The 2011 MLS playoffs are just getting underway, but for teams that weren’t able to qualify for the post-season, the important work of the off-season has already begun, a major part of which is preparing for January’s MLS Draft.
The 2012 draft class is shaping up to be a good one, and unlike the 2011 class (which was heavy on quality defenders and younger, long-term prospects), the upcoming class should feature several attacking players who could help contribute right away.
As usual, extra attention will be paid to the Generation adidas class: the group of underclassmen MLS signs and places in the draft (a group that usually consists of many of the draft’s best players). There are usually about eight Generation adidas signings, and right now, we have a good sense of the players most likely to be among those selections.
There are more than eight underclassmen on the FOX Soccer MLS Draft Big Board, done to give everyone a sense of all the top underclassmen on the radar, including players who could wind up being late additions to the Generation adidas class.
Another element that will make tracking the top draft prospects difficult is the increase in Homegrown Player designations MLS teams place on top college players. While there are some top college standouts who are clearly products of MLS academies, we now have more and more MLS teams filing questionable claims on top college prospects. Many such claims are being disputed, and we could wind up with a situation MLS will be forced to address in the near future.
FOX Soccer will be tracking the top MLS Draft prospects over the course of the next two months as we draw closer to the MLS Combine and 2012 MLS Draft.
For now, here is our look at the top 25 prospects for the 2012 MLS Draft (as of the end of October):
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Andrew Wenger | M/D | Duke |
Currently tearing up the college game as a goal-scoring forward, Wenger projects more as a defensive midfielder, centerback or even right back on the pro level, though his attacking qualities have certainly impressed scouts. A junior, he is physically ready for the next level, combining good technical skill with strength and athleticism. As close to a lock at the No. 1 overall pick as we’ve seen in recent years.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |
|
Darren Mattocks | F | Akron |
A fast and physical forward who could have been a first-round pick in 2011 had he left school early, Mattocks is the consensus pick as the best forward prospect in college. A sophomore, Mattocks has answered questions about whether he could still score goals without a loaded team around him, leading a young Zips squad in scoring.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 |
|
Kelyn Rowe | M | UCLA |
The clear-cut No. 1 player coming into the season, Rowe has not had the dominant year he was expected to have. As a sophomore, Rowe is still the college game's most highly-regarded playmaker, though questions about his ability to play at a high level consistently, as well as dealing with the physicality of the MLS game, have dropped him down a few pegs on the Big Board.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
|
Billy Schuler | F | North Carolina |
After missing most of 2010 with major shoulder surgery, Schuler has used his redshirt junior season to remind scouts of the talents that once made him a US Under-17 national team standout. Fast and technically gifted, Schuler will be the first or second forward off the board come January.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
|
Enzo Martinez | M | North Carolina |
While Rowe has long been considered the best playmaker in this class, Martinez has just as many fans of his game. The Tar Heels junior has great vision and beautiful passing ability and there is a widely-held belief that Martinez’s talents can transition to MLS.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 |
|
Brian "Cobi" Span | M | Virginia |
When you talk about players with upside, there may be no player with more than Span, a physical freak who combines good size with blazing speed. He has been compared in some circles to a young Brek Shea, and while the Cavaliers sophomore could still have some maturing to do, his potential should lead to him going early in the MLS Draft, if he signs a Generation adidas contract.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 |
|
Luis Silva | M | UC Santa Barbara |
A talented attacking midfield erwith the two-way qualities that should suit him well on the pro level, Silva was on the Generation adidas radar as a junior but is now considered by some to be the top senior in the upcoming draft. He can score goals and create for teammates should be a Top 10 pick.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 |
|
Casey Townsend | F | Maryland |
A player who has been on the MLS radar since a standout freshman season, Townsend has recaptured the attention of MLS scouts with a strong senior season. He has scored goals, and perhaps just as importantly, he has managed to show durability. As the focal point of Maryland’s high-powered attack, Townsend could boost his stock even further, though as a senior he will likely go after the elite members of the Generation adidas draft class.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 |
|
Robbie Derschang | M | Southern Methodist |
Left-sided players are a rare and precious commodity, and Derschang is the clear-cut top left wing prospect in the college game. One of a handful of top draft prospects who are facing questionable homegrown player claims by MLS teams (Colorado has filed a claim on Derschang), the SMU sophomore should be a member of the Generation adidas class unless MLS upholds what many consider a weak claim by the Rapids.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 |
|
Eric Schoenle | D | West Virginia |
A highly-skilled centerback with good size (6-foot-2) and aerial ability, Schoenle still has some physical maturing to do but is still loved by several MLS clubs who see a promising skill set. A left-footed defender who is also good in the air, Schoenle is a first-round lock who could boost his stock with a strong showing in the Big East and NCAA tournaments.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 |
|
Matt Hedges | D | North Carolina |
Considered the most MLS-ready centerback in the draft, Hedges boasts good technical ability and passing skills to go with strength and size (6-foot-4). His ceiling may not be as high as a player like Schoenle, but he is still a solid bet to be called in the first round.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 |
|
Dillon Powers | M | Notre Dame |
A top five prospect before the season, he’s listed this low more because of the strong belief he will stay in school than because of his performances. Currently a junior, Powers hasn’t dominated as much as expected this season, but he is still a two-way central midfielder with a great engine and sharp passing skills. If MLS convinces him to sign a Generation adidas contract, Powers could catapult up the big board.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 |
|
Nick DeLeon | M | Louisville |
A highly-skilled central midfielder who has fought to get noticed in the midst of Louisville's disappointing season, DeLeon has the physical traits to make a smooth transition to the pro game as a playmaker. The biggest question regarding DeLeon at this point is a Homegrown Player claim Real Salt Lake has placed on him. Sources say DeLeon and multiple MLS teams have taken up the fight to challenge that designation. If they win, DeLeon will be a first-round pick.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 |
|
Hunter Jumper | D | Virginia |
It is no secret that MLS has a dearth of quality left backs, a fact that makes Jumper an extremely attractive prospect for teams looking to fill a void there. Jumper brings impressive attacking qualities to the position, even if his defensive attributes aren’t exactly rock solid. His ability to serve good crosses, as well as deliver quality set pieces, make him a target for several teams looking to upgrade their left side.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 |
|
Tyler Polak | D | Creighton |
Just a sophomore, Polak is considered a future star at left back. The only question is whether he’s ready to make the jump to the pros. At this point, he isn’t expected to be one of the eight or so Generation adidas signings, but a strong finish to the season could push him up the charts and earn him a place in the 2012 draft.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 |
|
Aaron Maund | D | Notre Dame |
Another good centerback prospect, Maund originally made his name as a promising fullback for the US Under-20 national team, Now, projects as a central defender on the pro level. The Fighting Irish senior should strengthen his status as a first-round pick with a good showing in the Big East and NCAA tournaments.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 |
|
Colin Rolfe | F | Louisville |
One of the best forwards in the nation as a junior, Rolfe has not had the senior year expected of him, and questions have been raised about his ability to transition to the pro game. He’s still a skilled forward and good finisher and should still garner first-round interest, but his stock has certainly taken a hit.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 |
|
Tony Cascio | D | Connecticut |
A talented winger and good athlete who has shown a goal-scoring touch and ability to go at defenders. Much like DeLeon, Cascio is at the center of a Homegrown Player tag controversy as Real Salt Lake has staked a claim only to face opposition to the tag. If he is in the draft, he should be a fringe first-round pick.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 |
|
Austin Berry | D | Louisville |
Another Louisville player who has seen his stock take a hit along with his team’s 2011 struggles, Berry is still a solid centerback prospect who brings leadership qualities and dominant aerial ability to the position.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 |
|
Carlos Alvarez | M | Connecticut |
Another talented playmaker in a class loaded with them, Alvarez combines good vision, toughness and quickness on the ball to trouble defenses and set up teammates for good chances. Will need a strong post-season and MLS Combine to convince teams he is worthy of a first-round pick.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 |
|
Chandler Hoffman | F | UCLA |
A natural finisher with good size, Hoffman has carried the UCLA attack this year. He is on the fringes of the Generation adidas discussion, but a strong NCAA tournament run could boost him into the draft.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 |
|
Ethan Finlay | F | Creighton |
A lethal finisher with a great motor, Finlay is still working on convincing scouts that he will be able to find chances on the next level. The focal point of Creighton’s offense, Finlay has established himself as one of the best finishers in college, but it could still take a strong NCAA tournament and MLS Combine to be a first round pick.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 |
|
Raymon Gaddis | D | West Virginia |
An athletic right back with a penchant for getting forward, Gaddis lacks a bit of the technical ability you would want in an elite right back, but still has enough tools to merit a look from teams looking for fullback help.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 |
|
Kevan George | M | Central Florida |
A big (6-foot-2) and strong defensive midfielder who has scouts lining up to take a look, George has been a focal point in Central Florida’s strong showing this season and could draw a first-round grab by a team looking to add defensive midfield depth.
| Rank | Player | Pos. | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 |
|
Chris Blais | G | South Florida |
The 2012 draft pool is lacking a standout goalkeeper prospect, but Blais has impressed scouts with his play at South Florida after first landing on radar screens while at Michigan. Fordham’s Ryan Meara is also in the mix for “Best Goalkeeper in the Draft” honors, but for now, Blais is the pick.
