The 19-player roster will be finalized March 20, the due date for all participating teams to submit their rosters to CONCACAF. The U.S. will compete in Group A which kicks off March 22 at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.

A total of 13 players on the roster come from MLS clubs, with D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union each contributing a pair.

GOALKEEPERS (2): Bill Hamid (D.C. United; Annandale, Va.), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire; Lilburn, Ga.)

DEFENDERS (6): Joshua Gatt (Molde; Plymouth, Mich.), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United; Indianapolis, Ind.), Ike Opara (San Jose Earthquakes; Durham, N.C.), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo; Huber Heights, Ohio), Zarek Valentin (Montreal Impact; Lancaster, Pa.), Jorge Villafaña (Chivas USA; Anaheim, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Joe Corona (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Mix Diskerud (Gent; Oslo, Norway), Jared Jeffrey (Mainz; Richardson, Texas), Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union; Sacramento, Calif.), Michael Stephens (LA Galaxy; Naperville, Ill.)

FORWARDS (7): Freddy Adu (Philadelphia Union; Potomac, Md.), Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls; Barnegat, N.J.), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund; Berlin, Germany), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City; Prior Lake, Minn.), Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim; Silver Spring, Md.), Brek Shea (FC Dallas; Bryan, Texas), Tony Taylor (Estoril Praia; Jacksonville, Fla.)

LA's Michael Stephens leads the rookie class right now. (Getty Images)

For several clubs this is the midway point of the season. The rest are one or two games away from being halfway home for the year with one exception in Philadelphia who are three games away from that mark.

The last month and a half since my last update have seen some shifts in the rookie watch list as a few guys are really positioning themselves as real Rookie of the Year candidates.

As the summer rolls on I may update this more as we really see who those candidates are and who won’t be. I have a strong feeling about a few of these guys while a few others I’ve lost a bit of interest in here lately. This can all change so don’t get too upset if your club’s top rookie isn’t listed or isn’t talked about in the highest of praise today.

Below is my order in how I see the rookie race shaping up as of today:

1. Michael Stephens (LA Galaxy) – While Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle were out doing their South African duties, it was Stephens who helped the Galaxy faithful stay happy by not allowing the club to miss a beat in their absence. He has seven assists right now which is pretty sick for a rookie. Right now if the season ended he would be my top vote getter for this award, hands down.

2. Danny Mwanga (Philadelphia Union) – Five goals so far this season and they’ve all been quality. For a club that lacks a punch up top its Mwanga who is finally showing up and becoming a serious scoring threat for the Union. He’s not turning into a Nik Besagno or Chance Myers here folks.

3. Andy Najar (D.C. United) – The academy star continues to shine. D.C. is all the better with him on the pitch which is really impressive to see from him.

4. Ike Opara (San Jose Earthquakes) – One of my favorites of this class is Opara. He is the biggest reason in my mind why San Jose is in the thick of things this season.

5. Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls) – He was the best rookie for the first part of the season but he’s dipped down in play for me lately since my last update. If New York can stay in contention it will help his chances but some guys have moved past him here.

6. Blair Gavin (Chivas USA) – He’s really the only thing left for Chivas in the midfield now that Sacha Kljestan is gone. Thankfully his future looks brighter than his team’s season.

7. Zach Schilawski (New England) – His play along with his club has dipped drastically in recent weeks.

Feel like I missed on someone, let’s hear it below.

Danny Mwanga is starting to shine in Philadelphia. (Getty Images)

Its been a little over a month since last I dived into any real rookie discussion on here. Over the last month a few rookies have begun stepping out in front of the pack just like we normally see from season to season.

This year’s rookie class may not be as strong right now as last years but there are a lot of quality players in this mix. As the summer rolls on with busier schedules we’ll likely see more out of these guys too.

Just like in years past I won’t go into who I think is leading the pack for the Rookie of the Year award until later on in the season. But with nearly a third of the games done this season we’re starting to get a clearer picture of who will be leading that race. These next two months will tell us more so stay tuned. The list below is in no real order, so take the numbers beside the players with a grain of salt.

1. Tim Ream, New York – He’s still probably the best rookie so far this season though just like his club he’s been slipping lately. Still he looks more like a three or four-year veteran of the league and not a rookie.

2. Danny Mwanga, Philadelphia – His game-tying goal against FC Dallas this past week showed me a whole lot about this kid. First of all his confidence probably just shot up and second he’ll likely be getting more chances to score in the coming weeks.

3. Ike Opara, San Jose – The Earthquakes are a different club with him on the pitch. We knew he’d make them better defensively but I’ll honestly say I didn’t expect the Quakes to be doing this good this early so far.

4. Zach Schilawski, New England – He hasn’t produced much over the last month but neither has his club. He still has the ability to be a difference maker this year for Steve Nicol.

5. Andy Najar, D.C. United – The academy star has really impressed me lately. He’s the bright spot on a rather ugly team.

6. Blair Gavin, Chivas USA – These last few weeks have been telling for Chivas but their midfield has improved a lot due to Gavin.

7. Michael Stephens, LA – I think he’ll likely be in the discussion for Rookie of the Year by the end of the season. He isn’t a big difference maker right now for the Galaxy but watch him over the next month and a half, you’ll see how good he’s going to be here.

8. Zach Loyd, FC Dallas – He’s taken over a starting role in the Dallas defense and things are slowly turning around for FCD in the process.

9. Steven Beitashour, San Jose – The lowest draft pick on this list (No. 30), he’s probably been the most underrated rookie so far this year.

10. Collen Warner, RSL – We said he’d be a gem for Jason Kreis and he’s starting to show that.

Toronto's O'Brian White looks to break out in 2010.

Normally in my season previews I go team-by-team but this year as I mentioned earlier in the week I am doing something a little different. Instead of the old way I’m trying something new to break up the content and give folks a little more room for discussion.

Today’s topic is all about who is the next guy to be a big impact player in this league. Or for someone to finally come out of their shell and help lead their club to the playoffs or even better a MLS Cup. I know a lot of these previews depend on the league and the player’s coming together on a new CBA but for the sake of things we’ll be optimistic here and say they do come to terms on something soon.

So I went club to club and asked a few folks who they thought would be the next big thing for their clubs. Some clubs will have just one guy to watch out for and some will have two. If a guy you think is going to break out this season isn’t on this list, hit the comments below with your reasoning behind it.

Now some are rookies and others are guys that have been around the league for a little while. I tried to balance it out between those two groups.

1. Patrick Nyarko (Chicago Fire): Even with the recent addition of Collins John I still expect a big year from Nyarko. His speed and skill (even off the bench) will be tough for some teams to deal with. I’ve always been a fan of Nyarko so in a way this is just me hoping he finally reaches his potential as a player in this league.

2. Osael Romero (Chivas USA): Its hard to pick someone on a team that has a bunch of veteran players, a bunch of young players and a batch of international players. I’m picking an international mainly because I have to think Romero may be the answer to their issues in the midfield. He’ll be the guy they look to distribute the offense and keep pressure off their defense.

3. Wells Thompson (Colorado Rapids): I really think a new address will be the key for this kid. He was in New England for the first few years of his career and did alright under Steve Nicol but I see bigger and better things out west with the Rapids for him. Look for him to add depth to the wings and help produce some offense this season. Colorado is dangerous when their wing play is going well and Thompson will provide that.

4. Jed Zayner (Columbus Crew): The Crew are still a dangerous team and with young defenders like Zayner I can’t see a reason not to consider them a contender once again in 2010.

5. Chris Pontius/Brandon Barklage (D.C. United): The Black-and-Red get two on my list. I see Pontius jumping out even more this season after a superb rookie campaign. Barklage is a guy I’ve been watching for a while now. I think this is a year he’ll get a lot more playing time and DC should be better for it.

6. Brek Shea/Bryan Leyva (FC Dallas): I honestly see this as Shea’s big year. He should be a starter this year for Schellas Hyndman out wide and I think he could make some noise once again with clubs overseas with his play. Leyva on the other hand is is a 17-year old project that should see some time this season. Believe me he’s got all the tools to be a very good player in MLS.

7. Cam Weaver (Houston Dynamo): Dominic Kinnear brought Weaver over from San Jose in a trade last year and it paid off right away with a couple goals. But injuries and setbacks got in the way. I think a new season will get Weaver a little more time on the field for a club that needs all the help it can get offensively.

8. Kei Kamara (Kansas City Wizards): With Claudio Lopez gone I fully see Kamara getting a lot more time on the pitch for the Wizards. Based on his preseason reports he’s doing pretty well so far. I think for the Wizards to reach the playoffs one of the things that need to happen is Kamara get to at least 7 to 10 goals. With his speed there’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to get near that mark.

9. Michael Stephens (LA Galaxy): He may be just a rookie but look for loads of good things out of Stephens this year. He’s exactly the type of player that Bruce Arena can mold into a good role player for the Galaxy in the midfield, an area they needed some youth in.

10. Zack Schilawski (New England Revolution): Another rookie I think will have a very good first year. With Taylor Twellman still iffy for the Revs, Steve Nicol will need another breakout rookie to shine, and Schilawski will be just the guy that does in 2010.

11. Tim Ream/Tony Tchani (New York Red Bulls): Weird that the Red Bulls would get two breakout stars and both be rookies but I’ll give you a reason for both. Tchani for obvious reasons like him being a total beast. Ream may be one of the most underrated rookies out there. Look for him to be the Darrius Barnes of 2010.

12. Andrew Jacobson (Philadelphia Union): He would have been on this list if he were still in Washington. With such a young team Philly really could have any number of breakout stars but I have a good feeling on Jacobson doing well for Peter Nowak this season.

13. Collen Warner (Real Salt Lake): Another rookie but Warner is one you need to start paying attention to right away. He might not get a lot of playing time early but coming off the bench he’ll prove to be very valuable for Jason Kreis’ team as they look to defend their title.

14. Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes): San Jose may have been the toughest team to figure out who would be a breakout star this season. I went with Wondo for a couple reasons, he’s still relatively young and second he’s got to be a guy that can provide a few goals off the bench or even as a starter if the Quakes want to be better in 2010. From what I’ve seen out of him I know he can do it, its just a matter of him hitting that potential this year.

15. Sanna Nyassi (Seattle Sounders FC): Twin brother of Sainey Nyassi (New England), look for him to get plenty of time off the bench this year for Sigi Schmid. They need quick players on the wing and Nyassi is one of the quickest.

16. O’Brian White (Toronto FC): Here’s a guy I’m very excited to see breakout this season. He didn’t come on to the scene last year until mid-way through the year due to injuries. Look for White to be a key part in the offense going forward this year for TFC. He showed a lot of promise late in the year and I see that momentum carrying over in to the new season.

The Galaxy could actually be better in 2010 than what they were in 2009. (Getty Images)

We’re a little over half way home in our look at each Major League Soccer club this winter. So far we’ve hammered out Chicago, Colorado, Chivas, Columbus, DC, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, and Philadelphia in out preseason look ins.

So far this winter the LA Galaxy have had a similar offseason that we expected them to have. David Beckham went to Italy to be with AC Milan and Landon Donovan went to England to play for Everton until March. We knew going into the winter months that those things would happen. Unlike last year when there was a lot of bad press about loan moves for Beckham, this year was a little smoother for the two sides.

Aside from that Bruce Arena has made a couple moves since then and even with one draft pick back in January at the SuperDraft he came away with a solid draft grade by me and most people.

Let’s see how the Galaxy are looking right now and what else they need to do to their roster before the season kicks off.

Keepers:

Who they have: Donovan Ricketts, and Josh Saunders.

Notes: No third keeper on the books just yet but I’m sure they’ll have one eventually. It doesn’t matter though as I honestly believe they have one of the best starter/backup duos in the league with Ricketts and Saunders.

We know that Saunders can step in at a moments notice if Ricketts goes down but for the most part Arena has little to worry about in this department.

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Defense:

Who they have: Gregg Berhalter, Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, Yohance Marshall, Alex, AJ DeLaGarza, Leonardo, and Sean Franklin.

Notes: There were plenty of issues with this group last year, particularly when a team had speed to burn they’d be in trouble. Most folks believe the two Brazilians (Alex and Leonardo) are there to fix that as well as provide depth. Honestly this group is only going to get better considering the amount of youth there. I know Berhalter and Dunivant aren’t young but with guys like Franklin, DeLaGarza and Gonzalez this group should be fine for years to come.

I think they addressed their needs with the two Brazilians too. I haven’t seen much of them yet but a couple folks have told me they’ll fit in fine for Arena in the back. Alex was brought in to fill a left back spot and I’d imagine the Arena and company aren’t as worried about this group as they were two months ago.

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Midfield:

Who they have: David Beckham, Clint Mathis, Eddie Lewis, Chris Klein, Dema Kovalenko, Mike Magee, Juninho, Chris Birchall, and Michael Stephens.

Notes: They won’t have Beckham until after the World Cup, we know that much and really that isn’t a big deal as we saw last year. The big deal with this group is even though they added Juninho and Stephens they haven’t gotten any younger. I’m not sure but I am willing to bet this may be the oldest group of midfielders in the entire league right now. Its a risky move to have that many veteran players in one area of the team and at times last year it costed them.

Still as long as all the right parties are healthy and the ones that come off the bench produce they should see similar results from 2009. I love the addition of Stephens through the SuperDraft. He may end up being one of the more underrated picks of this year.

I would have like to have seen some more work done in this area on the wings but between the draft and the addition of Juninho and Mathis they will likely be fine here.

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Forwards:

Who they have: Landon Donovan, Edson Buddle, Jovan Kirvoski, Alecko Eskandarian, Tristan Bowen, Alen Gordon, and Bryan Jordan.

Notes: Donovan will be back but after the World Cup will he go again for good may be a big question on everyone’s mind. I think the big thing will be if Buddle can step up when he is gone with the national team leading up to the World Cup and during the it. Buddle is the X-factor here for Arena and the Galaxy, if he produced while Donovan is gone they’ll easily be a factor for the Supporter’s Shield this year, if not it could be a long summer.

They do have plenty of strikers right now on the books but one has to wonder if guys like Jordan, Gordon, Eskandarian and Kirvoski will really all be here at the end of this season. One has to figure at least one of them won’t be. Still all will factor in some way off the bench this year.

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Overall:

I like the moves LA made this winter. In a way I want to say that they’re right on track to where they need to go but something in me thinks they may need to do a another move or two to be safe. This club should contend even without having Beckham for half the year and even without Donovan for some of the year as well. It will be interesting to see if Donovan scores a transfer this summer after the World Cup, if he does it could a big turning point in this club because it would open up a lot of cap space that I know Arena could work wonders with.

Still with Donovan on the roster you have to figure this club will do well this year. I like where this club is going here and they should contend again this year.

So after a few weeks of doing this mock draft it is time for the fifth and final one. Weeks of speculation have come to this as tomorrow the league will hold its annual draft. I’ve gone back and forth for weeks over how teams will pick tomorrow and there is a chance I may be right about a few of them.

Unlike years before it seems like the draft order we have for the first couple rounds is what we will get tomorrow. Not many clubs seems to be trading with one another yet but as we all know anything could change tomorrow with just one single trade.

Two teams to keep an eye on though are Dallas and Toronto. I’ve heard for a while TFC really wants to trade up and get Bunbury early in the draft. That means they’ll need either NY or San Jose’s pick. As for Dallas I could see them deal one of their picks to NY so they can get Dilly Duka.

So with no more delay I give you my final mock draft. Feel free to leave you comments below.

2010 WVH Mock Draft

(* = underclassmen)
(! = Generation adidas signing)

1. Philadelphia Union – Danny Mwanga*!, F, Oregon State

No change here, Mwanga was not at the Combine because he was told he would be the first pick. The kid will have some serious pressure to produce though with the reports going around that his Generation adidas deal is worth near $200,000.

2. New York Red Bulls – Tony Tchani*!, M, Virginia

Yes, as I mentioned the other day I am off the Duka bandwagon. Not because of what people like Ives or other writers out there has said but because of how new GM Eric Soler is handling this draft. He’s looking toward Richie Williams more to help him with this draft and get to know the American players. Smart move Eric. As for Tchani over Opara it comes down to two things: Opara staying in school until May to finish his degree and Tchani was a beast at the Combine.

3. San Jose Earthquakes – Ike Opara*!, D, Wake Forest

The Quakes still land Opara for me though I honestly would be shocked at all if they deal this pick tomorrow. Why? Because for some reason the Quakes haven’t taken the draft serious since they came back into the league. They’d be wise however to hang on and get Opara to improve that horrible defense from last year. But with Opara one has to wonder if his returning to school until May will send him further down this draft list or not.

4. Kansas City Wizards – Teal Bunbury*!, F, Akron

Second-worst in goals scored in 2009 means you need offensive help. Enter Bunbury who is ever bit as good as Mwanga and will benefit from learning off of guys like Claudio Lopez and Josh Wolff.

5. FC Dallas (from Toronto FC) – Corben Bone*!, M/F, Wake Forest

Bone slides back up for me here in the final mock draft. He’s a Dallas product that can contribute early for Schellas Hyndman. That’s key for a coach that really doesn’t want too many more  young players at the moment.

6. FC Dallas – Zach Loyd, M/D, UNC

I asked a two people I knew at the Combine who was one of the most MLS-ready players there and both said Loyd. Go over and read any Combine report from MLS Insider or SBI or Goal.com and they each say great things about Loyd. Big thing that Hyndman will love about Loyd is he can play so many positions. I’m sure he will fit in where ever he is placed in Dallas. (Note: I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Dallas trades this pick to NY so they can get Duka)

7. DC United – Dilly Duka*!, M, Rutgers/U-20

I honestly went back and forth and back and forth again on this pick. Really DC has so many areas that they need help in both offensive and defensive. The thing is with Curt Onalfo on board as head coach I think he leans offensive in this pick. Duka had a solid enough Combine and most agree he’s put himself somewhere in the top ten. Yes I know this pick would drive New York fans nuts.

8. Columbus Crew (from Colorado) – Jack McInerney, F, U-17 MNT

This one may be a stretch but I’ve lots of good things about McInerney from the Combine. It seems like no matter what he was moving up the boards this week and into the top ten. The Crew need a striker and McInerney may be the perfect fit for them here. They could go with Andre Akpan but I think a prospect like McInerney may be too tough to pass up here.

9. New England Revolution – Toni Stahl, M, UConn

I’ve been sitting on this pick for a while and I haven’t come close to changing it. Stahl will be a starter on day one, mark it down.

10. Chivas USA – Amobi Okugo*!, M, UCLA

I came close to moving Okugo up to seven or eight on this board but at the end I decided to stick with what I’ve had for a few weeks here with Chivas. Okugo helps provide some serious cover for the defensive part of the midfield.

11. Seattle Sounders FC – Andre Akpan, F, Harvard

A lot of people said Akpan show the least at the Combine. Sometimes players do that when they go into the Combine with a contract in hand. I see Sigi Schmid snatching him up here in the process though. The Sounders need some attacking help and Akpan brings quality size and speed to the table.

12. Columbus Crew – Blair Gavin*!, M, Akron

Still no change in me with Gavin. He’ll fall anywhere between 10 and 14 from what most are saying and this pick falls right in the middle of that. He’ll bring some solid depth to an already good midfield there in Columbus.

13. Chicago Fire – Kwame Watson-Siriboe, D, UConn

I said last week I was waiting to see exactly what kind of Combine this kid would have. I knew his talents were there and he showed them off very well apparently. He’s played himself into being the second defender taken in tomorrow’s draft. Good thing for the Fire too because we know they need the defensive help here. (Note: He did suffer a pretty bad injury at the Combine, no word on how long it will keep him out.)

14. New York Red Bulls (from Houston) – Austin de Luz, M, Wake Forest

Look for the Red Bulls to make a play on this pick and try to move up in the first round to still get Duka. It wouldn’t shock me at all to see them trade with Dallas at number six to get him but maybe more on that later. If not I think this is where they go to by adding a creative midfielder like de Luz. Yes defense is an issue but my gut feeling is they’ll look outside of MLS to get defensive help this winter.

15. LA Galaxy – Andrew Wiedeman*!, F, Cal

Wiedeman reportedly had the worst Combine of any first round player. I see him slipping this far to Bruce Arena and the Galaxy who will be taking a striker with this pick. We could also see Bruce go for Wake Forest striker Zach Schilawski.

16. Real Salt Lake – Zach Schilawski, F, Wake Forest

If Schilawski goes to the Galaxy just flip the Wiedeman pick here. Either way they go with a striker at 16 as well.

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Second Round

17. Philadelphia Union – Kyle Nakazawa, M, UCLA

Philly adds some midfield pieces here with Nakazawa. Remember assistant coach John Hackworth is very familiar with Nakazawa from his days coaching the 2005 U.S. Under-17 World Cup team.If he’s already taken I could see them grab UCLA’s Michael Stephens here.

18. New York Red Bulls – Drew Yates, M, Maryland

A lot depends on if they do end up trading around to get Duka here but if not I see them adding a guy that really impressed at the Combine. Some will have him going late in the first round but I kind of still see him as a second round selection here.

19. San Jose Earthquakes – Michael Stephens, M, UCLA

No change from last week for me here. I don’t think Stephens played his way into the first round but he’ll still fall somewhere early in the second round. The Quakes would do themselves a favor by taking him too.

20. Kansas City Wizards – Sean Johnson*!, GK, Central Florida

I still love the idea of KC going this direction. Obviously a lot depends on if they still get Bunbury with that first pick but I’d say they still will which means they’ll be able to focus on other areas like the future of their defense with Johnson in goal. He had a good enough Combine to get him selected somewhere early in the second round.

21. FC Dallas (From Toronto) – Paulo da Silva, M, SMU

I kind of expect Dallas to move this pick. If not I still see this happening.

22. Colorado Rapids (From FCD) – Collen Warner, M/F, Portland

Warner may have been able to play himself into the first round at the Combine in some eyes but I still think he falls to Colorado here. He’s a local product from Denver and would be a good fit in the Mile High City.

23. Colorado Rapids (From DC) – Nick Cardenas, D, San Diego State

Another Colorado native the Rapids would be wise to look at here. The Rapids need some defensive cover and with Cardenas’ size they could do no wrong with this pick.

24. Toronto FC (From Colorado) – Ofori Sarkodie, D, Indiana

Will Mo trade up or won’t he that will be the biggest question on everyone’s mind tomorrow. I just have trouble seeing him find a way to get into the first round with so few items to actually trade away. Toronto needs defense though like no other and Sarkodie stock fell a little at the Combine but he’ll still go sometime in the second round here.

25. New England Revolution – Brain Perk, GK, UCLA

I still see New England grabbing a keeper with this pick. Perk has the tools to be a special keeper in this league and he’ll do well to learn under one of the league’s best in Matt Reis.

26. Chivas USA – Justin Morrow, D, Notre Dame

Morrow had a very nice Combine which will help him move into a second round selection tomorrow. Good thing too for Chivas because they do need some defensive help and Morrow will be a great fit for their team. He shows ability to get forward which Martin Vasquez will like.

27. Seattle Sounders FC – Irving Garcia, M, UC-Irvine

Lots of good came out of the Combine for this kid. It was already a second rounder in my mind and I think Seattle will have little issue taking a guy that could end up being one of the better players in this draft. His size isn’t there but the natural ability is impressive.

28. San Jose Earthquakes (From Dallas, RSL) – Chris Schuler, D, Creighton

Schuler dips a little for me in this draft but not too much. He’s a quality defender that should still be a second round selection that the Quakes will take if they don’t deal away this pick.

29. Chicago Fire – Ryan Petterman, D, San Diego

Another defender? Yes and here is why, Petterman is an outside back that loves to get forward. With little attacking options left on the board this is a pick that could really pay off for them.

30. San Jose Earthquakes (From Houston) – Jovan Bubonja, GK, Illinois-Chicago

Apparently he had one of the worst Combines of any keeper. He would have been a possibly first rounder last year and now he is in danger of falling out into the third round this year. San Jose needs a keeper for the future and I still think Bubonja would be a good fit here.

31. New York Red Bulls (From LA) – Two-Boys Gumede, M, UAB

People see him as one of the better wing players in this draft. New York will likely take a gamble here if this pick isn’t traded away.

32. Real Salt Lake – Zachary Herold*!, D, U-17 MNT

Some have Herold almost in the first round and others think he’s barely a second round pick. I still think he falls here to RSL. They’ll take a gamble on him as a prospect player for the future.

Andre Akpan could be a beast on the next level. (Harvard photos)

Last week I threw out some names that you may have already heard in line for next year’s MLS SuperDraft and I am back today with a few more. I hope to start making this list at least a twice a month deal up until the draft in January. The response was good from everyone so let’s keep it up as we move forward towards the draft.

Again, some of these kids may go the MLS route and some may not. That we will have to wait and see in a few weeks as the college seasons wrap up.

And just like last week, if you know of some guys that are worthy to be looked at here please email me or send their names to me via Twitter so I can include them in the next batch.

Andre Akpan (Harvard): I think some people were surprised I didn’t include him in the first batch. Well have no fear I remembered Akpan from last year when he didn’t come out of college and go for the MLS draft. With ten goals and five assists on the year Akpan is having yet another stellar season with the Crimson. I’m sure a few clubs are already lining up to try to get this guy in the draft.

Dilly Duka (Rutgers): Most of us know of Duka as the Red Bulls product but one has to wonder if his play in the U-2o World Cup will get him some attention in Europe. He will certainly be a Generation adidas player but I just have a feeling we’ll see him overseas before we see him in MLS. Just a hunch.

Colin Rolfe (Louisville): No this isn’t Chris Rolfe’s younger brother but he’s a name to keep an eye on for the future. Last year’s Big East rookie of the year may not come out this year but believe me if he continues at his current goal scoring pace he will certainly gain some big attention from MLS clubs.

Brenden King (Notre Dame): A member of the 2007 U-17 World Cup team for the US, King is a guy that can certainly hold his own in the midfield. He’s has a quality touch on both feet and if he comes out (he’s a sophomore) he could possibly get attention for a Generation adidas contract.

Michael Stephens (UCLA): While stats won’t jump out at you from Stephens his play certain does. A member of the U-20 national team this year, Stephens may have gained some quality attention for some overseas clubs, if not he will certainly fit in well in MLS. The senior has enjoyed success at all youth levels with the US.

David Walker (UCSB): It seems like every year now we get a guy from UCSB that does well in MLS. This year it was DC United’s Chris Pontius and before him was Columbus’ Andy Iro. I have a feeling Walker will be a guy that we hear a lot about after the Combine. He’s quick and knows his way around goal. I do wonder if he will be turned into an outside midfielder instead of a striker on the pro level but either way he should be fine.

Corben Bone (Wake Forest): Bone is an assist machine, something a few MLS clubs desperately need. Last year he lead the NCAA in assists with 17 and this year he already has another eight to his total. The junior midfielder is the link that keeps things moving for Wake Forest in the middle of the pitch. One has to wonder though if he will stay for another season in Winston-Salem or if he will try his hand at the league.