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MLS SuperDraft : Who To Watch in the MLS Combine

By John Carollo III

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 19: A ball signed by the draftees sits on display on the side of the stage during the MLS SuperDraft 2018 on January 19, 2018, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 19: A ball signed by the draftees sits on display on the side of the stage during the MLS SuperDraft 2018 on January 19, 2018, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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HARRISON, NJ – SEPTEMBER 22: Michael Bradley #4 of Toronto FC during the Major League Soccer match between Toronto FC and New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on September 22, 2018 in Harrison, NJ, USA. The Red Bulls won the match with a score of 2 to 0. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)
HARRISON, NJ – SEPTEMBER 22: Michael Bradley #4 of Toronto FC during the Major League Soccer match between Toronto FC and New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on September 22, 2018 in Harrison, NJ, USA. The Red Bulls won the match with a score of 2 to 0. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images) /

Midfielders

Joey Piatczyc, West Virginia University

There’s a lot of talk around the world about finding a creative midfielder. With the wide-spread use of the 4-2-3-1, there’s a constant search for players who can fit into any one of those positions on the “3” line. Their main purpose is to get assists. That is also Joey’s main purpose in life. With a record-breaking 35 career assists for the Mountaineers, this attacking midfielder from Missouri has shown an ability to find players at the right time to get the ball in the net through them. For his efforts, Piatczyc made it onto the All-American Third Team, All-MAC First Team, and won the MAC Player of the Year award. Because the MLS Combine always has some sort of log-jam at positions, we’ll probably see him playing at different positions. If he’s able to show off his versatility, he may be able to prove that he can move up to the pros.

Camden Riley, Pacific University

When I was talking about the other Pacific player earlier, I was talking about this guy (duh). Coming from Dallas, Riley reminds me of another player whose career began in Dallas: Dax McCarty. The likeness is uncanny not just because they are both gingers, but because he shows off almost the exact same skill-set. Playing out of the very center of the park, he’s not going to out-run anyone. But on the other hand, he’s the guy who can instantly start a counter-attack with just one pass or pick out that second-to-last pass in the final third. Earning the WCC Player of the Year on nine goals and five assists, Riley also joined Verstraaten on the All-American second-team. The MLS Combine will be a big test to see how well he can adjust to new surroundings and how quickly he can read his teammates.

Tucker Bone, United States Air Force Academy

Once again, it’s attacking midfielders that get the most attention. While the position entails a need to be able to provide service to the forwards, there’s also another part to playing in that area which is scoring yourself. Bone made a massive impact in that area, scoring 13 goals this season, while still handing out six assists. Not only did he have a good season, but this performance helped lead the Air Force to what has been their best ever season in the NCAA. He ended the season by picking up his second All-American first-team honor. As I said with Piatczyc, the biggest thing to look for at the MLS Combine is his versatility in the final third.

Sergio Rivas, Seattle University

Rivas is another attacker, but this time it’s for a very different reason than the others. Piatczyc made assists and Bone scored goals. Rivas put up respectable numbers for both, scoring four goals and giving out 11 assists this past season; but that’s not why I have him on this list. I was interested in his strike rate. Yeah, he didn’t score much, but he’s an amazing shooter nonetheless. Over his career, Rivas has put the ball on frame for about 43% of his shots. This is made even more impressive when considering that he was able to get that high of a number while still taking an incredible amount of shots. Rivas may not be able to play in MLS right away; but if a team can take him and develop him, those shots on goal will turn into straight up goals. And that’s not even taking his already great creative passing skills into account.

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