Lars Eckenrode selected with the 17th pick in the 4th round by @torontofc
— Michigan Men's Soccer (@umichsoccer) January 17, 2017
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4) Lars Eckenrode
Position: Defender
University: University of Michigan
Fourth round: Pick 17 (Day 2)
Shoring up defensive options continued to be a priority in the fourth and final round of the SuperDraft as Toronto FC used their first selection to bring in Lars Eckenrode from the University of Michigan. The Reds acquired this pick courtesy a deal they had with the New York Red Bulls in 2014.
The Springfield native moves to Canada from the Wolverines with 67 appearances under his belt over the past four years including a year-long stint as the team captain in 2016, his senior year. He also has a goal and two assists to his name over his college career.
Whether Toronto FC fans will get to see much of Lars this year is a good question, but there’s no denial that the arrival of the defender adds a lot more options to the team ahead of a long 2017 season.
Grade: B+