2008 3rd Degree Mock Draft
January 18th, 2008 . 12:13 am . By: Buzz CarrickWe all know Mock Draft are silly and useless. But they are a lot of fun. So here’s mine, silliness in tact. First let me say I’m having real trouble getting a handle on the start of the draft. In years past there has frequently been a clear #1 in my mind… Edu, Gbandi, Adu/Marshall… This year there is a nice crop of players led by Nyarko, but he’s not a clear, dead solid lock #1. You’ll see what I mean when I get into it. Which means I’m having trouble getting my head around what KC will do. I’ve got a latest theory, but various people here in Baltimore are telling me various different things. This draft is going to be all over the place… So let’s have some fun. 2008 3rd Degree Mock Draft1. Kansas City – Julius James (UConn) There is a real chance KC may trade down. But having traded two defenders and already signed a new forward… and Fulham now signing a forward too… so maybe Johnson doesn’t leave (or maybe he will)… I’ll roll the dice that KC grabs the best defender out there. James can play both central and wide. 2. FC Dallas – Brek Shea (US U17) FCD is in a position of power as they have no glaring need that will be filled from the draft. They probably want to get a defender in round one at some point, but since it’s a good year for defense, FCD will think they can get one at pick #8. That means FCD should be willing to deal and will entertain offers. If they don’t deal they will be sitting here with Avila, Nyarko, and Shea still on the board. I can come up with arguments for all three I mentioned. FCD has some young forwards so not Nyarko, they just re-signed Alvarez so not Avila… ok I’ll pencil in my favorite of the three, Brek Shea. For no other reason than I want him in Dallas. So there. 3. Real Salt Lake - Andy Iro (UCSB) – Now it gets easier for a pick or two. RSL needs to replace Pope, so that’s easy: Andy Iro. 4. Los Angeles – Chance Myers (UCLA) LA needs cap cheap, or even cap free, starters. This kid’s in their back yard and he fits the bill. Heck they probably requested him to be signed. 5. Colorado – Eric Avila (UCSB) Not even Clavijo would pass on this kid when he falls to them. Plus he just seems like the kinda player Clavio would like. They might consider Nyarko, but will stick with the midfielder. 6. Columbus - Eric Brunner (Ohio State) Sigi said he needed a fast center back, I believe him, and I think he’s right. Brunner is it, plus he’s local, and he can play wide. 7. Chicago – Andrew Jacobson (California) I wanted to say Micheal Videria here, but he’s apparently signed in Europe, or is about to, and is off the boards. So instead I’ll predict Chicago takes Andrew Jacobson, the smooth and composed holding mid from California. Peter Lowry might also be a consideration here. 8. FC Dallas – Pat Phelan (Wake Forest) Having picked a Ga or traded out of 2, FCD still want a young defender. I’ll predict Phalen cause he’s fairly mobile and a great passer. 9. Toronto FC - Pat Nyarko (Virginia Tech) Mo can’t believe Nyarko is still on the board (I can’t either). Mo knows speed when he sees it and grabs one of the fastest players in the pool. 10. Toronto FC – Peter Lowry (Santa Clara) Mo needs some skilled midfielders and Lowry is certainly skilled. Their right side is covered by O’Brien and there really isn’t a superstar left winger, so Mo stays central. Keep in mind Mo loves to wheel and deal, I bet he doesn’t hold both these picks. 11. Kansas City - Sean Franklin (CS Northridge) With both Garcia and Burciaga gone, KC goes defense again. Franklin is ready to start at right back. 12. Chicago – Jon Leathers (Furman) Chicago, having gotten the midfielder they wanted higher up, takes the versatile defender. Leathers is probably a right back in the pros but can play central in a pinch. He’s quick and smart and will help Chicago in the back fairly soon. 13. New England – Shea Salinas (Furman) Nicol always surprises me so here’s my surprise pick for him. Salinas is fast, mobile, with good ball skill. He’s is a perfect fit for Nicol’s system, an aggressive, north/south midfielder that can really cover ground. 14. Real Salt Lake – Stephen King (Maryland) Kreis got the defender he wanted at #3, so now looks to other spots. King is a great two way midfielder who can score goals and create them as well. His small size won’t bother Kreis in the least and he can play a couple different positions. There you have it, my worthless Mock Draft. None of which will happen. 18 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
Buzz
Great work. Just by looking at all of the mock drafts, and the huge disparity between them, this will be an interesting draft.
My take on RSL is that they will not take a defender at #3. They have signed two veteran defenders in the last week, and on the verge of a third, and Kries hates young defenders, so drafting a defender at #3 who won’t see time for years won’t help them win now. The only defender they would take at #3 is James, and that would most likely be as trade bait. If Avilla or Nyarko are on the board, they take one of them. They need forward depth much worse than defender depth, and Avilla would fill the A-mid role on a team that just can’t finish that last pass.
You may very well be right. This year is a mess, so I tried to have a little fun with my prediction.
Where do you project Shea playing? Is he a d-mid? Attacking mid? Seems like he played centrally for most of the games.
The problem with Iro at #3 is he is a real risk to go overseas instead. Unless RSL is certain he’ll play for them they may just pass on him and let him go to LA.
Burn, Shea can play almost anywhere in the midfield.
JC, that’s a real question yes.
i know brek is young and has potential, but aren’t you passing up on the 3 “can’t miss guys” you predicted? i mean, for a team that can’t get passed the 1st round, shouldn’t we be trying to draft BPA instead of getting cute by drafting on potential? anyways, just my opinion. i’m sure, w/ the high picks we have, we will definitely be improved for the future.
Outside of LA, who would Iro be willing to play for?
3nOut – reading between Buzz’s lines, sounds like Shea is the next best thing to a can’t miss prospect. Second best midfielder, u17 who dominated during the combine? Only team needs or mistakes should keep him from being in the top five from what I can tell.
no 17 year old is a can’t miss. But I really like Shea. I think his upside is immense. I would pass on a can’t miss guy for a guy I think in the long run coud be better.
No one is saying where Iro will play. I think it’s more about PT than location.
if brek can be like a cristiano ronaldo type player, then i’m all for it.
I will say that Brek Shea is the young defender we are looking for right now. He is 6′3 at 17 and he is only going to get bigger. How many 6′5 midfielders do you see playing today? None because they end up at CB which will be his best position in the long run. Here’s to hoping we can land Lambo as well to fill out the #3 spot for goalkeeper.
Avi just fell to #5 in the 2nd ROUND! HUGE for FCD
yep.. the Avi fall was nice
I think FCD just use Buzz’s scouting reports to make their selections. They drafter his number 1 & 2 ranked mid-fielders and his #1 goaltender. Nice job Buzz.
How can they not take a Defender with one of the first 3 picks? I guess the plan is for Davillo be the second coming of Franz Beckenbauer… Good Luck With All That.
HOLY CRAP did y’all make out like bandits. Looks like Chicago and Dallas were the big winners today in my book.
Getting Shea and Avila, probably 2 of the top 5 players available, without dealing anything? Sick. And in Chicago, I’m guessing the offensive triangle of Blanco-Rolfe-Nyarko will be very difficult to handle.
Is it just me, or does it feel like MLS is a completely different league than five-ten years ago? And not, at all, in a bad way. I can’t wait for the season.
Hey FCDALLAS96 – doesn’t France use a lot of big midfielders? I’ll bet Germany does too. Just because the US hasn’t doesn’t mean they can’t.
i don’t understand trading away our 2nd and 3rd rounders for picks in 2010? what’s up w/ that? at least make the selections next year and not 2 years from now. besides, if you don’t like having that many picks, package them and move up higher.
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