MLS SuperDraft 2011 Wrap Up: Success for the Revs

Stevie Nicol and the New England brass once again showed their collective eye for talent in snapping up five excellent picks in the 2011 MLS Superdraft. Here is a summary and brief analysis of the Revs’ selections:

Rd. 1 Pick #6:  AJ Soares, Central Defender, University of California

Soares was a great choice for the squad. He started every match in his four years at Cal, making the All Pac-10 first team his senior year and the second team his junior year. He also scored ten goals and had four assists in those four years—not bad for a deep man.  Though not terribly big at six feet tall, the MLS scouting report touts his defensive prowess: “A cerebral defender who… wins many early balls because of his ability to read the play before it unfolds … has a keen tactical sense, but is physical when needed … excellent in the air and can get forward as a target on set pieces.”

Soares at Cal

Click here to watch a brief interview with Soares after his selection.

2) Rd. 2 Pick #24: Stephen McCarthy, M, Univeristy of North Carolina

McCarthy is a strong, physical holding midfielder who stands at six foot four. He played his first three seasons at UC Santa Clara, tallying eight goals and two assists. After succumbing to injury at the beginning of his senior year, McCarthy took a medical redshirt and transferred to Chapel Hill where he played his final year of eligibility, notching two more goals and one assist while leading the Tar Heels to the NCAA semifinals.

3) Rd. 3 Pick #39 Steven Perry, F, University of Notre Dame

Rd. 3 Pick # 42 Ryan Kinne, F, Monmouth University

Rd. 3 Pick #54 Alan Koger, F, College of William and Mary

In the third and final round, the Revolution highlighted their commitment to infusing finishing ability into a squad that struggled to find the back of the net in the 2010 MLS season. Perry looks like a player who has blossomed at just the right time. After largely coming off the bench in his first three years for the Irish, Perry dominated the pitch his senior year, hitting the mark twelve times. Kinne scored thirty-five times in his college career, and scored three times in ten games in the USL Premier Development League after graduation and has the potential to be a genuine sleeper pick. Koger, the last pick of the draft, tallied an impressive nine goals in his final year of college.

Category: Analysis, MLS, Team News