Back with another aggregator of mock drafts. We did this with the Expansion Draft back in November and it showed just how impossible it is to guess who’s going to be taken (but fun regardless). There will be more and more popping up all over the place as people re-work their drafts and as the Combine comes to a close. We’ll do two versions, one now and one post-Combine. Here’s how the first round looks to play out. Drew Epperley over at WV Hooligan was nice to enough to send us – early – his second round picks with the full disclosure that they’re bound to change in the coming days.

This is purely an average of the four drafts, there is no consideration for team’s needs, possible trades, etc. Just a fun look at what the experts are saying. The links below will take you to their specific Mock Draft post if you want to see where they put your team’s prospect.

Contributors: Goal.com, WV Hooligan, Soccer by Ives, MLSDraft.net

1. PHILADELPHIA UNION: Danny Mwanga (Oregon State – FW) [4 x #1, AVERAGE 1.0]

It’s unanimous. Mwanga to be the Union’s pick. There’s still a chance the Union could take trade up at #1 but no one seems to think so. According to Ives, the Union pushed the league to sign him so Superdraft Pick’em participants, listen up!

2. NEW YORK RED BULLS: Ike Opara (Wake Forest – DF) [3 x #2, AVERAGE 2.25]

A solid defensive starter from the get-go is something the Bulls need. Desperately.

3. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Teal Bunbury (Akron – FW) [3 x #4, AVG 3.75]

Three selections at #4 but Bunbury still wound up as San Jose’s pick due to some indecision on who might select Corben Bone.

4. KANSAS CITY WIZARDS: Corben Bone (Wake Forest – MF) [2 x #3, 1 x #7, AVG 4.5]

5. FC DALLAS: Tony Tchani (Virginia – MF) [3 x #5, AVG 4.75]

6. FC DALLAS: Andre Akpan (Harvard – FW) [4 x #6, AVG 6.0]

A unanimous selection here. Texas native, Cunningham’s not getting any younger.

7. D.C. UNITED: Toni Stahl (UConn – MF), [2 x #7, 2 x #9, AVG 8.0]

With an aging midfield and Jacobson a Union man now, Stahl seems like the logical choice although a couple pundits saw United passing him up and the Revs taking him at #9.

8. COLUMBUS CREW: Andrew Wiedeman (California – FW), [3 x #8, AVG 8.25]

Moreno was lost in the expansion draft but with Garey back and Lenhart continuing to break out, Wiedeman could come in and really help the young Crew strike force out.

9. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION: Dilly Duka (Rutgers – MF), [1 x #2, 1 x #14, AVG 9.0]

Duka was seen as a late-rounder except for that #2 pick. He is a Red Bulls product so it’s certainly possible but it’s also possible that many pass up on him for the Red Bulls to take him at #14. We’ll see how he does at the Combine.

10. CHIVAS USA: Amobi Okugo (UCLA – MF), [2 x #10, 2 x #11, AVG 10.5]

11. SEATTLE SOUNDERS: Zach Loyd (UNC – DF), [1 x #7, 1 x #18, AVERAGE 11]

Biggest range out of the bunch though a middle-first round prospect to most. Loyd could get overlooked. Even with the #18, he sits as a middle-first rounder.

12. COLUMBUS CREW:  Blair Gavin (Akron – MF), [3 x #12, AVERAGE 12.25]

13. CHICAGO FIRE: Ofori Sarkodie (Indiana – DF), [3 x #13, AVERAGE 14]

With a depleted Fire defense, new blood is needed.

14. NEW YORK RED BULLS: Jack McInerney (US U-17 – MF), [1 x #11, 2 x #15, AVERAGE 14.25]

Another one that has got people back and forth. A youngster that even depending on his Combine might still stay mid-late first round.

15. LOS ANGELES GALAXY: Austin da Luz (Wake Forest – FW), [1 x #11, 2 x #15, AVERAGE 14.5]

16. REAL SALT LAKE: Kwame Watson-Siriboe (UConn – DF), [1 x #14, AVG 16.75]  or Kyle Nakazawa (UCLA – MF), [2 x #17, AVG 16.75]

A tie!

There were a couple guys that were first-rounders that didn’t make that the final cut in this version, Ives had Luis Gil, the American youth international who has been linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid in the past. MLSDraft.net had keeper Brian Perk (also a youth international) as the last pick in the first round but everybody else seemed to see him as a solid late 2nd round pick. Jovan Bubonja and Sean Johnson, the two highest ranked keepers, were seen as early to mid second rounders by all four pundits.  

The Combine starts on the 8th and we should have an interview up or two in the next couple days hopefully. A second – updated – version of this will be posted after the Combine. Maybe even a first hand account of the Combine itself. Draft thoughts? Anyone making the trip to the Convention Center?

PHOTO CREDIT: Ethan Erickson