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Honored as 2013 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Jimmy Ockford represents what the Impact might feel would be a safe pick in the second round of the 2014 MLS Super Draft. An Athletic center back that can play and pass the ball and not just kick it, we could be helpful and add more depth alongside Wandrille Lefevre and Karl W. Ouimette.
What the Impact will be looking for in the draft: Frank Klopas quickly identified the back-line as an area that needs to improve but it might not come from the Academy or the Draft. But adding quality players to your depth is key while managing correctly your salary cap.
Who the experts say the Impact will pick: A few midfielders are slotted to be picked when the Impact makes its 2nd round selection but outside some offensive talent, the Impact should not be going for midfielders in this draft.
Why I'm invariably wrong: The Montreal Impact has been accumulating international spots and will probably go outside MLS to get experience and talent for the back-line.
Why I'm smarter than the pundits: I wish I was but none of the second round players selected by the Impact have either been kept or panned out. Maybe Calum Mallace will still be with the team for years to come but that depends on what the club will be looking to do on the pitch during the next 3 years.
Trust me, you never have enough central defenders...never
Full Mock Draft results (click on player names to see the profiles)
First Round
Team | Blog | Pick |
1. D.C. United | Black and Red United | Patrick Mullins |
2. Philadelphia Union | Brotherly Game | Steve Neumann |
3. Vancouver Whitecaps | 86 Forever | Andre Blake |
4. Columbus Crew | Massive Report | Steve Birnbaum |
5. FC Dallas | Big D Soccer | Christian Dean |
6. Union | Brotherly Game | Marlon Hairston |
7. Whitecaps | 86 Forever | Damion Lowe |
8. Chicago Fire | Hot Time In Old Town | Grant Van De Casteele |
9. San Jose Earthquakes | Quake, Rattle and Goal | Eric Miller |
10. Montreal Impact | Mount Royal Soccer | A.J Corrado |
11. Colorado Rapids | Burgundy Wave | Schillo Tshuma |
12. New England Revolution | The Bent Musket | JJ Koval |
13. Seattle Sounders | Sounder at Heart | Aodhan Quinn |
14. LA Galaxy | LAG Confidential | Fifi Baiden |
15. Toronto FC | Waking the Red | AJ Cochran |
16. Houston Dynamo | Dynamo Theory | Mamadou Diouf |
17. Portland Timbers | Stumptown Footy | Reinaldo Brenes |
18. Real Salt Lake | RSL Soapbox | Ben Sweat |
19. Revolution | The Bent Musket | Marco Franco |
Second Round
Team | Blog | Pick |
20. Chivas USA | The Goat Parade | Enrique Cardenas |
21. Sounders | Sounder at Heart | Taylor Peay |
22. New York Red Bulls | Once a Metro | Pete Caringi |
23. Crew | Massive Report | Pedro Ribeiro |
24. Toronto FC | Waking the Red | Joey Dillon |
25. Union | Brotherly Game | Jared Watts |
26. Timbers | Stumptown Footy | Kevin Cope |
27. Union | Brotherly Game | Kyle Venter |
28. Earthquakes | Quake, Rattle and Goal | Mackenzie Pridham |
29. Impact | Mout Royal Soccer | Jimmy Ockford |
30. Whitecaps | 86 Forever | Nikita Kotlov |
31. Revolution | The Bent Musket | Victor Chavez |
32. Dynamo | Dynamo Theory | Kristopher Tyrpak |
33. Rapids | Burgundy Wave | Rafael Diaz |
34. Red bulls | Once a Metro | Alex Martinez |
35. Rapids | Burgundy Wave | Zach Bolden |
36. Timbers | Stumptown Footy | Mark Sherrod |
37. Impact | Mout Royal Soccer | Michael Calderon |
38. Sporting Kansas City | The Daily Wiz |
Romena Bowie |