Courtesy: SJ Earthquakes

In the MLS Draft, the Quakes were able to snag a top-notch defense-man from Georgetown, Tommy Muller. He was the 15th pick, and it was a smart decision. What exactly, however, does Muller bring to the table? Did the Quakes really need another defender? I say yes, Muller will definitely help the Quakes out.

Frank Yallop agrees that the pick is smart, as he said that Muller was very athletic and he’s looking forward to adding a bit more depth to the team. The Quakes could use some athleticism. Although he is defensively minded, Muller also looks to partake in some offense as well. He’s an excellent ball-handler, passer, and decision maker. This could turn out to be a steal for the Earthquakes, but they need to utilize him as much as possible. He’s diverse: not just defense, but offense as well.

“I have a lot of the athletic tools to be successful as a center back, with jumping and recovery speed, but I think more than that, my thinking and my vision of the field is good,” said Muller. If he is good enough to do all these things, he could turn out to be a very good pick for the Quakes, who are looking for another ball-handler.

If Muller can provide some good on-ball pressure, he’ll be able to force many turnovers. With an offensive unit like Alan Gordon and Simon Dawkins along with powerful kicker and MVP Chris Wondolowski, that could turn out to be very beneficial, as the Quakes feed off of quick strikes. This is how you build a lead, and one the Quakes do that, they know how to maintain it.

How does this help in the playoffs? Well, the Quakes were the first in the MLS last year, but blew up in the playoffs, falling to the Galaxy, who just outplayed them. If Muller joins this lineup, a few other things may go differently. With the Quakes already favored to win the MLS Cup, they’ll be in an even better position to win it all.