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2012 SB Nation Mock MLS Draft: tBG Selects Enzo Martinez, Aaron Maund, Hunter Jumper

SB Nation Soccer held its second annual live MLS Mock SuperDraft Sunday night, with the results being published online Monday. The first round was a flurry of action, despite blog managers not being allowed to trade picks, or players, during the mock event. Drafting for the Philadelphia Union, I selected Enzo Martinez, Aaron Maund and Hunter Jumper with the Union's three picks in the two rounds of the mock SuperDraft.

My original plan was to select the highest rated defender (center back or left back) available at the 13th overall draft pick. That plan seemed to have high hopes when many of my colleagues decided to draft offensive players in the beginning of the mock draft, but it quickly fizzled out as top center back prospect Matt Hedges and top left back options Chris Estridge and Tyler Polak were drafted by the 11th pick. Back up center back target Austin Berry was taken by Toronto FC blog Waking the Red.

With my plan destroyed, I decided to select central attacking midfielder Martinez with the Union's first round pick. He has played on the outside, but is suited to play centrally as a creative player in MLS. Martinez would be a suitable choice for the Union if either Roger Torres or Freddy Adu was not to return to Philadelphia for the 2012 MLS season. The 21-year-old's Generation Adidas status doesn't hurt, given the Union's salary cap situation in the future.

By the time the Union's first second round pick came around, my strategy had shifted multiple times. My plan was to take Hunter Jumper, probably the third or fourth best left back in this year's SuperDraft, with the 32nd overall pick, but the moves prior to my turn to choose changed my tactics.

Star-divide

Former USMNT youth international Aaron Maund fell to 32 and I couldn't resist taking the high reward, mild risk center back prospect. As I detailed in my write up for SB Nation Soccer, Maund is questionable with the ball at his feet, but given the fact that he would spend time learning from Danny Califf and Carlos Valdes while bidding his time should quell any fears that Union fans have about his problems. Maund is over six feet tall and has very good speed for a center back, two thinks that cannot be taught.

The next pick I made was Jumper, who I believe to have the best name in the draft this year. He's rated highly, something that at least one expert I've talked to disagrees with, at a position that could be strengthened in multiple ways to the Union's favor. For more on this situation, read my explanation of the selection on SB Nation Soccer.

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I don't agree with any mock draft that has

Enzo/Silva/DeLeon falling out of the top 10. If that happens on Thursday then teams are picking for need, not best player available.

And Estridge getting picked that high? what a joke he looked lost in the combine and was getting smoked when his side coughed up 4 goals in the first half of game 2.

Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.

by johnjahafanclub on Jan 11, 2012 5:25 PM EST reply actions  

How many defenders looked good in the combine?

It’s incredibly hard to know how your teammates will react after only playing together for such a shot period of time.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Jan 11, 2012 7:48 PM EST up reply actions  

Additionally, it was bloggers choosing for their teams.

I’ll trust these thoughts more than national team people grasping for draft reasons.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Jan 11, 2012 7:50 PM EST up reply actions  

speaking as a Quakes fan

right off the bat I disagree strongly with Jonas taking Polak at #6. I think most Quakes fans would agree with me we are not taking him there, he is way too raw. If we take any defender it would be Hedges but I would also personally disagree with that… we should be taking one of Enzo/Silva/DeLeon. We already have 3 starting caliber CB’s. We currently have no LM on our roster, we are praying Spurs do not loan Simon Dawkins to someone else over the next few weeks. Our CAM’s, Khari Stephenson and Rafael Baca, are both flawed and we need depth there to replace them if they go on a run of poor form.

it also seems like some people didn’t do their research:

speaking to the Chicago guy, if his team needs defense so badly why take LB estridge over hunter jumper, the hands down consensus top LB in the draft? On top of that, Estridge had a horrible combine and looked silly when his side coughed up 4 goals in the first half of game 2.

speaking to the Columbus guy, if you really need a forward, why take Sam Garza over Ethan Finlay? Finlay is the 4th best college player at any position according to top drawer soccer. He scored a hat trick in the first 45 minutes of his first game at the combine. Garza is a good player don’t get me wrong but he only scored 8 goals as a forward last season he is not close to Finlay.

I would much rather have Enzo Martinez or Luis Silva than a lot of the guys taken in the top 10 of that mock draft… which tells me that these people think their team will draft based on need and not best player available.

Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.

by johnjahafanclub on Jan 11, 2012 8:14 PM EST up reply actions  

Hunter Jumper the consensus best?

He’s the third LB to go in almost every mock draft.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Jan 11, 2012 9:08 PM EST up reply actions  

Yup

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/mls/story/mls-2012-combine-filled-with-many-playmakers-midfielders-forwards-010912

The Combine’s left back pool has been largely disappointing with Tyler Polak struggling badly and Indiana’s Chris Estridge having noticeable lapses at times. Hunter Jumper has been the biggest beneficiary of those struggles and established himself as the top left back prospect in the eyes of several clubs.
At the left back position, Tyler Polak has been the most disappointing Generation adidas signing of the bunch. He was beaten badly on the opening day, improved on the second day, but still has some issues. MLS coaches still think he is a strong prospect because he is young and a natural left back, so don’t expect him to fall too far.

Chris Estridge hasn’t had a good Combine at left back, leaving Virginia’s Hunter Jumper as the best left back at the Combine. Mexican Glenir Garcia has shown some flashes, and a strong finish on Tuesday could secure him a place in the second round.

Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.

by johnjahafanclub on Jan 11, 2012 9:55 PM EST up reply actions  

one more

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2012/01/mls-combine-2012s-good-and-bad-performers.html

ROUGH PERFORMANCES

Tyler Polak, defender, Creighton

The late Generation adidas signee struggled. Polak did not show off the skills that made him one of the top prospects in college soccer. Polak had an okay game on Day 3, but it was not enough to erase the underwhelming showings of the first two days.

Chris Estridge, defender, Indiana

Estridge simply did not have a good combine. He looked a bit out of sorts, and did not have much of anything go in his favor. He had his worst showing on Day 2 when he was matched up against Ethan Finlay, who torched the fullback en route to a hat-trick performance.

Win or lose, we'll always be there for you.

by johnjahafanclub on Jan 11, 2012 10:45 PM EST up reply actions  

You're over emphasizing three games instead of focusing on their collegiate careers.

Look at Michael Farfan last year.

Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank

by Scott Kessler on Jan 11, 2012 11:35 PM EST up reply actions  

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