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Aaron Nielsen ,

January 13, 2016 Email

Aaron Nielsen



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The 2016 MLS SuperDraft is taking place this Thursday, January 14. and Kamal Hylton and myself have put a lot of work regarding this season's draft on ProspectXI following the player throughout the 2015 season. From Kamal’s trip to Jamaica last spring, to following this summer’s PDL and League One Ontario closely, we’ve kept a consistent update of the 2016 NCAA Men's Division 1 Soccer season including writing weekly scouting reports on players who we felt had the ability to play in the MLS. Over on ProspectXI we listed our top 40 prospects for the upcoming 2016 MLS SuperDraft and most of the players on the list were profiles we included with the launch of ProspectXI last April. Through work for ProspectXI, we have an ongoing record of most players available in the MLS Draft coming from youth soccer as young as U14. This doesn't mean at that age we know which players have the ability to become professionals and those who don't, but it gives us an ongoing scouting account of how each player progresses until the time they are available for the draft or signed as a Homegrown player. In terms of a Canadian perspective for the upcoming draft there are two stories: the Canadian players themselves available in the draft and of course the picks Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps will be making. This year, like last year, one player has taken most of the Canadian attention. Last year it was Cyle Larin who was picked first overall and proved himself by breaking the rookie MLS goals record with Orlando City. This year it is Larin's Academy teammate Richie Laryea, who played with Cyle at Sigma FC before moving to Akron University. My rating of Larin is higher than Laryea, although I do see him as a good player and a smart pick, and if he falls in this draft it will be less about his talent and more about Canadians counting as an international player on American MLS rosters. The other player of Canadian interest is keeper Callum Irving, who surprisingly was not offered a homegrown contract by his academy club the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Kentucky keeper has the ability to be a first round pick, although with keepers it’s tricky due to limited need in that position and could fall to Montreal’s second Round pick, or if interested, Toronto might look to trade up their later picks to be able to draft Irving. If a Canadian team does not draft Iriving I do see interest in him from an American team, although outside the first round. In terms of the Canadian MLS clubs, 2016 will be the quietest draft since all the Canadian teams entered the league in terms of influence on the current roster. Part of this is due to all the Canadian clubs making the playoffs, which meant their selection is lower down the draft order. While teams also traded picks, such as Toronto FC trading the 29th pick to get Steven Beitashour and also giving Seattle a pick when they got Eric Zavaleta. Regardless, TFC has the top pick of all Canadian clubs at 9th, although their second pick is 56th Overall. Montreal and Vancouver pick 14th and 16th, respectively, in the 1st Round with Montreal having three second round picks at 24th, 34th and 39th,while Vancouver has the 29th pick as mention a long with the 36th pick. Kamal and I will be doing a Gaffer & Hooligan evaluating the draft after it takes place, and I will probably contribute much post draft analysis in different articles and podcasts on RNO. With that said, here is my pre-draft analysis for the three Canadian clubs and Canadian players available in the draft. TORONTO FC



Toronto has the 9th pick, and in my opinion are hoping Richie Laryea falls to that position as he in many ways is a perfect fit as a platoon player with Marky Delgado on the right wing. Laryea played as a more offensive winger at Akron, which helped to score 11 goals and add 6 direct assists this past NCAA Division 1 season. However, as a pro I see him more as a wide midfielder providing width and not so much as an impact scorer. This pick would bring up some criticism for people who follow the Toronto soccer scene closely as Laryea, like Larin last year, should have been a Homegrown signings if Toronto FC were more astute at the Academy level. It also brings up past issues of how Kyle Bekker was treated as a TFC player and maybe to Laryea’s benefit TFC might not be the best option. If Laryea is taken early, Toronto can look at wingers Femi Hollinger-Jenzen or Eric Verso. These are American attacking players who can provide minutes and don't hurt the cap or count as international players. Eric Verso has done very well in the Combine so far and we at ProspectXI have dealt with him personally and feel he is also a very intelligent player and a fun addition for the TFC supporters. Another option is Forward Ben Polk, who is American born put grew up in England and has comparable skill sets to former Toronto FC player Bright Dike. Another option is an additional keeper, as Andrew Tarbell should be available and his GA contract means he wouldn't cost anything against the cap, or they could pick Callum Irving, although they could accomplish this by trading down and taking Irving later on. With the much later picks, interesting players for Toronto could be Jamacian winger Vincent Mitchell, forward and former Sounders academy player Jesse Klug, and if Tim Bezbatchenko want to go his alma mater route again Xavier and former Crew Academy player Rhodes Moore. There is also a number of good keeper options including for US youth international Kendell McIntosh, as well as Matt Bersano at Penn State and Zach Bennett from Michigan State. MONTREAL IMPACT



The Impact have the 14th, 24th and 34th pick. They are always a difficult club to evaluate in the draft since they put such low value on American based players. They are also a club whose style and systems play a large role in what they do on the field, which requires more out of new players. Options I like for the Impact are Polk, who I mentioned prior for TFC, but also international selections in the draft such as Jamaicans Jorgino James and Kevaughn Frater or Cameroon player Thomas Libih. Another Jamaican Kamal and I are both high on is Neco Brett, who played NCAA soccer for four years and was one of the top goalscorers in college. If Montreal wishes to go the American route, Elon's Miguel Salazar is a good technical player with Real Salt Lake Arizona Academy experience. Cameron Porter’s former teammate at Princeton Thomas Sanner and UNWC Colin Bonner are big bodies who can score goals. On defense, American Center Backs Kyler Fisher and Zach Carroll are potentially MLS ready, while foreign center backs who played NCAA college, Brazilan Ivan Magalhaes, Isle of Man's Liam Doyle and Italian Antonio Matarazzo bring in more technical skills, but also could play MLS minutes in their first season. Later in the draft Montreal could also look Canadian and draft Ryan James, who is the brother of Evan who Montreal picked in the 2012 draft. There is also two interesting Ottawa based players Brett Larocque who played at Bryant and Colin Phillips who scored 13 goals for Duquesne. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS



Vancouver has a strong history of good drafting, including taking a risk on Kekuta Manneh, and Tim Parker was a solid pick last year. They have the 16th, 29th and 36th pick and I think they are hoping Georgetown's Keegan Rosenberry falls to them as he is a good right back, but is also versatile and can play multiple positions. Next on the list might be North Carolina's Jordan McCrary who missed the entire season in 2014 with an ACL injury, but also has great experience in the US Youth National Team program. If the Whitecaps don't get Rosenberry or McCrary and are still looking for a full-back, the options are limited, although German Vincent Keller could play MLS minutes or other options are Costa Rican Dennis Castillo or American Duncan Baskus It seems after the off-season the Whitecaps greatest need is defense and they could also go for a center back in Fisher or Carroll, and there is also Tony Alfaro who grew up in America but was born in Mexcio and might work well with the other Spanish speaking players. While Georgetown's Cole Seiler and Washington's Micheal Gallagher are safe picks in a center back role. Outside of defense, hometown player and forward John Heard or names such as Polk, Brett and even Verso could give the club some potential offense, while like Montreal, Sanner and Bonner could add a big guy upfront which Vancouver missed last season. OTHER CANADIANS

There are a few other Canadians who were not invited to the MLS Combine. Sigma Alumni Mark Anthony Gonzalaz and Jordan Stoddart provide attacking options on the wing or upfront. Vancouver's Declan Rodriguez might be of interest to the Whitecaps, while Toronto could show interest in Nathan Kelsey and Isaiah Page. Oakland's Raphael Reynolds has good size and could play useful minutes for any of the three MLS clubs USL sides. I don't expect much interest from the American teams in Canadian NCAA Division 1 players outside of Laryea or Irving. It is difficult to do a mock draft, especially when you are talking much later picks in the draft so these suggestions are who I feel would benefit the Canadian MLS clubs based on the picks that they have. I'll be sure to give my take after the picks are made and give my opinion on how each Canadian team did as I have a good understanding of all the players who will be picked in the 2016 MLS Draft. Aaron Neilsen is a co-founder of Prospect XI (Prospect Eleven), a scouting network and online magazine dedicated to tracking/highlighting young players that refer to as "prospects" as well as their development pathways both within North America and worldwide. Follow PXI via www.prospectxi.com or on twitter @ProspectXI.