My expectations for the draft have diminished over the years. I used to think a successful draft meant you got an impact player, a solid MLS player and a couple of projects. Perhaps, in the year’s past, that was possible. But MLS has improved today, and these days if you get one solid MLS player and one project out of the draft then you’re doing alright. If you get more that one solid player or one impact player then you’re doing exceptionally well. Even a solid player and a couple of projects is pretty good.

Schematically I’d say it arrays something like this:

Four Types of Drafted Players

Impact Player: A difference maker within his first season. Very rare.
Solid MLS Player: Starter or important sub within his first season.
Project: A reserve league player with hope of becoming a solid MLS player.
Reserve league player: A reserve league player with no real hope of becoming a solid MLS player.

Grading Criteria

A: One impact player plus either:

1) One solid MLS player
2) More than one project

B: Either:

1) Two solid MLS players
2) One solid MLS player plus more than one project
3) One impact player

C: One solid MLS player plus one project (the “average” grade)

D: Either:

1) More than one project
2) One solid player

F: Either

1) One project
2) Nothing but reserve league players (really an F-)

The Grades

- CD Chivas USA - D

This was a pretty disastrous draft for Bradley. Kljesten should turn into an admirable MLS player, but that’s all they really got here. (I’m not really considering trades, but even if I did my conclusion wouldn’t change. I am not a fan of Hernandez.) Trading the number one pick, in retrospect, was terribly foolish. They clearly got the raw end of the deal. It’s no discredit to Kljestan, but if all you got was one solid player and someone to sacrifice to the reserve league then you’re gonna get a ‘D’ for the day. Indeed, considering what they squandered the case could be made for an even lower grade.

- Chicago Fire - D

I’ve got my doubts about Calen Carr contributing much in MLS. I’ve got even stronger doubts about Jeff Curtin and Brian Plotkin. I would venture to say they didn’t get one obviously solid MLS player here. There are some projects, to be sure, but if I’m gonna put a grade here it has to be a ‘D’.

- Colorado Rapids – D

I am not sold on Jacob Peterson. The fact that he dropped to the 21st pick after 10 of 12 teams requested him for the combine suggests I’m not alone in that assessment. I do not believe Colorado got a solid MLS player here; they got a project if anything. Even if you’re generous and say Brown’s also a project that’s still a pretty poor draft. A couple of projects gets you a ‘D’ for a grade.

- Columbus Crew - B

Between Garey, Kamara and Zayner Sigi’s all but assured himself a couple of solid MLS players. Hashimoto, I think, is an interesting late round project. All totaled that’s a couple solid pickups and a couple projects. But there isn’t an obvious immediate impact player here, and so Sigi gets a very respectable ‘B’ for his efforts.

- DC United - C

Now here’s a case for grade inflation! See, DC United is my team and if you’ve been reading my posts here you’d know that I was very high on both Justin Moose and Jeff Carroll. Had I my druthers those were clearly the guys I wanted DC United to pick. I even engaged in a little (perhaps ultimately well founded) wishful thinking when I suggested that Nowak and Company seemed to be watching those two players.

Well, it turns out I got exactly what I wanted. Moose should become a solid MLS player very soon. Jeff Carroll is a great project, in my view the second best project available behind Altidore. He was the steal of the draft in the fourth round. That said, I strongly suspect it was basically agreed to beforehand that Carroll would join his brother at DC United. Not saying the draft is rigged, but it is interesting how often things like that work out.

On the other hand, I do think the Bertz selection was uninspired because I don’t believe in drafting reserve league fodder. You’re better off taking a gamble with that last pick. And I don’t know anything about Dyachenko so I just can’t factor him in here. But knowing what I do know DC United picked up at least one solid player and at least one project. That’s a clear ‘C’ grade, and that’d go up to a ‘B’ if Dyachenko turns out to be a project.

- FC Dallas – B+

Dax McCarty and Justin Moore will probably both become solid MLS players. Wagner may develop into one too, but for now I consider him a project. I’m not sold on the rest of their picks though. Still, between those three guys Dallas has certainly done enough to merit at least a ‘B’.I’d prefer not to give plusses and minuses, but if there was ever a case for a “B+” this is it.

- Houston “Doe” - D

It must be strange to be drafted onto a team with no name. Ianni will probably be a solid MLS player, but other than that Houston’s got nothing but reserve league players. That’s a ‘D’ if there ever was one.

- Kansas City Wizards - D

Rumor on BigSoccer says Gansler wasn’t supposed to take Movsisyan with the number four pick. Apparently Bradley wanted him. Whether or not that’s true, I’m giving Gansler a worse grade for taking him and I gave Bradley a better grade for taking Kljestan instead. I was impressed as anybody with Movsisyan, but let’s be honest here and admit this guy was the biggest gamble at the draft. He may be great or he may be terrible. Nobody really knows; he remains a project.

I don’t think there’s anyone in MLS who doesn’t want a guy like Movsisyan to exceed all expectations. If it works then it’ll be a great story, the kind of story we’d all like to see more of in MLS. But right now it’s just a hope and a dream. The rest of Gansler’s draftees aren’t any better. A good lot of them look like nothing more than reserve league fodder to my eye. So right now it appears that Gansler didn’t get his team a single obviously solid MLS player. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt though and say he has more than one project. With that he gets a ‘D’ for his effort.

- Los Angeles Galaxy – B+

Sampson didn’t pull any stunts this year (and I was disappointed about that), but he did draft two very solid defenders in Sturgis and Veris. Those are guys who can contribute this year. They’re not difference making impact players, but they were probably the second and third best defensive players at the combine. That’s at least one solid MLS player there, and he’s picked up a couple of projects too. Another case for a ‘B+’ grade.

- MetroStars – A

The MetroStars nabbed the only obvious impact player available at the draft in Marvelle Wynne. And they also got the greatest project player available at the draft in Josmer Altidore. The fact that Blake Camp may also develop into a solid MLS player is almost a bonus. That’s an ‘A’ grade right there.

- New England Revolution - C

He who questions Nicol’s draft is apt to look a fool. I know. I’ve questioned it before and I’ve always come out looking foolish. I can’t speak about Leandro de Oliveira. For all I know Nicol’s got a gem with that guy. But I was not impressed by Willie Sims and Kyle Brown. Of course a couple years ago I was not impressed with Clint Dempsey. That’s what I’m talking about; you’re apt to look a fool when questioning Nicol’s drafts. I will give Nicol the benefit of the doubt, however, and assume de Oliveira is a fine player with solid MLS prospects. If that’s the case then he gets a ‘C’ for the draft: one solid player and maybe a potential project.

- Real Salt Lake - D (arguable F)

At least Ballouchy is honest with himself. At the draft he admitted he’ll have to speed up his game to survive in Major League Soccer. But there’s a deeper problem with Ballouchy. For MLS the days of the slow and methodical number 10 have passed. In its place is the fast, physical and congested midfield. That transition had already begun in Valderrama, and Etcheverry’s last years in the league, and in those years their games suffered not only because they were aging, but also because MLS was no longer suited to their style of play.

Ballouchy is a number 10 in the classical mold. And it should go without saying that he’s no Valderrama or Etcheverry. If those two couldn’t hack it in the modern MLS then neither can Ballouchy. As I’ve said before, he’s either going to have to change his game (and change it quite radically) or he’s going to be slaughtered. That means he’s a project. I do not believe he’ll be able to step onto the field as a solid MLS player anytime soon. In fact, he may never make the changes necessary to complete that transition.

I saw a flash or two from Ryan Johnson, and I’d classify him as a project as well. But Real Salt Lake needs players who can hang in MLS right now and with their two picks they failed to get one. Instead they got a couple of projects and with that they get a ‘D’. And if you don’t believe me about Johnson then the grade would drop to an ‘F’.