MLS SuperDraft 2019: Big Board
1. CM FRANKIE AMAYA*
I think the top-three players in this draft draft are interchangeable. Amaya has, perhaps, the second highest upside of any player, and is safer and more polished than Buchanan, even as the youngest player in the draft. Amaya can probably play anywhere in the midfield, and he'll probably get moved around before he settles into a particular role.
2. RW TAJON BUCHANAN*
Buchanan has a higher upside than any player in the draft. He has a good combination of pace, skill, and size. I think he can help a team from the get go due to his speed and ability to take on defenders 1 v 1. His final product needs work though, and he can get lost on the pitch for long stretches.
3. M SIAD HAJI*
Haji is good on the ball, is a good passer, and does a good job picking out teammates. He has a very high upside, and should be able to contribute off the bench right away. I'm not convinced he has the athletic ability to be a star on the wing, so it remains to be seen what his best position will be in MLS.
4. CB CALLUM MONTGOMERY
Montgomery is a composed and solid defender. He's clearly the best defender in the draft, and as a domestic CB he'll be coveted at the top of the draft.
5. F ANDRE SHINYASHIKI
He shined in his one game at the combine. He's very good on the ball, and is the best finisher in the draft. I believe he can play as a center forward, or on a wing. He and Montgomery are the two most polished players in the draft. His skill and pace remind me of Chris Mueller from last year's draft but Shiniyashiki is much better finisher.
6. RW DEJUAN JONES
Jones is the fastest player in the draft, and he will be able to stretch defenses from day-one. He also shows some could control, and finishing ability.
7. ST JJ WILLIAMS*
Williams is a big striker who had a very productive year at Kentucky. Due to his size and projection, he has a very high upside. However, I don't think he's close to reaching it, like say, Cyle Larin. Some may try to compare Williams to Mason Toye, a Generation Adidas prospect from a year ago, but Toye is much better on the ball, and I think Williams will best be served as a traditional target forward.
8. LB JOHN NELSON*
Nelson looks like he can be an above-average two-way fullback. I have him listed as the best fullback in the draft, but it's very close between he and the next two. Nelson will be coveted as a Generation Adidas player.
9. ST SANTIAGO PATINO
Patino had a good combine. He's a traditional number nine, that I compare to Bobby Wood. Patino is physically strong, and has good hold up play. He's also tenacious getting after the ball in the box.
10. FB AKEEM WARD
Ward is a great athlete with tremendous recovery speed. I think he's the best defensive fullback in the draft. He's versatile, and able to play on both sides.
11. M/FB GRIFFIN DORSEY*
Dorsey was deployed as a fullback in his lone combine match, and I think he fits the part. He reminds me of Brooks Lennon--which may seem like a lazy comparison. Dorsey will have to work on the defensive end, of course, but he'll become a threat from the right side.
12. FB LOGAN GDULA
Gaul looked better defensively in the second combine game, but I still think he'll need to work on that end more before he's ready for MLS. Gdula and Dorsey have higher upsides than Akeem Ward, but the latter is ready to contribute.
13. CM SERGIO RIVAS
Rivas is one of the best playmakers in the draft. However, it's very difficult for college-tens to transition to MLS. I'm not sure Rivas has enough athleticism to play on the wing, but he did show more grit and tackling ability than I expected, which gives me hope he can play centrally for the right team.
14. CM CAMDEN RILEY
From now on, every draft needs to have that guy we anoint as the "next Julian Gressel." I think Riley could be that type of player. He has attacking qualities, but showed at the combine he'll be able to adjust as an eight or a six in MLS. Some, Ives Galarcep, say Riley will eventually land as a ball-playing CB.
15. GK DAYNE ST. CLAIR*
St. Clair had an abysmal combine. However, I'm only willing to drop him so far. Goalies in the draft are very hit-or-miss, but there's still hype behind St. Clair, and he'll be taken by the fifteenth pick due to his Generation Adidas and domestic tags. On upside alone, St. Clair is a top-five pick.
16. CDM ANDERSON ASIEDU
Asiedu looks like a player who can step in and contribute immediately. He's the best ball-winner in the draft, and I may have him too low. I like Asiedu a lot, but I don't think there's much projection left in him. He's never going to offer much going forward, but he should carve out a role for several years. He'd do great coming on late in games to break up plays.
17. CB PROSPER FIGBE
Prosper Figbe is a player who impressed me a lot in the combine. He's a very physical center back, who bullies attackers off the ball. He's also significantly faster than I'd expect. He had the second fasted 30-yard dash time at the combine. I was also impressed with Figbe's passes out of the back. He's the second best center back on my board. I have him as a more athletic Lalas Abubakar.
18. CB KAMAL MILLER
Miller has good range, and is definitely a good passer out of the back. However, I have rated behind a couple others on the actually defensive part. So, I don't have him as high as others.
19. M BRAD DUNWELL
Dunwell did not have the best combine. He played as a lone number six, but wasn't able to show he could dictate play from the back. Going into the week, I wasn't sure Dunwell was a ball-winner, but he made a couple nice tackles, including one in the box against Tajon Buchanan on Wednesday. Dunwell has slipped, but he's a player I think can still contribute next year (ala Ken Krolicki).
20. FB CHASE GASPER
Gasper doesn't do anything special, but he's a solid two-way player. He's left-footed and domestic. Pencil him in as a first round pick.
21. CM TOMMY MCCABE
McCabe slipped behind Asiedu and Riley this week, but he still looks like a solid six or eight. He can win the ball in the midfield, and has solid distribution.
22. CB ALEX COMSIA
Comsia is a player I was very impressed with in the combine, and I have him higher than anyone else. He's excellent positionally. He can win the ball. He's a leader. He's a fair passer. He's a little undersized for a center back, but overall, I think he can play. He reminds me of Michael Parkhurst, and that's high praise.
23. CB JAMES HAUSER-RAMSEY
Hauser-Ramsey wasn't able to participate at the combine, but I think he has all the tools to be a center back in the MLS. He may be a little bit of a project, and need time in USL for a year.
24. CM AMIR SEJDIC
Sejdic is one of the best playmakers in the draft. However, he's not going to play as a number ten in the MLS. I don't think he has the athleticism to play out wide. So, he will have to play as an eight. He was better as a holding midfielder in the second game of the combine than he was in the first. He's not nearly as good defensively as the center mids listed above (even Sergio Rivas), but his passing is a plus skill, and I think he'll be able to break lines from deep.
25. M/FB JANOS LOEBE
Loebe played as a left back in the second combine match, and I bet that's where his home is professionally. He has good attacking attributes, and is a better than average athlete.
26. W/M TUCKER BONE
Bone is very good on the ball. He played as a free-roaming ten at the combine, but he's going to have to start out wide in MLS. He showed good vision and the ability to take on defenders.
27. W/M AMIR BASHTI
Bone and Bashti are very similar. I think Bashti's final ball is sharper, but Bone is the better on the ball.
28. CB ROY BOATENG
Boateng is a good athlete if a little undersized. I think he can be a no-frills center back.
29. FB MARCELLO BORGES
Borges struggled in the combine, but has flashed the ability to be a good two-way player on the left side. He may get hurt in the draft, because the position is so deep, and others have surpassed him.
30. FB ABDI MOHAMED
Mohamed is a good athlete on the right hand side. However, he looked very below average on the defensive end, and didn't forward enough during the combine to show his strengths. I think he has some upside, but will be a project.
*Generation Adidas player
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