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The Montreal Impact made their first move of the off-season with a trade during the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. Initially holding the 10th overall spot, the Impact swapped their pick with FC Dallas' 5th spot in the draft and selected Eric Miller. Jumping to the 5th overall spot has a cost and it appears that Montreal has traded to Dallas one international spot and allocation money.
Out of Creighton University, Miller is a versatile right back that also played center back. With proven speed and good instinct as a right back, Miller has a good chance to fill that spot under Frank Klopas. With the assumption that Hassoun Camara will be considered as a full-time center back, Miller will have less competition to be the club's right back in 2014.
His experience as a center back could make him even more valuable as we know that Klopas was able to integrate young defenders such as Jalil Anibaba and Austin Berry. Being a Generation Adidas player, the right back is much more attractive from the get go.
Part of one of the best defenses in college soccer, Miller is an attractive choice for the Impact and it's all up to the player and the club to make it work on and off the field.
Full 2014 MLS Draft Picks
First Round
Team | Pick | Blog |
1. Philadelphia Union | Andre Blake, GK | Brotherly Game |
2. D.C. United | Steve Birnbaum, D | Black and Red United |
3. Vancouver Whitecaps | Christian Dean, D | 86 Forever |
4. New England Revolution | Steve Neumann, M/F | The Bent Musket |
5. Montreal Impact | Eric Miller, D | Mount Royal Soccer |
6. FC Dallas | Tesho Akindele, M/F | Big D Soccer |
7. Whitecaps | Andre Lewis, M | 86 Forever |
8. Seattle Sounders | Damion Lowe, D | Sounder at Heart |
9. San Jose Earthquakes | J.J. Koval, M | Quake, Rattle and Goal |
10. Toronto FC | Nick Hagglund, D | Waking the Red |
11. New England Revolution | Patrick Mullins, M/F | The Bent Musket |
12. Colorado Rapids | Marlon Hairston, M | Burgundy Wave |
13. Chicago Fire | Marco Franco, D | Hot Time In Old Town |
14. Crew | Ben Sweat, D | Massive Report |
15. Union | Pedro Ribeiro, M | Brotherly Game |
16. Houston Dynamo | A.J. Cochran, D | Dynamo Theory |
17. Portland Timbers | Schillo Tshuma, M/F | Stumptown Footy |
18. Real Salt Lake | Ryan Neil, M/D | RSL Soapbox |
19. Rapids | Grant van de Casteele, D | Burgundy Wave |
Second Round
Team | Blog | |
20. Chivas USA | Thomas McNamara, M/F | The Goat Parade |
21. Seattle Sounders | Jimmy Ockford, D | Sounder at Heart |
22. New York Red Bulls | Chris Duvall, D | Once a Metro |
23. LA Galaxy | Kyle Venter, D | LAG Confidential |
24. Toronto FC | Daniel Lovitz, M | Waking the Red |
25. Union | Kevin Cope, D | Brotherly Game |
26. Timbers | Taylor Peay, D | Stumptown Footy |
27. Union | Robbie Derschang, M/D | Brotherly Game |
28. Earthquakes | Joe Sofia, D | Quake, Rattle and Goal |
29. D.C. United | Victor Muñoz, M | Black and Red United |
30. Whitecaps | Mamadou Diouf, F | 86 Forever |
31. Revolution | Alec Sundly, M | The Bent Musket |
32. Dynamo | Mark Sherrod, F | Dynamo Theory |
33. Rapids | Jared Watts, M | Burgundy Wave |
34. Red Bulls | Eric Stevenson, M | Once a Metro |
35. Rapids | John Berner, GK | Burgundy Wave |
36. Timbers | Aaron Long, M | Stumptown Footy |
37. Impact | George Malki, M | Mout Royal Soccer |
38. Sporting Kansas City | Adnan Gabeljic, F | The Daily Wiz |