I thought it would be interesting to take what we know now and put it against those previous drafts to see what would be different if the clubs had to redo those picks today. In some cases things will likely stay the same but overall I think we’d see a fairly different draft board.

Now I am only sticking to the first round, and I am only doing the 2009, 2010, and 2011 drafts. Possibly sometime next year I’ll do the 2012 one as well to add to this series but I felt going back to 2009 was as far as I could go here. A lot has changed since that year, as MLS has added four more clubs to the mix. I did not include players that were drafted and went over seas either as this draft did have a couple of those.

You may agree or disagree with some of these picks but its a fun look back at these drafts to see who did go where and who really should have been picked instead. 

Team	Pick	Player	Comments
	1	Steve Zakuani	Yes he got injured badly but I’d still take him at the top spot here any day of the week when looking back at this draft class. Zakuani’s pace and skill from the wing has been fun to watch over the years and before his injury last year he was on pace for a special season. (Original pick: Steve Zakuani)
	2	Omar Gonzalez	I always think that the Reds regret not picking Gonzalez. Cronin was a decent player in this time in Toronto (and he’s doing pretty good in San Jose these days) but no one has matched what Gonzalez has done in this league. Toronto would have had a defender that would have been a rock for many years. (Original pick: Sam Cronin)
	3	George John	Had the draft gone this way, LA still would have received one of the best defenders in the league in John. Amazing to think that he was drafted so late in the first round back in 2009 but John has turned into one of the league’s best defenders. I’d say he would have fit in nicely under Bruce Arena too. (Original pick: Omar Gonzalez)
	4	Stefan Frei	White never panned out in Toronto and was forced out in Seattle due to injuries. Frei has been a franchise keeper for the Reds since day one and they would have had to grab him earlier in my mind if they knew what he would turn out to be in this league. With someone like Gonzalez in front of him he would have been even better. (Original pick: O’Brien White)
	5	Graham Zusi	Looking at how Schellas Hyndman drafts now compared to back in 2009, it is easy to think that he wouldn’t have even sniffed Marosevic. Graham Zusi landed in the middle part of the second round with Kansas City and has turned out to be a special player in the midfield for Peter Vermes. (Original pick: Peri Marošević)
	6	Chris Pontius	D.C. still seems like a logical landing spot here for him, just one spot higher. (Original pick: Rodney Wallace)
	7	A.J. DeLeGarza	Speaking of their other pick in 2009, Wallace was good but not great. DeLeGarza landed in LA in the second round and has been one of the more underrated defenders in MLS since then. His transition from fullback to center back has been a good one too. I can’t help but think D.C. would have loved to end up with him. (Original pick: Chris Pontius)
	8	Matt Besler	No change in this pick for me. Besler has turned out to be a fine defender in MLS and for Sporting Kansas City. No reach on this pick after all. (Original pick: Matt Besler)
	9	Kevin Alston	While I do like Michael Lahoud, I think defensively down the road, Alston would have helped the Goats more. Chivas has been lacking a solid full back for the last few years and when healthy Alston has been one of the better ones in the Eastern Conference. (Original pick: Michael Lahoud)
	10	Danny Cruz	Cruz was a third round pick in 2009, mainly because there was so much unknown about him as a Generation adidas player. Houston was wise to grab him and develop him slowly. New England would have done a similar upbrining and I think in the end he would have added some solid stuff to their wing play. (Original pick: Kevin Alston)
	11	Sam Cronin	This was certainly a tough one, Hall was good at the time of this draft but never really lived up to the hype. Cronin was the second overall pick and had a ton of hype as well but his days in Toronto were short. In San Jose however he’s done well with the Quakes and has certainly made sure his early picking didn’t go totally in vain. (Original pick: Jeremy Hall)
	12	Rodney Wallace	Wallace in my mind is a guy that in the right system would be a fantastic player. Had he landed in Salt Lake, there is no question in my mind he would be a big time contributor for that club. (Original pick: Jean Alexandre)
	13	Baggio Husdic	Husdic was another late Generation adidas toss up pick in the second round. I was always a big fan of his and belived had he gotten on a different club things could have been different for him. I think Toronto could have snagged him here, giving them still one of the better drafts. (Original pick: Stefan Frei)
	14	Mike Fucito	Dallas fans may laugh at this one but given what else was out there in this draft with what they had at the time, drafting a young striker may seem like a dumb thing to do. But look at how well Fucito developed in Seattle, I honestly believe he would have done the same in Dallas. (Original pick: George John)
	15	Michael Lahoud	New England got next to nothing out of Maxwell. Lohoud has been a solid player with Chivas and would have been a natural pick here for the Revs. (Original pick: Ryan Maxwell)

Duke's Wenger heads to Montreal. (Photo via Duke Athletic Department)

After some back and forth this morning, the Montreal Impact held on to their number one pick and took Duke defender/midfielder Andrew Wenger.

Wenger should come in right away and be a starter for this expansion club. The 2011 Hermann Trophy winner can play literally any where on the field.

As much as me and everyone else said that the Impact would take Darron Mattocks, this pick makes a load of sense. Wegner was been pegged as a likely top-five pick for months. The former ACC Defensive Player of the Year was moved to striker this past season and excelled, notching 17 goals and eight assists as he was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

At 6’0″ and 185 pounds, Wegner is big enough to play in the center of defense, but expect him to slide into the midfield.  He’s similar to the likes of Perry Kitchen and Geoff Cameron in that regard, and he appears to be around that level of talent.

Oh SuperDraft Eve. You have to love the excitement surrounding a draft.

So many things can happen though between now and tomorrow afternoon. Teams will be wheeling and dealing all night in hopes of either moving up in the draft, finding some decent talent outside the draft in a trade, or just hoping that the one special player you’ve had your eye on since December is still available.

It’s fun.

Today I present to you all my final mock draft of the year. As I stated in my previous mock draft, I wanted to wait until after the Combine was up to put up another mock draft. There was a ton of change from my last mock draft as several other Generation adidas players signed and seeing some players shine more than others at the Combine. More than likely I’ll be wrong on 90% of this but I was still going on what I felt each team needed at their position in the draft.

As you’ll see one of the GAs fell really low, I kind of have a feeling one or even two could drop to the second round this year. It’s happened in the past so don’t get too shocked if it happens again this year.

So here you go folks, discuss away.

2012 MLS Mock Draft – Version 3.0 (*- Generation adidas player)

Team	Pick	Player	Comments
	1	Darren Mattocks, F, Akron*	I still see no way the Impact pass on Mattocks. Speedy goalscorers are tough to come by in any league and for an expansion team they are even harder to get.
	2	Andrew Wenger, D/M, Duke*	No change here as Wenger falls to the Whitecaps and new manager Martin Rennie. Pretty sure everyone in the world has him going to the Whitecaps.
	3	Chandler Hoffman, F, UCLA*	Hoffman certainly made his mark on the Combine this past week. We know the Revs have been dying for a big time goal scorer these last couple of seasons and Hoffman may be the answer to their prayers.
	4	Kelyn Rowe, M, UCLA*	My gut is starting to tell me this pick could get traded. Lots of folks want this spot and Toronto does have the No. 12 to fall back on and still get a quality player. Should they stay here, I think grabbing Rowe makes a tons of sense for Aron Winter.
	5	Luis Silva, M, UCSB	Chivas is still a club with so many needs that this pick could go a couple different ways. Silva should be a top ten pick in this draft and I think Chivas would be wise to take this attacking midfielder.
	6	Nick DeLeon, M, Louisville	Keeping one of the better pure talents in the top ten. DeLeon had a good enough Combine that should keep him in the top 10. He’s one of the better attacking midfielders in this draft and San Jose has a need in that area.
	7	Casey Townsend, F, Maryland	Townsend clearly had one of the better Combines. I think he’d compete for a starting role with DC and be someone that can help Dwayne De Rosario out in a big way.
	8	Matt Hedges, D, UNC	No change in this pick for me. They have a need in their defense to fill and taking the best defender available at this point in the draft is what they should do.
	9	Tyler Polak, D, Creighton*	With some of the better strikers off the board, the Fire go defensive and get a future prospect in Polak. He’s a member of the Fire PDL side, so he is one of them already.
	10	Ethan Finlay, F/M, Creighton	With Robbie Rogers out the door to Leeds United, this pick fills a need to help make up for that loss. Finlay can play up top or on the wing like he did at the Combine.
	11	Austin Berry, D, Louisville	I’ve gone back and forth on this one but Schellas Hyndman has said defense is a priority with the club’s only pick. They could snatch a GA at this spot but getting someone with a little more experience like Berry is where Hyndman will likely lean to.
	12	Andrew Jean-Baptiste, D, UCONN*	A tough pick to figure out. Should they keep both picks, this one will likely be the defensive selection. Jean-Paptiste gives Winter someone to develop and someone that should fit into his system nicely over time.
	13	Chris Estridge, D, Louisville	Going defensive still makes the most sense with this pick but I’m sure with three GAs on the board, Peter Nowak will have a hard time passing one of them up. He didn’t have a great Combine but his ability to play on either flank has to be attractive to Nowak.
	14	Sam Garza, M, UCSB*	When the Rapids got Hunter Freeman in the Re-Entry Draft last month it allowed this pick to open up a hair. When Garza slipping down a bit, the Rapids will love picking up a future prospect and add some depth to their wings.
	15	Dom Dwyer, F, USF*	You have to think Sigi Schmid would be beside himself if he can get a quality young striker at no cost like Dwyer. He’d be able to open the field up with his speed and give Seattle that big spark off the bench.
	16	Tommy Meyer, D, Indiana	I still think there is a solid chance this pick goes offensive but with most of the bigger name strikers and attacking midfielders off the board, Peter Vermes would be wise to sure up his defense a bit. Meyer is a physical back that Vermes will love having.
	17	Calum Mallace, M, Marquette	Mallace had a very impressive Combine, one that could land him higher than this. He is a solid holding midfielder that would fit perfectly in Jason Kreis’ system. Look for him to be a reliable Kyle Beckerman backup.
	18	Enzo Martinez, M, UNC*	Last of the GAs to go, I think it could be between him, Dwyer and Garza to slip even further down into the section round but I think the Dynamo would love to get their hands on a young talent to boost their attack. Plus the whole thing about not counting towards the salary cap is huge for them this year.
	19	Andy Rose, M, UCLA	A vertisle defensive midfielder that can also play center back. Rose could help fill in for Omar Gonzalez and provide some cover in the midfield if needed.

Thursday’s SuperDraft will be here before we know it. I’ll be fairly busy with the day job over the next day and a half but I did want to get this up today. With one final day of the Combine, teams are hoping to fill as many holes in this draft as they possibly can. Some teams will only get one shot at it (FC Dallas) while others have a few chances to add depth (Toronto).

Getting it right with the pick in the draft isn’t always easy. Some teams will draft for need, while others will draft for the future. Then you will have a team or two that will just take what is the best available option at that time.

Below is a look at each club’s needs going in to Thursday’s draft.

Chicago Fire

I’ve thought all winter that the forward position was the most pressing need. It still is even with the likes of Patrick Nyarko and Dominic Odurio running around up top for the Fire. With three picks over the two rounds on Thursday, grabbing a striker and some defensive depth is key for them. I think it will be go big with their first round selection and hope that some quality defensive help comes to them in the second round.

Chivas USA

The Goats have made some head scratching moves so far this offseason so I wouldn’t expect the draft to be any different. Luckily for this club they have drafted fairly well over the last few years. With another high pick on the way, they need to make a splash. Two big areas of concern are their fullback position (particularly at right back where last year’s pick Zarek Valentin played) and up top (where Justin Braun used to roam). With so few options up top right now, grabbing a striker may be the way to go in the first round.

Colorado Rapids

The Rapids pick at a tough spot in the first round, not quite in the middle but towards the end of the first round. Their wings are currently pretty thin and their defense could use a piece or two. Either way they go it has to be in one of those two areas on Thursday. I say that now but watch them surprise us all and take a striker – a position that wouldn’t be the worst thing to do either given the fact that Conor Casey is returning from injury this year.

Columbus Crew

The Crew sit in the middle of this draft and have a shot at landing some decent talent in the first round. Adding talent on the wings is a start, along with on the fullback side as well. But to me adding a big time playmaker in the midfield wouldn’t be the worst way to go. We saw what their young team could do last year and I’d expect them to carry the load once more in 2012. If they can snag a Generation adidas player in the first round that would be a good thing for their future.

DC United

I’ve said all along adding an attacking midfielder would be a wise way to go in the first round. That would take some heat off Dwayne De Rosario and let him be himself again. Also adding some depth to the defense, particularly at left back would be good as well. But a big need may just be up top for United. No Charlie Davies and an aging Josh Wolff doesn’t bode well for their outlook if they don’t address it.

FC Dallas

A few different ways this club could go on Thursday but with one pick they have a lot of pressure to get it right. To me it comes down to either adding a winger or even an attacking midfielder to help bring a spark off the bench, or a center back. With George John having one foot out the door and the other in England, adding defensive cover may be the most pressing need of all.

Houston Dynamo

Getting it right with such a late pick won’t be easy but there is talent in this draft that the Dynamo and Dominic Kinnear will find. We know how well this club drafts so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue to draft so late. They’re pretty set in the defense and mostly in the midfield. I think adding an attacking midfielder wouldn’t be a bad way to go. But the main need still remains is up top. Its always a gamble to take a striker so late in the draft and hope he turns out gold for you but with Brian Ching gone and no big name coming in up top to play, this may be the route they have to take.

LA Galaxy

The MLS Cup champions have address a few areas of concern already this winter but adding a Juninho replacement may be the top order on the menu. But with Omar Gonzalez’s injury things aren’t so clear as to what the Galaxy really need. It will certainly come down to who is there at No. 19 and who isn’t for Bruce Arena. If a quality defender is available then that is the big need or else they will have to look somewhere else for a replacement for him. Also, adding depth at right back wouldn’t be bad either.

Montreal Impact

So far this club has done well building their roster for their expansion campaign but just like always with any expansion team there are needs everywhere. With the top pick in the draft, grabbing a future prospect up top will go a long way for them. I think like with any expansion team, adding some defensive cover will also be a wise move for them in this draft.

New England Revolution

Plenty of needs all around for this club. The biggest still remains up top as they have longed for a Taylor Twellman replacement for a couple years now. Adding depth on the wings is also important for Jay Heaps as they are incredibly thin. And lastly in defensive the depth there isn’t too grand either.  Heaps has a lot of work to do with only a couple picks to do it in.

New York Red Bulls

Depth was a major issue for this club in 2011 and with Tim Ream reportedly on his way out to Bolton, adding some defensive cover has to be a big concern for this group. With only one pick – coming late in the second round – I don’t expect a whole lot out of this team. What is weird about this team is that they’ve drafted fairly well over the years but none of their picks really have panned into anything great until they leave the club. There is still the goalkeeper issue with this team as well but with so few options in goal in this draft, they’ll probably have to look outside of this draft for that.

Philadelphia Union

They’ve slowly address some concerns in their defense this winter, which should go a long way in 2012. I still think adding a piece or two in the back wouldn’t be a bad way to go though. Outside of that, getting some depth and quality in the midfield to replace Justin Mapp and potentially Keon Daniels has to be an area that Peter Nowak will concentrate on.

Portland Timbers

Defensive depth is key for the Timbers in this draft. They were let down time and time again last year in the back – with some of the quality defenders in this draft – they have a change to get a good one. Possibly adding some depth on the wings would be wise as well.

Real Salt Lake

The core of this team is set – that much we certainly know – but with the pending CCL games on the slate again this year they need depth. Jason Kreis has done well at finding gems in this draft before and he’ll need to do so again to address the thin midfield depth and defensive depth that he has right now. When veterans like Robbie Russell and Andy Williams move on, you know that has to be a couple places that they are looking at.

San Jose Earthquakes

A playmaker has to be at the top of the list for the Quakes. After adding a couple midfield pieces and defensive cover this winter, Frank Yallop needs that guy in the attack that can create more chances for Chris Wondolowski and even take the pressure off of him for having to score all the goals. After that I wouldn’t mind seeing them go for a little more defensive cover. They have talent in the back but keeping them healthy has been a challenge over the last couple years.

Seattle Sounders FC

Two areas jump out at me right away, the left back position and up top. Seattle does have quality options behind Fredy Montero in Mike Fucito and Sammy Ochoa but with potentially more CCL games this year in the spring and in the fall, they will need all the attacking options they can get. With Tyson Wahl gone, the left back position needs some help, as does having some more depth in the middle of the defense.

Sporting Kansas City

No major needs outside of depth for this club. I do think adding some defensive cover should be the top priority though either in the back or in the defensive side of the midfield. I think we could easily still see Peter Vermes go offensive again this year since Omar Bravo is gone and Teal Bunbury will likely be busy with the Olympics and World Cup qualifiers this year.

Toronto FC

It remains to be all about defense still for this side. WIth two first round picks, the Reds have a good shot at taking home two quality players in day one. Aron Winter could also use a good playmaker in the midfield to help keep Danny Koevermans busy. Either way there is a lot of hope for this club in the first round, it will be interesting if they make it count.

Vancouver Whitecaps

Outside of the draft this winter they’ve already address one of their bigger needs, defense. Now they can focus on drafting for depth and quality in their midfield. With the No. 2 pick on Thursday, new manager Martin Rennie has a shot at landing a very good player for years to come.

The MLS Combine starts this afternoon and the four teams have been released. Below is where everyone will be playing with this weekend.

adiZero

Coach: Barlow

adiPower

Coach: Cirovski

adiPure

Coach: Tompkins

Prime

Coach: Clark

It isn’t every day that a bright young player like Junior Flores comes around. Major League Soccer knows it and is trying desperately to add him to their 2012 Generation adidas class.

Reports from the Washington Post say that the league has already offered Flores a lucrative GA contract, one likely to be on the high end of those deals signed in this class.

Why is Flores being courted so much?

Simple, the 15-year old is a star in the making. He led Manassas Park High School to a Virginia state championship as a freshman last spring, and had a goal and three assists for the U.S. under-17s in the Nike International Friendlies in late November, leading them to the tournament championship.

And he is also being sought after by several teams overseas, including German club Borussia Dortmund.

Plenty of MLS teams want to get their hands on this attacking midfielder. Most feel they can bring him up slowly and make him into a star rather than putting him out there on day one like some other teenagers have done in the past in MLS. The Post article says that Seattle, San Jose, Dallas and Chicago are interested in him. More than likely a few other teams are as well including a club near his home town, DC United.

Should he sign a GA deal he will add even more depth to the already attacking-heavy draft class.

Enzo Martinez has signed with MLS. (Photo via UNC Athletics)

The Generation adidas class for 2012 is nearly complete. UNC midfielder Enzo Martinez has signed his GA deal with the league but his former Tar Heel teammate Billy Schuler declined his offer from the league to go to Europe.

Reports out of Sweden say that Hammarby IF (yes, Greg Berhalter’s new club) is close to signing the Tar Heel to a deal. Schuler joins Virginia’s Brian Span who  signed with another Swedish club, top-flight outfit Djurgardens.

Schuler had been projected to be one of the first few players picked in next week’s SuperDraft. He was included on the initial combine roster released by MLS and was offered a GA deal but turned that down to pursue European options instead.

Martinez signed has signed a GA contract, becoming the sixth member of the 2012 Generation adidas class. He joins a group of midfielders that will make this draft a very attacking-based. More than likely he will end up playing on the wings in the pro level rather than in the middle of the park. It all depends on where he lands though in the league.

With Schuler not signing with the league, MLS has turned it’s sights on Creighton fullback Tyler Polak, South Florida striker Dom Dwyer and UConn centerback Andrew Jean-Baptiste. All three have been offered a contract with the league but according to some reports, their offers are significantly less than the first few that have signed with the league.