth did in March Madness a year ago. There were 9 Generation Adidas players in 2012 with 8 going in round 1. I will limit this list to 8 Generation Adidas players.
1. Toronto FC Giuseppe Gentile Forward Charlotte Sophomore Giuseppe Gentile scored 10 goals as a true freshman and carried the Charlotte 49ers to the 2011 College Cup Championship game. Toronto seems to have no identity right now and could use the best player available. That player would be Gentile.
Gentile has all the tools to be a Generation Adidas player in 2013. Gentile might change the fortunes of one lucky MLS franchise.
2. Philadelphia Union Jared Watts Defenseman Wake Forest Junior Jared Watts has the skill set to be a defensive midfielder or a center back with his versatility. The presence of Watts would be a welcome addition for the Union if their defense continues to play this poorly in 2012.
3. DC United Kyle Venter Defenseman New Mexico Junior Redshirt Kyle Venter is a physical 6 foot 3 190 pound junior defenseman for the New Mexico Lobos. Venter played center back for the Lobos in each of his past two seasons on defense.
In 2009 Venter was redshirted. In 2010 Venter started 19 games in 20 total appearances. Venter logged 1,783 minutes as a freshman redshirt and showed promise as a freshman redshirt in 2010. Kyle Venter showcased great ability as a defensive defender in 2010.
In 2011 Venter really broke out as a sophomore redshirt. Venter started all 22 games for the Lobos. Venter scored 5 goals on the season which is very impressive for a defenseman. Four of the five goals were game tying goals. The other goal was a game winner. Venter has the ability to deliver in the clutch with his offensive prowess.
New Mexico finished the regular season with an 18-0-4 record which was a regular season best. New Mexico would knock off Duke as Kyle Venter used his defensive skill set to constantly pressure 2012 #1 overall pick Andrew Wenger who was lining up at forward.
New Mexico would lose a brutal tiebreaker to South Florida in the round of 16 at the 2011 College Cup.
Venter plans on majoring in business. Kyle Venter has the size 6 foot 3 190 pound two way defenseman with a tremendous soccer IQ to excel in the MLS. Venter should be a Generation Adidas player in 2013 if he can maintain his 2012 consistency.
4. Montreal Impact Eriq Zavaleta Forward Indiana Sophomore Zavaleta had 10 goals as a true freshman. The Montreal Impact could really use a striker with Zavaleta’s presence.
5. Chivas USA Andre Blake Goalie Connecticut Sophomore Andre Blake started all 25 games as a true freshman playing 2,337 minutes at goaltender for Connecticut. Blake had a .385 GAA which was the 2nd lowest GAA in the entire country.
Andre Blake is an outstanding goalie. After winning an award for Big East Player of the Year, Andrew Jean Baptiste stated that Blake made his job easier at goaltender. I bet Blake realizes that Andrew Jean Baptiste made his job easier at center back as well.
Andre Blake deserves a Generation Adidas offer as a sophomore if he excels without Andrew Jean Baptiste.
6. Columbus Crew Nick Palodichuk Midfielder Duke Sophomore Palodichuk showcased some promise in Duke’s 2nd round game against New Mexico. Palodichuk scored the only goal in a 2-1 loss to New Mexico that sent the Blue Devils packing.
7. FC Dallas Aodhan Quinn Midfielder Akron Junior Adohan Quinn can generate double digit assists. Quinn can give FC Dallas a playmaker that distributes the ball to Brek Shea and Blas Perez.
8. Colorado Rapids Dillon Powers Defenseman Notre Dame Senior Colorado needs a blue chip player on defense for the long haul. Dillon Powers would provide a solid option at this point.
9. Portland Timbers Taylor Kemp Defenseman Maryland Senior Portland gets a left back for the outside to strengthen a Timbers defense. Adding Kemp allows Portland to move center back Eric Brunner to right back when David Horst returns from injury with Horst and Andrew Jean Baptiste anchoring the center back. Eric Brunner could excel in a right back role. Hanyer Mosquera needs to go he stinks and has no business starting at center back. Adding a left back like Taylor Kemp would help stabilize the Timbers defensive woes making them a MLS Cup Contender in 2013.
10. New York Red Bulls Eric Schoelne Defenseman West Virginia Senior Schoelne would provide the Red Bulls with a solid center back. The Red Bulls could start Schoelne from the get go or patiently develop him. The Red Bulls defense has good size. The problem is their defense is too inconsistent.
11. Chicago Fire Kevin Durr Midfielder Air Force Senior Kevin Durr generated 10 assists for Air Force as a junior. Durr also has the high character that teams look for. I have a hard time seeing Durr slip past this pick.
12. New England Revolution Yannick Smith Forward Old Dominion Senior Yannick Smith scored 16 goals for Old Dominion. Smith makes a ton of sense for the Revolution who are in dire need of a double digit goal scoring striker.
13. San Jose Earthquakes Matt Lodge Midfielder Kentucky Senior Matt Lodge can generate double digit assists. Lodge looks like a first round prospect at this point.
14. Los Angeles Galaxy Matt Wiet Defenseman UCLA Senior Matt Weit played next to center back Tommy Meyer during Meyer’s sophomore year at Indiana before transferring to UCLA. Weit transferred to UCLA as a sophomore. Wiet can play center back or defensive midfielder. Bruce Arena likes UCLA products. I could see Weit being the Galaxy’s first round choice here.
15. Vancouver Whitecaps Marcello Castro Defenseman Sacred heard Senior Redshirt Marcello Castro provides a solid defensive midfielder up front. Castro is a defensive midfielder that Vancouver could use.
16. Houston Dynamo Scott Caldwell Midfielder Akron Senior Scott Caldwell had 6 goals and 11 assists as a junior for Akron despite weighing in at 5 foot 8 145 pounds. Caldwell is the best player available here.
17. Real Salt Lake David Opoku Forward UC Santa Barbara Junior David Opoku has the size to be a Generation Adidas player. Opoku had 6 goals and 5 assists as a freshman. Opoku had 9 goals and 2 assists as a sophomore. Maybe this will be Opoku’s year to break out.
18. Sporting Kansas City Ashani Fariclough Defenseman South Florida Senior Sporting Kansas City could use a 2nd center back. Sporting Kansas City selected Fariclough’s teammate Dom Dwyer in 2012.
19. Seattle Sounders Will Bates Forward Virginia Senior Redshirt Will Bates was a dominant goal scoring striker on Virginia’s roster before his injury in 2011. Bates could be a late first round pick in 2013.
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