Maryland's Omar Gonzalez is a hot prospect for a few clubs.

This may be the first of a couple mock drafts that lead up to next week’s MLS SuperDraft. Of course I will only be working with the first round for this mock draft as the second through forth round order hasn’t been officially announced yet.

A lot could easily change too as some players mentioned are on the fences about going to the draft this year or waiting until next year.

Also there are expected to be a slew of trades between now and next week. While no one is expected as of right now to move up and pull a Kansas City to trade into the top spot this year, I do see plenty of teams looking to package deals to move up to the second overall pick.

Reports right now suggest that New England, Dallas, LA, and DC all have interest in trading up to that second overall pick. From what I am hearing we could see a deal done as soon as the end of this week. Also, with the amount of picks that some clubs have expect them to send them off as some others will be looking extra picks.

Lastly, we will know a lot more after the MLS Combine too which begins at the end of this week. Usually the Combine is a great trading ground for clubs. You can expect to see a few deals worked out at this year Combine for sure.

We are still waiting on a few guys to declare or not to declare for the draft right now too. Guys like UNC’s Sheldon Williams have been quiet about their potential professional outlook. Some guys like Wake Forest’s Ike Opera are staying in school for now, a move that could really benefit them next year.

Anyways, on to the Mock Draft number one.

1. Seattle Sounders FC: Steve Zakuani (Akron)

Right now all the talk up in the Pac-NW is that Zakuani will be the top pick unless some crazy trade happens and Seattle gives up the top pick. Many believe that Sigi Schmid is impressed enough with Zakuani to make him the top overall pick. The club needs some attacking options and Zakuani could contribute from day one.

2. Toronto FC: Omar Gonzalez (Maryland)

Look for this pick to be traded but if not I cannot see Toronto not picking a solid defender like Gonzalez. Even if they think they are good enough for this year in the back they need depth and Gonzalez is the guy for that in my opinion. Still a lot of clubs want him and I doubt TFC will hold on to this pick. Even if they do take him they will deal him.

3. Los Angeles Galaxy: Rodney Wallace (Maryland)

LA as we all know needs defense and I see Wallace falling here unless some how Toronto passes on Gonazlez. LA wants either one they can get and really they will be fine with whoever they take at number three. I don’t see Bruce Arena wasting this pick on going for the best player (ie. a Marcus Tracey) that is available but going for what his club needs most.

4. Toronto FC: Marcus Tracey (Wake Forest)

TFC could surprise a few and take Tracey at number two instead of here. If they do that I figure they will trade this pick away to someone else. Then again you just never know with Mo Johnston at the helm. With Tracey not being apart of the GA class look for him to slide a little even though he is the top talent of the draft. Remember clubs near the top need defense and not offense.

5. FC Dallas: Jeremy Hall (Maryland)

As a Hoops fan this is the guy I would like to see them get if they can. Hall is a beast in the midfield and a difference maker on the wings. Something the Hoops really lacked in 2008. I still think they will push hard for that number two pick to get Gonzalez though but if they fail to make that deal happen they will end up with a good consolation prize in Hall.

6. DC United: Stefan Frei (California)

The first keeper off the boards, and the best of the bunch really with a GA contract. This should be a pick DC will go with here or at number 7. They need stability in the back for years to come and let’s face it even if Louis Crayton is good enough to hold the fort in 2009 I just don’t see it lasting for another year. Frei will gain some solid experience and step right when ready.

7. DC United: Kevin Alston (Indiana)

You could swap the order between this pick and the 6th pick but either way I think Frei and Alston are going to DC. The club needs defensive help and I just don’t see them trading up to get Gonzalez at this point. Alston is probably good enough right now to start for this club in the back. If they don’t go for Alston I could see them take a defensive midfielder like Brad Ring instead.

8. Kansas City Wizards: Baggio Husidic (UIC)

One thing KC lacked in the midfield in 2008 was creativity. Husidic will definitely bring that to their club if he is selected here. The Wizards could also select UCLA playmaker Michael Stephens but there hasn’t been any confirmation that he is coming out yet. If he does look for KC to go that route if not Husidic will be tough for this to passover.

9. Chivas USA: Sam Cronin (Wake Forest)

Chivas needs some help in the middle with the possible transfer of Sasha Kljestan in the near future on the way. Should Husidic be here I would imagine they will take him but if not I think they will move to Cronin. While he isn’t a playmaker like Kljestan he would be able to add some stability to their defensive portion of the midfield.

10. New England Revolution: Yohance Marshall (South Florida)

The Revs have two late first rounders that they are looking to deal to trade up. Apparently they really want Gonzalez. If they can’t do it I see Marshall falling in their lap. I’ve seen Marshall play over the years and I believe he is good enough to start today in MLS. He may not be a starter right away but look for him to get plenty of chances as the year goes on.

11. FC Dallas: Calum Angus (Saint Louis)

Dallas still needs work on their defense. Some suggest Dallas will go for the next best player which could be a striker but with Kenny Cooper coming back I just don’t see them taking a chance on a striker this year in the first round. Angus will slide into the backline just fine. I could also see them taking Wake Forest defender Lyle Adams here too. It just depends on who has the better Combine this week.

12. Real Salt Lake: Mike Grella (Duke)

Jason Kreis is a Duke guy and I think he will take one of his own. While RSL needs a solid defensive midfielder or just a midfielder in general I think they will be hard pressed not to take a striker here. Grella will be that guy I believe.

13. Toronto FC: O’Brain White (UConn)

Mo likes to gamble and he will with this one. Given White’s health right now, reports suggest he won’t be ready until at least April. Being a Canadian it would be hard for Toronto to pass on White here.

14. New York Red Bulls: Lyle Adams (Wake Forest)

A lot depends on some Combine workouts but I think Adams would be a good fit for the Red Bulls. They need defensive help in a bad way and Adams would be a good start for them in 2009.

15. New England Revolution: Chris Pontius (UCSB)

The Revs will go for some attacking help if they don’t make some trades to move up. I think Pontius would be a monster pick for them in the coming years as he could very well be one of the most underrated picks of this draft.

The next Mock Draft won’t come until at least the end of the week if not this weekend. I want to wait until a day or so into the Combine to sort out any trade details.

Some see Husidic as the top attacking midfielder in this draft. His size (at 6’1″) gives him a good advantage over a few others in this draft. Also to go along with this size, his speed is also seen as one of his better assets.

I see Husidic as a mid-first rounder that could move up the board if he continues to impress in some workouts. The need for an attacking midfielder in this draft will be interesting to watch for a few clubs.

Husidic joins a pretty strong Generation adidas class that already includes Maryland defenders Omar Gonzalez, Rodney Wallace and midfielder Jeremy Hall, Akron striker Steve Zakuani, Cal goalkeeper Stefan Frei and Indiana defender Kevin Alston. Some reports suggest other targets Peri Marosevic and Michael Stephens are close to signing and could end up doing so by sometime this week.

To follow up on the other draft discussions click here and here. To view the full list of players that will be at the MLS Combine next month, click here.

Okay now that we’ve back tracked I’ve done more homework on some seniors to keep an eye out for (that’s why it has taken me a week or so to wrap this one up). As always, feel free to pipe in your own discussion on the matter below.

1. Brad Ring (Indiana) – Some regard him as the best defensive midfielder in the draft. I think he is right up there. After watching a little bit of his school play this year I do know that Ring (right) is very savvy in the middle. Plus I love his ability to get forward on free kicks and set pieces.

2. Chris Clements (Tulsa) – One thing about Tulsa this past year, without Clements they struggled, with him they were a very good team. He may be a lower round selection but don’t be shocked to see him rated pretty well in the defensive pool before the draft.

3. Darrius Barnes (Duke) – Another defender on the list that may not get a lot of pub but I think could be a valuable pick up for most clubs. He is the type that knows how to get forward a bunch when it is needed. He’s got some good speed, which will come in handy.

4. Evan Bush (Akron) – Here’s a keeper to watch out for. While I think there are three or four good ones in front of Bush you could see him sneak up there if he has a solid enough Combine. He held a ridiculous goals-against-average while at Akron. He may be a real sleeper in this draft for someone needing a keeper.

5. Graham Zusi (Maryland) – What’s funny is I almost previewed his before the College Cup last week but went against doing it on the last second. Boy was that a mistake as Zusi scored the Terps’ two goals in the Cup to give them another National title. I think his stock will continue to rise with a solid showing at the Combine next month too.

6. Jordan Seabrook (South Florida) – I said during his freshman year at USF that he’d be a MLSer one day and I’m still standing by that statement. Seabrook has good speed and the ability to really mess with defenders.

7. Matt Besler (Notre Dame) – A four year starter that I have some memories of (from his freshman and sophomere seasons). Could be a solid center back in the league if he develops right. Not a high pick but someone that could really provide depth.

8. Akeem Priestly (UCONN) – A guy with a great left leg. Something that plenty of clubs will want as he can cover the left side of the field was ease. But one thing that a lot of people like about Priestly and it’s one thing that I recall from seeing him was his runs that he would make. Very solid in that department.

9. Mike Grella (Duke) – A forward that knows how to score. I kind of see him in that Jason Kries mold. Just has a nose for scoring.

10. Kyle Patterson (Saint Louis) – A product of West Bromwich Albion FC in England. A very calm and cool guy in the middle of the park. Just reads the game very well from what I’ve been able to see in a couple games that I found online.

11. Calum Angus (Saint Louis) – Came over to Saint Louis with Patterson. Very solid defender that could sneak up a lot of draft boards. Reads the game extremely well.

12. Paul Gerstenberger (Boston College) – One of the better left footed defenders that I’ve seen in the college game in some time. Another one of those defenders that are very dangerous at getting forward on set pieces and corner kicks.

That’s it for now…I will return later on this week with another batch of players. It just takes time for me to watch the film that I can find on some of these kids since I don’t see them every weekend like some scouts do out there. But it is still interesting to find these kids and see exactly how they are in the game. If you have or know of any college guys that are worth being looked at just drop me a comment and I will do my best to give them a look for my next preview.

Some guys on this list I’ve already discussed in recent Draft posts, others I will try to get into later on before the draft. The 65 players will get broken up into a couple teams and will play in a few games to try and impress the various scouts on hand. Usually it helps us know who will be stars on the next level and who won’t be.

GOALKEEPERS (7): Chris Brown (Boston College); Evan Bush (Akron); Steward Ceus (Albany); Alec Dufty (Evansville); Neal Kitson (St. John’s); Milos Kocic (Loyola, Md.); Sean Milligan (Dartmouth).

DEFENDERS (20): Lyle Adams (Wake Forest); Calum Angus (Saint Louis); Trevor Banks (Old Dominion); Darius Barnes (Duke); Rhett Bernstein (Brown); Matt Besler (Notre Dame); Evan Brown (Wake Forest); Oscar Castillo (Connecticut); Chris Clements (Tulsa); A.J. Delagarza (Maryland); Paul Gerstenberger (Boston College); David Hertel (Michigan State); Wes Knight (Charleston); Otto Loewy (Winthrop); Yohance Marshall (South Florida); Ryan Mirsky (Southern Methodist); Babjide Ogunbiyi (Santa Clara); Kyle Russell (Coastal Carolina); Seth Sinovic (Creighton); Jack Traynor (Notre Dame).

MIDFIELDERS/FORWARDS (38): Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe (George Mason); Quincy Amarikwa (California-Davis); Brandon Barklage (Saint Louis); Josh Boateng (Liberty); Graciano Brito (Quinnipiac); Pav Castenada (Duke); Aaron Clapham (Louisville); Raphael Cox (Washington); Sam Cronin (Wake Forest); Dylan Curtis (California-Davis); Doug DeMartin (Michigan State); Jokul Elisabetarson (UNC Greensboro); Michael Fucito (Harvard); Andrei Gotsmanov (Creighton); Mike Grella (Duke); Alex Grendi (Penn); Juan Guerra (Florida International); Jeffrey Harwell (Southern Methodist); Bryan Irwin (Portland); Richard Jata (Campbell); George John (Washington); Keum Sung Kim (Loyola, Ill.); Michael Lahoud (Wake Forest); Ryan Maduro (Providence); Patrick Murray (Furman); Kyle Patterson (Saint Louis); Nick Perra (UC Santa Barbara); Chris Pontius (UC Santa Barbara); Matt Poole (Virginia); Akeem Priestley (Connecticut); Daniel Revivo (Winthrop); Tosaint Ricketts (Wisconsin-Green Bay); Brad Ring (Indiana); Chris Salvaggionne (Charlotte); Jordan Seabrook (South Florida); Marcus Tracy (Wake Forest); Nick Zimmerman (James Madison); Graham Zusi (Maryland).

Sam Cronin leads Wake Forest into the College Cup Final Four. (via Wake Forest)

With the College Cup this weekend here in Dallas I felt it was a good time to bring up the SuperDraft yet again and mention some players to watch out for this weekend. I’ve had a few emails over the last couple weeks asking me to continue on my SuperDraft talk that I started back at the beginning of last month. I wanted to wait until we were closer to the College Cup before I did and so here we are now.

Last month I mentioned a few players to keep an eye out for. Today its along the same lines but more for this weekend’s Cup, with a few others sprinkled in there that didn’t make it that far.

I pretty much feel like Wake Forest is in the driver’s seat for this weekend’s Cup. It’s theirs to lose at this point but don’t sleep on St. John’s, that’s the one club that could upset them in the final. Then again so could UNC or Maryland, two schools that know Wake better than anyone else that is left. Still, after watching Wake over the past few weeks, they look hungry as ever to finish the job and win the College Cup.

1. Marcus Tracy (Wake Forest): Some people have him very high on their draft boards, and after seeing a few clips of this speedster I can see why. He may be this year’s Patrick Nyarko, lots of pup before the draft but he won’t end up number one to Seattle. I still see him as one of the top strikers of the bunch for this year. He’s a very big part to Wake Forest and their dominate offense.

2. Yohance Marshall (South Florida): I know USF got dominated by Wake last weekend but Marshall is the type of guy a lot of MLS clubs would love to have on their team. He’s big and tough but I just wonder if he will take the jump and leave school early to go to MLS. I would imagine he would be a fairly high pick if he did leave. He has also played for Trinidad and Tobago’s U17 team.

3. Sam Cronin (Wake Forest): Cronin is the type of guy I would want on my club. He’s a shifty two-way midfielder that really controls the pace of the game well. I believe he still needs a strong showing at the MLS Combine to really be a high pick but he just looks like one of those typical late steals that New England always gets.

4. Chris Pontius (UC Santa Barbara): Remember all those UCSB guys that left to the league last year (Eric Avila, Ciaran O’Brien, and Brennan Tennelle)? Well Pontius was the lone start of the bunch that stayed behind and he has definitely taken advantage of the spotlight this year. Pontius has left his mark in the UCSB record books, notching 29 total goals in his career.

5. Lyle Adams (Wake Forest): There is a reason why there are so many Demon Decons on this list. Adams is just another cog in the wheel that is close to a national title this year. The four-year starter has been a big part of the team’s amazing run this year. Plus he is a defender that doesn’t mess around either. Look for him to be high on some draft boards next month.

6. Evan Brown (Wake Forest): Yeah, like I said there is a reason why I favor Wake to win it all this year. Brown is another defender on that amazing backline. He wants to go pro and more than likely he won’t be a high draft pick but he will be a valuable second rounder in my book. Apparently he would love to play for New England if he could.

7. Ryan Soroka (St. John’s): Along with teammate Nelson Becerra, the Red Storm are doing very well for themselves this year as they are in the national semi-final against Maryland. The junior forward may stay behind for another year at St. John’s but from what I’ve seen of him over the last couple years he would be fit enough to try his hand at MLS. Some out there believe he may even be good enough for a Generation adidas contract.

8. Neal Kitson (St. John’s): This redshirt-senior may be one of the few keepers in the pool for next year’s draft. Kitson has the size to be a decent keeper in the league and could get looked at for a late first-round or second or third round pick as long as he has a good Combine. Can’t argue with his production this year, going 19-2-2 with 15 shutouts and 86 saves.

9. Jeremy Hall (Maryland): Hall is a name that few are talking about but he has a decent enough history to suggest that he would be good enough on the MLS level. He’s spent plenty of time in the US residency program (since 2003). Should he come out this year he will more than likely grab a GA contract, I just can’t see a residency player not get one.

10. Zac MacMath (Maryland): Another young keeper (freshman) that could easily come out into the draft and get picked up. I still think he will stay in school for at least another year but keep an eye out for this kid as he has plenty of potential to be another solid US keeper.

11. Brian Shriver (UNC): The Tar Heel’s leading scorer and one of their best players overall. I fully expect this senior to be a good pickup for any MLS club, even as a late round pick. He along with a few other seniors have help lead this club to the national semi-final where they will play Wake Forest. Should Shriver help knock off the best team in the land his stock will rise considerably.

12. Michael Callahan (UNC): One of those UNC seniors that just know how to get the job done. Callahan doesn’t have the super stats to speak of but he is the work-horse of this club in the midfield. That kind of work ethic will get noticed by MLS clubs, especially if he has a good Combine.

I am a big fan of the college draft in MLS, even though I do believe it isn’t producing nearly the amount of talent that the league needs to grow anymore and that I can see the academy system in MLS eventually end the need for a four round draft and Supplemental draft.

I will be the first to admit I don’t see everyone out there in the college landscape like I use to when I was actually in college and was traveling with a team during their runs in the NCAA tournaments. But I will provide my thoughts on a few players right now that I have kept tabs on that I believe will be solid picks in this year’s draft.

If you want real solid information on nearly every player in the country. Wait for Buzz Carrick’s previews on ESPN (assuming he writes for them again this year about it) or head over to 3rdDegree for his Generation adidas tracker. Also, one of my person favorites is the From College To Pros Blog. They always have solid information on everything SuperDraft related.

Now on to the show, I have ten players I want to discuss today. Some will probably be in line for those Generation adidas contracts come January and a couple others may just be safe bets in the draft. Most of you know I enjoy talking about a good defender more than anything, so I apologize if this list is too defensive for you. That’s just the way this draft will probably be anyways though folks. Teams want defense this year and they will look to the draft for it.

1. O’Brian White (UCONN) – Being from a Big East school I got to see plenty of UCONN over the years. White had a solid season a year ago, his production isn’t as good in his senior year but expect him to be fairly high on some draft boards due to his work ethic. The 2007 Hermann Trophy winner should be at least a second rounder on most draft boards.
2. Omar Gonzalez (Maryland) – I fully expect him to get a GA contract if he does go pro. The kid if you haven’t seen him is an absolute beast. Standing tall at 6’3 and 200 pounds, he will be a force on any backline. Most MLS clubs have seen what a tall, physical backline will do after seeing how Columbus did this year, Gonzalez would surely help bring the same kind of physical play to any club that takes him.
3. Jonathan Villanueva (UVA) – Villanueva seems like the typical Steve Nicol kind of pick to me. ACC boy with loads of talent and plenty of room for improvement on the pro level. According to Carrick he was on the 07 GA list for MLS. Will this be the year he gets a GA contract and goes pro? More than likely.
4. Nelson Becerra (St. John’s) – The Red Storm are enjoying a very good season this year, mostly due to Becerra. He’s a controlling type of player in the middle of the park, best of all he isn’t afraid to shoot from anywhere on the pitch. The junior could see the Red Bulls come calling in January if he continues to lead St. John’s in the NCAA tournament.
5. Alejandro Bedoya (Boston College) – FCTP gave me the heads up on this senior a while back. He may not be a high selection (unless his draft camp is strong enough) but do expect some people to have Bedoya on their boards come January. He’s a solid playmaker in the middle and could be someone that would add some much needed depth to a club like LA or San Jose in the middle of the park.
6. Ike Opara (Wake Forest) -Buzz has him on his GA watchlist. I’m talking about him because of his defense. Believe me he is another one of those defenders that could make a real difference after a while. Still young and a bit raw, Opara is one of those kids that can play real physical when needed.
7. Ofori Sarkodie (Indiana) – This kid wanted to go pro before he went to college. I think he will finally go now once he is done with his junior season at Indiana.
8. Sheanon Williams (UNC) -Another young defender. I thought for a while that he would stay at UNC for a couple years since he didn’t go pro last year but after watching some of his games this year I think he is good enough to go this year if he decides to. The US U-20 player has plenty of options as he did have some pro trials in Europe last year as well. I think he will end up in the draft though as a GA this year.
9. Zack Simmons (UMass) – A lot of people had him as their preseason all-american or all-whatever in the keeper department. The keeper list won’t be huge for this draft but Simmons should be fairly high up on the list.
10. Andre Akpan (Harvard) -A lot of people, including Buzz, wonder if the league can get Akpan to sign a GA contract and enter the league. Some feel that once he is done with his senior year at Harvard he will hang it up all together but some in the league think they can get him to sign. If they do they will be getting a very smart forward.

I know there are plenty more players to talk about. Those were ten that were on my mind at the start of the college season earlier this year. I will update this list more as we get closer to the SuperDraft. If you got a player that you think will be going pro, comment below about him.