As we get to the final positional ranking of the this year’s previews, we now know most of the Generation adidas class. As usually happens with the strikers, those signings take us from a average senior class to a good one overall. Every year MLS is plucking more of the top tier forward talent out of the pool early. That’s a trend that is only going to continue. With the Ga additions there are players spaced well through the top ten that could get quick playing time in MLS.
One interesting aspect of talking strikers, particularly senior ones, is that many of them will be changing position at the next level. Some we will see make the attempt at the combine, and some will be moved once they are chosen by MLS coaches. It can be hard to predict these conversions, but I have a couple I think I see coming. One or two of them make this list and might have to eventually be moved in our draft pool terms.
If I have video on a player I will post it below him. I had about 30 more names I was tracking, but I figure 60 is deep enough. If someone past this gets picked then my bad. You’re guy not on here? Then make your case.
The difference between the top two on this list isn’t great. Mwanga we know is the top pick because Peter Nowak helped convince the Beaver sophomore to sign a Gereration adidas contract. This was Mwenga’s last year either way as he had trails lined up in France so landing the exciting attacking threat is a real get for MLS, even if it did cost them a hefty salary. Mwanga is the first player in Oregon State history to be named Pac-10 Player of the Year by leading the conference in five statistical categories: points, points per game, goals scored, goals per game and game-winning goals. Second Team All-American this year and Pac 10 Freshman of the Year last year. A citizen of the Republic of Congo, Mwanga has a US Refugee Travel Document, a US Green card, and resident Alien card. He is strong, fast, dynamic, dangerous, has terrific feet, wonderful skill & instincts, and some good size to go with the amazing athleticism.
Skipped MLS Combine
2009: Herman Semi-Finalist, Second Team All-American, Soccer American First Team MVP, College Soccer News First Team, Goal.com First Team, Pac 10 Player of the Year, First Team.
2008: Top Drawer Soccer All-Rookie First Team, Pac 10 Freshman of the Year, Second Team
The other exciting dynamic game changing talent in this pool is University of Akron’s terrific striker Teal Bunbury. A former Canadian U17, Teal is the son of Canadian International Alex Bunbury who played for West Ham, Maritimo (Portugal), and the Kansas City Wizards in his career. After making ten starts as a freshman, Teal Bunbury stepped into the spot vacated by last year’s #1 pick Steve Zakuani and proceeded to light up the MAC with 17 goals and 5 assists. Bunbury is very similar to Mwanga in skill set with a touch less polish and perhaps a touch less top end speed, although the latter might be nit picking. By comparison Bunbury is a more pure striker than his Akron predecessor Zakuani. The Herman Winner is a First Team All-American and the MAC Player of the Year.
MLS Combine
2009: Herman Trophy Winner, First Team All-American, Soccer American First Team MVP, College Soccer News First Team, Goal.com Player of the Year& First Team, MAC Player of the Year, First Team.
A Generation adidas target for three straight seasons, Akpan continually passed on the MLS offers to get the Harvard degree. MLS finally gets its man this year signing our top ranked senior to a contract prior to the combine. A member of the power house Dallas Texans 88 team that won multiple national championships and the Dallas Cup SuperGroup, Akpan moved on to Harvard rather than a standard “name brand” soccer program. The lack of competitiveness in the Ivy League, a frequently mentioned as a knock, doesn’t seem to have hurt his games based on his strong performances with the US U20s in the previous cycle. Not surprisingly Akpan is a very smart and tactically savvy player with impressive positional sense. Akpan does have some pace but isn’t a pure burner like the previous two strikers on this list. Instead Akpan is a high striker that can play back to goal if needed but excels at getting into dangerous scoring positions and putting away goals. Akpan is a three-time All-American and four-time Ivy League First Teamer, leaving Harvard with 47 career goals and 33 assists.
MLS Combine.
2009: Herman F, First Team All-American, Soccer American First Team MVP, College Soccer News Second Team, Goal.com Second Team, IVY Player of the Year, First Team.
2008: First Team All-American, Herman Semi-Finalist, Ivy First Team.
2007: Herman Semi-Finalist, Second Team All-American, CSN2T, SAMVP1, Ivy First Team.
2006: Ivy Freshman of the Year, First Team
US U20 pool
Harvard’s all-time leading scorer with 127 points, including a program record 33 assists.
The third Generation adidas striker on our list, the Cal junior Wiedeman is a former US U18 and U20. A three-time Pac 10 honoree, first team in 2008 and 2009, and a Al-American in 2008; Wiedeman leaves the Bears with 30 goals and 16 assists in three seasons of Pac 10 play. While he does have a fair number of assists, Wiedeman has a reputation as a goal poacher, scrapper, and opportunistic goal scorer.
MLS Combine
2009: Pac 10 First Team.
2008: Third Team All-American, Soccer American Second Team MVP, College Soccer News Third Team, Top Drawer Soccer Second Team, Pac 10 First Team.
What happens when you are a terrific attacking talent but go to a school where Cody Arnoux and Marcus Tracy play? You don’t start is what happens. But when those two terrific players leave for Europe, if you are good enough, you do what Schilawski did; and that’s lead the ACC with fourteen goals, five of them game winners, to earn a Third Team All-American nod and a First Team ACC nod. Not being a starter at Wake doesn’t mean the kid can’t play as he was a key contributor on the great Wake teams of the last few years. Twenty six goals and thirteen assists in only eighteen starts though his junior year is remarkable. Schilawski has the skills to be a nice off striker or wide mid at the next level, he likes to break player on the dribble and can play in combination trough midfield or on the run.MLS Combine.
Despite the fact he’s show great potential, at 17 McInerney is a high risk, high reward pick for a MLS coach. Few teams in the top half of the draft can take a flyer on a kid this young, even if he is this talented. McInerney made his name with fans at this year’s U17 Worlds after his terrific performance in the U17 Qualifiers. Blessed with nice feet and touch, McInerney tends to play slightly behind a high striker for the US. He likes to shoot from range but can also dribble through gaps and play off his partner. Nice work by MLS to keep him home and not let him get away to Europe. At 5′8″ McInerney is probably still growing, but size and the physical nature of MLS will be a factor early in his career.MLS Combine
A great many people seem to have forgotten how good Estrada was when he burst onto the scene in his walk-on freshman campaign. Estrada led UCLA with a school freshman record 12 goals, a total second in the Pac 10 that year, and was named almost everyone’s national Freshman of the Year that season. A marked man since, Estrada has been given little room to work with and not a lot of help up top the last few seasons. Surgery for a fractured metatarsal cost him the first half of the 2007. Fully healthy in 2009, Estrada picks up his forth career Pac 10 nod with a First Team honor on the strength of his three goals and seven assists. A former US U18 with terrific feet, vision, and ball skill; Estrada has always been a combination striker that flourishes in a good partnership. Estrada leaves UCLA with 22 goals and 14 assists in four seasons.
What might this young man’s career have been without injury. Big Ten 2nd Team as a freshman before tearing his MCL in 2006. Rebounded in 2007 before tearing both his MCL and ACL late in the year. Still managed a Big 10 First Team nod despite missing the last month of that season. Red shirted in 2008 rehabbing the knee, missed the entire season, and then came back strong in 2009 to be named Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year with eight goals and five assists. That’s 24 goals and 16 assists in the truncated 63 game career. While the knee injuries will scare off some teams, perhaps the clear determination, resiliency, and work ethic it takes to recover from that kind of injury and not miss a step will attract some instead.
MLS Combine.
2009: Soccer American Second Team MVP, Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year, First Team (Unam).
2008: red shirt – knee.
2007: Big 10 First Team and tore ACL & MCL.
2006: tore MCL vs MSt.
2005: Big 10 Second Team, Big 10 Fresh
totaling 24 goals and 16 assists (64 points) in 63 career games.
“Fast” and “lefty” are the two key words you need when talking about Davis, although “good long range shot” and “nose for goal” don’t hurt. Like Schilawski before him on this list, Davis might find a living out wide in midfield at the next level. With multiple MPSF First Team nods to his credit, Davis notched thirteen goals and twelve assists through his junior year then led the Lobos in scoring this season with seven goals and six assists.
MLS Combine. Strong combine.2009: Third Team All-American, College Soccer News First Team, Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year, First Team.
2008: Colonial Athletic Association Second Team, led Colonial Athletic Association in scoring..
2007: RS. 2006: Colonial Athletic Association Second Team.
2009: Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, First Team.2008: Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, First Team. led the Patriot League in points (22) and assists (8) while ranking third in goals (7) … led the team in all three categories
2007: Patriot League Second Team.
“O’Brien in 2009 became only the fourth player in Patriot League history to repeat as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. He was also a First Team All-Patriot League selection after leading the league in goals (11), assists (9) and points (31). More importantly, he co-captained the Bison to a school-record 17 wins, a Patriot League championship and an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Princeton.”
2009: Herman Semi-Finalist, Second Team All-American, Soccer American Second Team MVP, College Soccer News Third Team, Goal.com Third Team, Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Missouri Valley Conference First Team.2008: Missouri Valley Conference First Team
2007: Missouri Valley Conference First Team
Pure target striker
“Started all 23 games for the Bulldogs…has 13 goals and five assists (through (11/30) for a team-leading 31 points…tallied three-game winning goals…the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year…a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team selection…had back-to-back multiple-goal games to close the regular season.”
“Seamon led the Wildcats in scoring in each of his four seasons and was a first team All-BIG EAST selection as a senior in 2009 (five goals, seven assists, 12 points).”
At 6-1 and 223 pounds, Dike (pronounced Dee-Kay) is the kind of physical specimen that makes scouts drool, fans cheer, and defenders flinch. Big, strong, and fast; Dike can blast it with either foot but doesn’t have great close space touch. Dike is kind of an old fashioned big American striker. Only four starts prior to 2008, including missing all of 2007 for a lack of academic credits; Dike demolished defenses in the Big Ten the last two seasons with 12 goals in 2008 and 11 goals in 2009 earning a First Team Big East nods each time, and adding Big East Offensive Player of the Year this season.
MLS Combine. Dropped some with the bad combine, but don’t undersell the production in the Big 10.
2009: College Soccer News First Team, Big East Offensive Player of the Year, First Team.
2007: DNP sitting out because he was short classroom credits
“Walker led the Gauchos offensively in 2009, tallying a team-leading 10 goals, including all three of UCSB’s goals during the NCAA Tournament. For the season, he had a team-best 24 points with four assists and also led the squad with four game-winning goals. He finished his UCSB career with a school record 88 matches played under his belt. ”
Almost single handedly led SMU to the final four as a freshman and then missed all but two complete seasons with injury. Finally back to form this year. A real creative game breaker and ball handlers, dynamic player. Little defense. Arguably more talented than buddy Bruno Guarda.2008: Conference USA Second Team.
07-06 knee injury limited action. Redshirt in 2007.
2005: ACC FT
“Beoumeboue was named to the All-ACC second-team for the second straight season. The senior from Brooklyn, N.Y., currently leads the Pack in points with 24. He also holds the team lead with 10 assists, and is tied with Sanchez for tops on the squad with seven goals. In the ACC rankings, Bouemboue is third in points, eighth in goals, and third in assists.”
2009: College Soccer News Third Team, A-10 Offensive Player of the Year, First Team.2008: Atlantic-10 Honorable Mention.
Canadian
“Maheu leads the league in overall points (31), is tied for first in the league in assists (7) and is second in the Conference in goals. The Ottawa, Ontario, product is currently ranked fourth on the all-time scoring list with 25 goals and 14 assists for a total 64 points through four seasons.”
2009: MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, First Team.2008: Top Drawer Soccer Third Team, MAAC Offensive Player of the Year.
2006: MAAC All-Rookie Team
“He tied for the MAAC lead with 10 goals and is second in the conference with nine assists during the regular-season. Darvill is fifth all-time at Loyola with 27 career assists, tied for eight with 99 total points and 11th with 36 goals. ”
2009: Atlantic-10 First Team.2008: Atlantic-10 First Team.
2007: Atlantic-10 Second Team.
2006: Atlantic-10 All-Rookie Team.
“Stadler led GW and the Atlantic 10 with 13 goals in 13 matches during the regular season, including two of the league’s three hat tricks this season. He also paced the league with 2.00 points per game and five game-winning goals and finished second with 26 points.”
2009: led Furman in scoring with 6 g 6 a.06-08 Newberry College Named to All-SAC first team… finished his Newberry career with 48 goals 19 assists and 115 total points over three seasons.
The player in award history to be named to the Herman Watch List Four Times. Such a player of promise wrecked by injury. Has never regained the early form. 08-09 just didn’t have the production or promise of before.2007: Red-shirt.
2006: Missouri Valley Conference Second Team.
2005: Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, Missouri Valley Conference Second Team
2009: Big East Third Team.2008: Big East Third Team.
2007 sat out for transfer from UCF, Earned 2007 Premiere Development League (PDL) All-Conference team.
2006: UCF Conference USA Second Team.
2005: WVU 2nd leading scorer with 5 g 1 a.
“Rhodes Scholar candidate, continues to excel. Boggs graduated from his undergraduate program with a 4.0 grade point average and currently holds a 3.85 GPA in his graduate program. ”
2009: Big East Second Team.2008: Big East Second Team.
2007: Big East Second Team
“Woodruff led the Orange in points (16), goals (6) and tied for the team lead with three assists in 2009. For his career, Woodruff registered 66 points to finish tied for ninth on the Syracuse all-time scoring list. Woodruff’s 27 career goals ranks ninth on the program’s all-time ledger.”
2009: Southern Conference First Team.2008: Southern Conference Player of the Year, First Team.
2007: SC First Team
“Wyatt’s name will not be forgotten as the goal scorer finished his career ranked second in the Elon record books with 31 strikes and 79 points. In 2009, Wyatt was second on the team with five goals, including four game-winners, and five assists. He was named first-team all-conference and second-team NSCAA All-South Region for the third straight season.”
2009: Southern Conference Player of the Year, First Team. Moved to F from MF.”Scoring 12 goals and eight assists for 32 points after starting all 18 matches, Member of Team USA for the 2009 Maccabiah Games in Israel … Was a part of the U.S. Under-14 National Team Pool.”
2009: American East First Team.”He finished the year with a team best 18 points on seven goals and a career-high four assists. Four of his six goals were game-winners”
High risk, high reward pick. Might still be recovering from injury, or might not be the same player.2009: Horizon League Second Team with 2 g 2 a.
2008: injured most of season.
2007: Third Team All-American, College Soccer News Third Team, Horizon League Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, First Team with 15 goals.
“McGreal led the Griffs with 24 points, 10 goals and four assists during his senior campaign. His 24 points rank second in the conference, while his 10 goals are tied for the most in the MAAC. McGreal graduates as the most prolific scorer in the program’s history. The Dublin, Ireland native holds school records with 99 career points, 24 more than the next highest Griff, 35 career goals and 29 career assists.”
2009: Big South First Team.”Hefferon led the Bulldogs with nine goals and 25 points on the year. Hefferon also added seven assists. Attended Northern Oklahoma College for two seasons … Played in 35 games, scoring 23 goals and picking up 12 assists.”
2009: Southern Conference First Team.2008: Southern Conference First Team.
2006: Southern Conference Second Team.
4 year starter
“Muniz led the Mountaineers’ in goals with six and points with 16 and was tied for sixth in the conference in points and tied for seventh in goals. The all-conference honor is the third of his career. He finished his career with 20 goals and 16 for a total of 57 points.”
2009: Big West First Team”Sims spent two seasons with the Mt San Antonio Mounties, starting both for Juan Sanchez … named 2007 team MVP and All-South Coast Conference First Team.”
2009: Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention. 2008: Missouri Valley Conference First Team 2006: Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team.career totals to 14 goals, 13 assists and 41 points.
2009: Southern Conference First Team 2006: RS 04: RSMorris leads the Cougars and is third in the Southern Conference with 20 points this season (seven goals, six assists)
“Znaty finished second in the league in points (18), points per game (1.12) and third in goals (7) and goals per game (0.44), “David is having his best year in his final season scoring some big goals for us and is a big reason we are having the year we are,” said Poitras.”
“Destasio, a senior forward, led the MAAC in goals, goals per game, and points per game this year and was third in total points and fourth in shots per game. He was first on the Iona squad in both goals (10) and points (21) for the second consecutive season and recorded a career-high five game-winning goals.”
