2008 MLS SuperDraft Forward Pool

January 14th, 2008 . By: Buzz Carrick

That bad news for college forwards is that like goalkeeper, forward is a more difficult position at which to break into MLS because of the limited roster space for forwards and the tendency of MLS teams to spend big money on foreign players at that position.

The good news is that the fastest and most talented players play forward in the college game.  These players frequently move back in the formation in the pro game.  Midfield and even defender are viable spots for this list of players.  So while I would say only the real cream of the crop of forwards have a chance as a MLS striker, you might see quite a few of these guys get shots at deeper lying positions.

2008 MLS SuperDraft Forward Pool

I am including two underclassmen on this forward list and will explain why under each player’s comments. 

Rank Player School Class Height Weight Notes & Comments
1 Patrick Nyarko Virginia Tech Jr 6′0″ 165 The immensely talented junior from Ghana by way of Virginia Tech heads our forward list.  He’s reportedly signed with an agent, so he’s leaving college.  The only remaining question is will he sign with MLS?  Blistering pace and fantastic technical skills make him too much for college defenders to handle.  Good height and 6’0” and with great athleticism so he’s dangerous in the air as well as with the ball at his feet.  First Team All-American and Hermann Trophy Finalist in 2007, three time First Team All-ACC, and 2005 ACC Freshman of the Year.  He leaves college after three years with 31 goals and 24 assists.  If he signs with MLS he is odds on favorite to go #1 overall.  2007 Soccer First Team MVP, College Soccer News 1st Team All-American, Top Drawer Soccer 2nd Team of the Year.  2006 Top Drawer Soccer Third Team of the Year. 
2 Xavier Balc Ohio State Sr 6′1″ 185 The Buckeyes standout senior striker and Big Ten Player of the Year is both a dangerous goal scorer and playmaker.  Both in body and game he cuts a striking resemblance to MLS great Preki.  Not the quickest player out there, Blac is blessed with a beautiful left foot, fantastic technique, and fabulous vision.  He’s also big and strong with great soccer smarts and will power which makes him dominate in possession.  Balc usually plays withdrawn striker behind the lead target man, but could also be a very dangerous #10 in the right system.  Balc holds State’s records for assists in a season with 14 and over a career with 35, the latter more than double the previous record career high.  Balc’s also a high impact player as 11 of his 23 career goals being game winners. MLS Combine.
3 Joe Lapira Notre Dame Sr 5′8″ 150 The 2006 Hermann trophy winner with 22 goals on the season passed on MLS’s Generation adidas offer last year and had a slight drop off in production for 2007 since he was the marquee name for all Irish opponents to mark.   A two time First Team All-American and 2006 Big East Player of the Year, Lapira leaves Notre Dame with 41 goals and 23 assists.  So why is he ranked so far down this list? Even though he’s a great player, at 5’8” he’s a bit undersized to be a pure MLS striker, and he isn’t noticeably fast.  But more importantly he’s got an Irish passport and has even played for Ireland.  That means it’s very easy for him to sign in Europe and will make a MLS team ponder before drafting him.  Unless of course MLS sign him early to a contract like they do with all Hermann Trophy winners.   Invited to the MLS Combine but isn’t on the final list.
4 Yannick Reyering Virginia Jr 6′5″ 205 The other junior on our list is the big target type pure striker Reyering. At 6 foot 6 and 200 pounds Reyering will be tough for any MLS defender to handle physically.  You won’t see his name on any Generation adidas list despite being a junior because he’s apparently out of eligibility having played some college equivalent ball in his native Germany prior to joining Virginia.  The two-time Hermann Semi-finalist finishes his career with 39 goals and 10 assists in just three college seasons.  Reyering scored 13 goals in 16 games this year prior to suffering a season ending knee injury in the Cavs final regular season game against Wake Forest.   The giant German’s got above average feet, touch, and technical game for a player of his size.
5 George Josten Gonzaga Sr 6′1″   Josten was tapped as a Third Team All-American in 2007, the first All-American in Gonzaga history.  His 34 career goals (tied with Brian Ching) and 17 career assists both rank third in school history.  Josten is a three time West Coast Conference First Team player, another first time feat in school history, and added WCC Honorable Mention and All-Freshman Team nods in 2004.  Josten led the WCC in goals and points in both his sophomore and junior years.  MLS Combine.
6 Ely Allen Washington Sr 5′10″   A rangy striker with solid Pac 10 production, Allen is the 2007 Pac 10 Co-Player of the Year.  Allen led the Pac 10 with 12 goals, and finishes his career with 26 (plus 12 assists.).  A four year starter for Washington, Allen is a four time Pac 10 honoree, including 2004 Pac 10 Freshman of the Year.  Allen is one of two players to earn Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and Pac-10 Player of Year honors during their career.  MLS Combine.
7 Ryan Cordeiro UConn Sr 5′11″ 175 Overshadowed by Hermann Trophy winner O’Brien White and his 23 goals, Cordeiro is still a strong prospect who can play multiple positions.  The Husky was second in scoring for UConn with eight goals and 10 assists.  Playing both midfield and forward in his career; Cordeiro was Second Team Big East in 2007, Honorable Mention Big East in 2006, and Third Team Big East in 2005.  MLS Combine.
8 Saidi Isaac Winthrop Sr 5′8″ 160 The slightly undersized but extraordinarily quick Isaac is also quite gifted technically.  His outstanding career at off the radar Winthrop is capped by the Big South Player of the Year award.  A 12 goal senior year followed two straight 17 goal seasons earned him three straight Big South First Team nods.  During his freshman year at Park University, Isaac bagged a stunning 39 goals to earn NAIA All-American status and Region IV Player of the Year.  Isaac has been capped by Kenya at the senior, U20, and U18 levels.
9 Lukasz Tumicz Rhode Island Sr 5′11″ 170 The Polish born Tumicz is a well rounded forward who led the A-10 in goals this year with 12.  As a junior the Rams striker led the A-10 in assists with 10 and finished second in goals with 7. He capped his career with 2007 A-10 First Team and 2006 A-10 Second Team awards.  Tumicz leaves URI with 31 goals and 24 assists in 58 starts and 74 games.  He was a member of the U-15 and U-16 Polish National Teams, but went to high school in the United States.  MLS Combine.
10 Sharron Manswell Boston College Sr 6′0″ 175 The versatile Trinidadian striker had outstanding production in his senior year with 11 goals and sophomore year with 10 goals.  Those strong scoring seasons bracketed a lackluster junior year with one goal, admittedly while playing midfield.  Strangely Manswell was a Third Team All-American in 2007, while only making Second Team All-ACC.  The senior Eagle was Second Team All-ACC in 2005 as well, but went unrecognized in 2006.  Manswell is a prime candidate to convert to midfield or even defense as he was all set to move to defense this year for BC but was returned to forward, presumably after Charlie Davies signed with Hammarby.  MLS Combine.
11 Kevin Forrest Washington Sr-R 5′11″ 170 2006 Pac 10 Player of the Year led the league in scoring with 16 goals, but had a down 2007 with only a Second Team nod in the Pac 10 after he missed the latter half of the season.  Forrest was leading the conference in scoring until he was hurt and finished with six goals and three assists.  Will MLS coaches see past the injury to the talent of his earlier college career? 2006 Top Drawer Soccer Third Team of the Year, 2006 College Soccer News Second Team All-American.  2005 Medical red shirt with Planter Fascitis. 2004 Pac 10 First Team. In 2006 Forrest led the Pac-10 all season long in every offensive category, finishing the regular season with conference highs in shots (97), shots per game (5.71), points (27), points per game (1.59), goals (13), goals per game (0.76), and game winning goals (eight).  34 career goals and 7 assists.  MLS Combine
12 Spencer Wadsworth Duke Sr 5′8″ 160 A well rounded complete player and he would be ranked much higher if not for an injury.  In 2007 he was recovering from a fairly major injury and only made 6 starts in 20 appearances. But Wadsworth is a seriously talented player and there year starter prior to this season finishing first or second on the Duke team in scoring each season.  In 2006 made the Second Team All-ACC as he tied for first in the NCAA with 14 assists and tied for second on team with eight goals. In 2005 led Duke with nine assists and was third with seven goals.  In 2004 led Duke to the College Cup with eight goals and 10 assists. Leaves duke with 25 goals and 34 assists, but had 23 goals and 33 assists prior to his disrupted senior year.
13 Kenny Anaba Cincinnati Sr 6′2″ 195 A big physical target type striker with a reputation for being poor work rate.  But on the body and raw tools alone someone will take a shot on him and hope to coach it out of him.  Steady improvement with 2007 Big East First Team, 2006 Second Team, and 2005 Third Team.  2007 Top Drawer Soccer Third Team of the Year. Led Cinci and finished second in the Big East with 10 goals and added 3 assists in 2007.  Finishes his career with 26 goals and 13 assists.
14 Murphy Wiredu St Peter’s Sr 5′7″ 160 Canadian. MAAC offensive Player of the Year, MAAC 1st Team in 2007. Canadian. 14 goals and 4 assists in 22 starts this year.  Wiredu led St Pete to the MAAC Championship Game and to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. In 2004 as a freshman he led the MAAC in goals with 9 and was named to the MAAC All-Rookie team.  in 2006 he finished second in scoring for St Pete’s with 9 goals and 3 assists. Plays PDL with Toronto Lynx and was their Offensive MVP with 10 goals in their final 9 games.  Previously played with the Ottawa Fury in the PDL.
15 Andrew Wheeler York College Sr 6′3″ 180 2007 Third Team All-South nod, his second on the first-team. Eleven goals and eleven assists in 2007.  2006 NSCAA and d3kicks.com first-team All-American, 2006 CAC Player of the Year, a two-time CAC first-team selection.  His 45 career goals and 116 points rank him second all-time in York’s record books. in 2006 had the individual season in Spartan history with 19 goals and 11 assists. Wheeler finished the season with 19 goals and 11 assists to earn an NSCAA first-team All-American award.   2007 Premier Development League All-League Team with Hampton Roads.
16 Javier Ayala-Hill California Sr 5′8″ 160 Led Cal in scoring in 2007 with 5 and 5 to increase his career totals to 14 goals and 4 assists in the Pac 10.  2007 Pac 10 Second Team after a First Team nod in 2006.  A four year contributor and two year starter for the Bears.
17 Toni Núñez UC Santa Barbara Sr 5′8″ 180 Núñez is a fit and active player.  He scored five goals and had five assists in 2007 to make the All-Big West First Team.
18 Kenzo Webster Michigan State Sr 5′9″   7 goals in 2007 to finish with 19 on his career in the Big Ten.  Big Ten Second Team in both 2006 and 2007.
19 Sven Meusch Virginia Commonwealth Sr 6′1″ 170 2007 CAA Second team. Meusch played only one season in college. The senior 10 goals to lead VCU and three assists for a season-high 23 points.  German.
20 Mkhokheli Dube Coastal Carolina Sr 6′0″ 155 2007 Big South Player of the Year. 2006  & 2006 Big South First Team.
21 Ismael Ibarra San Jose State Sr 6′0″ 160 After being names 2005 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation “Co-Newcomer of the Year” and second-team All-MPSF honors five goals and five assists, Ibarra sat out 2006.  2007 MPSF First Team with 9 goals and 3 assists. 2003 and 2004 at Hartnell College.  2004 NSCAA/adidas Junior College Division III “Player of the Year” with  28 goals and 15 assists as a sophomore. First Hartnell player to earn NSCAA/adidas All-America honors in successive years, garnering second-team honors in 2003 and first-team honors in 2004
22 Omar Alfonso St. John’s Sr 5′9″ 170 Moved to St John’s as a senior in a likely attempt to play on a higher stage and garner more attention.  Led St John’s with 4 goals.  At Loyola was a dynamic scorer as a three-year starter with 26 goals and 19 assists.  Led the nation in freshman in scoring with his 17 goals in 2003 Was a three-time NSCAA Regional All-American.  Soccer America Freshman All-American, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in 2003 First team All-MAAC choice in each of his three campaigns.
23 Eric Anton Colgate Sr 6′2″ 175 Had try out with DC United.  2007 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year.  Led the Raiders in scoring four seasons.  He was named second-team all-league his sophomore season and was a third-team all-region performer last year.
24 Juan Gaviria St Peter’s Sr 5′9″ 170 2007 MAAC First Team with 10 goals and 6 assists.  2006 College Soccer New Third Team All-American. 2006 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year…led the Peacocks with 15 goals in the 2006 season  MAAC First Team honors in 2005 and 2006 and All-Rookie honors in 2004.
25 Patrick Baxter Cincinnati Sr 5′8″ 165 Does all the dirty work for the larger, and somewhat static, Anaba.  4 goals and 4 assists in 2007, 1 goals and 2 assists in 2006. NJCAA, NSCAA All-American as a sophomore at Cincinnati State with 53 goals.  Assisted on 42 others in 34 matches over two seasons.  Led nation in scoring as a sophomore with 81 points (27 G, 27 A).
26 Cory Elenio Evansville Sr 6′1″ 165 2007 MVC First Team.   Elenio was the Aces’ leading scorer with seven goals and nine assists for 23 points, ranking him third in the Missouri Valley Conference.  2006 MVC First Team when finished second in the league in points (20) and second in goals scored (8).  2-time EU Most Valuable Player Award. 
27 Jacek Przednowek Robert Morris Sr 6′1″ 170 Canadian.  2007 NEC First Team for leading the NEC with 15 goals and 34 points. He is second in the nation in goals with 15.   2006 was named to the All-NEC Second Team and led the team in scoring with 22 points. 2005 NEC First Team for leading RM with with nine goals, including three game-winners.
28 Anton Axelsson Jacksonville Sr 5′11″   Sweedish.  2007 A-Sun Player of the Year and ESPN Academic Player of the Year.  Led the A-Sun with 16 goals and 36 points. Each of those totals ranked first in the A-Sun and second in the nation. He also led the A-Sun in points per game (1.80), goals per game (0.80) and game-winning goals (6).   2005 and 2006 A-Sun Second Team nods.
29 Kyle McHugh Princeton sr 5′9″ 160 2007 Ivy league First Team. Co-captain for the Tigers in 2007, scored a team-high seven goals, including three game winners. 06 Ivy 2T. 03 Ivy 2T. 2004 away from Princeton, but All-Ivy Second Team awards in both 2003 and 2006. May be joining the Marines.
30 Greg Kilkenny Northeastern Sr 6′2′ 180 Irish.  7 goals and 9 assists in 2007 to be named CAA First Team. In 2006 tied for the team lead in goals, assists and points to earn All-CAA second team and NU Offensive Player of the Year. In 2005 he had a breakout season for the Huskies, leading Northeastern with five goals in 18 games.  Ended his career fifth all-time in goals (18), assists (14), and points (18) in the Husky record books
31 Richard Godfrey Gardner-Weber Sr 5′10″ 165 Jamaican.  In 2007 he finished second in the A-Sun in goals with 11, tied for second with 23 points (11 goals, one assist) and was third in points per game (1.15) to be names A-Sun First Team. 2006 was also first-team all-conference with seven goals, two of which were game-winners .  Played two years at at Schoolcraft JC.  Scored 28 goals to lead the nation in goals scored and was second in the nation in points during his final year at Schoolcraft JC.
32 Kevin Davies Brown Sr 5′9″ 150 2007 All-Ivy First Team.  Davies has 10 goals (three game-winners) and three assists. 2 year starter.
33 Tanner Wolfe Stetson Sr 5′7″ 168 Led the school in goals for four straight years.  8 goals and 7 assists in 2007 to earn A-Sun First Team nod.  First Team A-Sun in 2005 & 2006 also with a All-Rookie Team award in 2004.  33 career goals and 18 assists.
34 Matt Hoff Harvard Sr 5′10″ 155 2007 All-Ivy First Team.  Second on the team with eight assists behind Akpan.  In 2006 Named All-Ivy League Second Team with five goals and three assists. 2005 DNP.  2004 All-Ivy League Second Team when he led the team in assists with five, to go along with three goals. 2003 Ivy League Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-Ivy honors when he finished third in the League in scoring with 18 points (8 goals, 2 assists).
35 Brett Paschall Elon Sr 6′3″ 170 First Team All-Southern Conference pick after leading the Phoenix with 6 assists and 7 goals to earn a Southern Conference First Team nod.  SoCon Second Team in 2005.  25 career goals.
36 Ben Page Lipscomb Sr 5′10″ 168 2007 A-Sun First team, is the first ever Lipscomb player to earn First Team All-Conference honors.  In 2006 Led the team in points (15), shots (61), goals (7), and game winning goals (3).  2005 All-Atlantic Sun Second Team with six goals. 2004 red shirt. 2003 Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team when he led the team in assists with five.
37 Nick Figueiredo Bowdoin Sr 5′8″ 160 First-Team All-American and New England Small College Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year.  Finished his career as Bowdoin’s all-time leader in points (88) and goals (35) became the first Polar Bear to earn NESCAC Player of the Year honors. 10 goals and 11 assists for a career-high 31 points in 2007.  Led the conference in points and was second in goals scored.  Broke Bowdin’s 35-year old goal-scoring record and earn his third-straight First-Team All-NESCAC selection.  2006 had 12 goals to earn First-Team All-NESCAC and Second-Team All-American honors.  8 goals and recording 6 assists in 2005 to earn First Team All-NESCAC and First Team All-New England honors.
38 Adrian Bumbut Liberty Sr 5′7″ 140 Romanian. 4 year starter. 2007 Big South First Team. Tied for the Big South lead with 12 goals and game-winning goals with five. 2006 led Liberty in scoring with 14 points on six goals and two assists. 2005 Big South all-conference second team on eight goals and five assists.  2007 Premier Development League (PDL) All-Eastern Conference Team as a member of the Fredericksburg Gunners.
39 Josh Medcalf Duke Sr 6′2″ 170 6 goals and 5 assists in 2007 in only 7 starts and 19.  Transfer from Vandy where he tallied eight goals and 11 assists in his three seasons
40 Scott Hawkins Lafayette Sr 5′11″ 158 Three time All-Patriot League. 7 goals in 2007 to reach 26 career goals. Hawkins was named to the first team in 2005 and the second team in 2006. He was also tabbed as the 2004 Patriot League Co-Rookie of the Year.
41 Ian McAuley Evansville   6′1″ 170 2007 MVC Second Team. The fifth-year senior scored six goals and two assists.  Ends career with 20 goals and nine assists. From T&T.
42 Jared Britcher Memphis Sr 5′11″ 155 He scored five goals on the year (two game-winners) and tallied five assists, both second-best on the team to earn 2007 Conference USA Second Team nod.  Ends career with 16 goals and 13 assists.
43 Nicholas Lind UC Davis Sr 5′11″ 165 2007 Big West Second Team. Team leader with four assists and two game-winning scores. Second on the team with five goals.   14 career goals.
44 Nick Webb Oregon State Sr 5′9″ 160 2007 Pac 10 Second Team. Led the Beavers in scoring with six goals and 15 points on the year. The senior connected on two game-winning goals for the Beavers.  13 goals at Oregon State.  In 2004 he played at Western Washington University and was named to the All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference first team with 14 points (five goals and four assists).
45 Paul Dudley Duke Sr 6′7″ 220 7 goals 1 assist in 2007.  Started his duke career as a fresh midfielder.  Will someone be intrigued by the size and the ACC play?
46 Emile Innocent Howard Sr 5′8″ 155 2007 Atlantic Soccer Conference First Team. Innocent is from St. Mark, Haiti.  Started all 16 games and finished with 6 points.
47 Andrew Villalobos UC Riverside Sr 5′5″ 140 2007 Big West Honorable Mention has some good moves.  Villalobos picks up his second career Big West honor after earning second team honors last season. 2006 scored two goals with team-high five assists for nine points, second on team.  Here’s some video  on him.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QleMyE_1j84
48 Todd Goddard Tulsa Sr 6′0″ 195 2007 Conference USA third Team.  Led the league in goals with nine, second in points with 19.  2004 had nine goals and three assists for 21 points, the most points by a freshman since 1996 
49 Kurt Martin Notre Dame Sr 5′10″ 160 2007 Big East Third Team on two goals and one assist. He missed two games to injury, yet has started in 16 of the 17 matches in which he has played. Only one season as a starter he leaves the Irish with 5 career goals and 4 assists.
50 Abimbola Pedro George Washington Sr 6′2″ 180 Nigerian.  Led Colonials with seven assists and added six goals despite sitting out three matches with an injury. An honorable mention All-Conference pick two seasons ago, Pedro was named to the All-Tournament teams at both the DC College Cup and Longwood Lancer Invitational this season.  Named most promising player at King’s College Lagos.  Member of DC United’s Under-17 Super Y League.
51 Marcus McCarty Northern Illinois Sr 6′0″ 200 Third in the MAC in goals during the regular season with five, two of which were game-winners. 2006 MAC Newcomer of the Year and First Team. 2004-2005 at Memphis.  Sophomore season tied for fourth in Conference USA for total goals (eight) and goals-per-game (0.47).
52 Eliot Paschalis Furman Sr 5′10″ 161 Four year starter at Furman a program who has produced some talent.  Career 14 goals and 11 assists.
53 Adam Sternberger Rutgers Sr-r 5′8″ 145 3 goals and 4 assists in 2007. Led the team in goals with 5 in 2006.  2005 he led the team in goals with eight and netted five game-winning goals. 2004 medical red shirt for an ACL.
54 Vicente Arze Mercer Sr 5′10″ 165 Santa Cruz, Bolivia native is second all-time at Mercer with 19 assists, seventh with 21 career goals and tied for sixth with 61 points. A-Sun Freshman of the Year in 2004, two-time First Team A-Sun member (2005 and 2004), tow-time Second team all-conference (2006 & 2007).
55 Sean Sassano Appalachian State Sr 5′10″ 165 Second Team SoCon after a breakout senior season. Sassano doubled his career goal total with five tallies and four assists to lead the Mountaineers with 14 points in 2007. Four year predominate starter. Cary Railhawks of the PDL.
56 Davorin Husadzinovic Radford Sr 6′1″ 163 Second Team All-Conference by the Big South.  Led the Highlanders with eight goals and four assists for 20 points.
57 Tom Oatley Western Michigan Sr 5′10″ 165 All-Mid-American Conference Second Team in 2007. Third-straight season he garnered All-MAC honors. for three years he led the Broncos in total points, scoring five goals and adding four assists in2007.
58 Aaron Swanson Kentucky Sr 6′1″   2007 Conference USA Third Team after ranking second on the team with five goals. Came to UK after spending over a year out of collegiate soccer.

Categories: Features .




6 Comments

  1. Comment by mark on January 15, 2008 7:18 am

    you said the other day that Ricardo Pierre Louis was playing like the best forward at the combine, why is he not in your pool?

  2. Comment by Buzz Carrick on January 15, 2008 12:21 pm

    because I made this pool two weeks ago before he was invited to the combine. He will be in the updated pool that comes out post combine.

  3. Comment by soccerfan on January 15, 2008 1:43 pm

    Why dont you make a list of possible draft sleepers for each position. There are some players that dont get alot of recognition. Every team wants to find that sleeper

  4. Comment by Buzz Carrick on January 15, 2008 2:01 pm

    not a bad Iiea. if I have time before te draft I will.

  5. Comment by Scott on January 16, 2008 2:12 pm

    If Wheeler would have transferred D1 he would be a top 5 forward hands down. Waste of talent playing at a small D3 school.

  6. Comment by Scott on January 16, 2008 2:21 pm

    Pure finisher!

    http://www.757soccer.com/page7.html

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