2008 Generation Adidas Class...

Well folks, here we go, the Generation Adidas class is set. This will change my previous draft a lot as many of these guys will go first round, pushing some good senior talent into the second round.

MF - Eric Avila, 20, UC Santa Barbara
Honors: 2004 ESP All*Star, 2005 StudentSportsSoccer.com #6 top prospect, 2005 2nd All-Freshman Team, US U-17 Team, 2006 CSN 3rd Team All-American, 2006 NSCAA/adidas All-America Team 2nd Team, 2006 First Team All-Big West, 2006 All-College Cup, 2006 First Team All-Far West, 2007 CSN 1st Pre-Season 1st Team All-American, 2007 Preseason All-American (MajorLeagueSoccer Magazine), 2007 Preseason All-American (Soccer America), H8292007 MAC pre-season Hermann Trophy watch, 2008 US U-23

D - Tony Beltran, 20, UCLA
Honors: 2004 ESP All*Star, 2005 StudentSportsSoccer.com #2 top prospect, 2006 U-20 Milk Cup, 2007 US U-20 World Cup, 2007 TDS 2nd Team TOS

GK Josh Lambo, 17, Middleton, Wis.
Honors: 2006 ESP All*Star, 2006 U-17 Toyota International Championship, 2006 US U-17 Residency, 2007 US U-17 Spring Residency, 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup South Korea, 2007 US U-17 Fall Residency, 2007 US U-18, 2007 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team

D Chance Myers, 20, UCLA
Honors: 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2005 ESP All*Star, 2006 U-20 Milk Cup, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2007 U-18 Pan Am Games, 2008 US U-23


F Alex Nimo, 17, Portland, Ore.
Honors: 2005 ESP, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 ESP All*Star, 2007 US U-17 Spring Residency, 2007 FIFA Under-17 World Cup South Korea, 2007 US U-18

F Patrick Nyarko, 22, Virginia Tech
Honors: 2005 1st All-Freshman Team, 2006 CSN 2nd Team Pre-Season All American, 2006 ACC All-Conference, 2007 CSN 1st Pre-Season 1st Team All-American, 2007 MAC pre-season Hermann Trophy watch, 2006 Big East All-Conference, 2007 NSCAA/adidas All-America 1st Team, 2007 CSN 1st Team All-American

MF Ciaran O'Brien, 20, UC Santa Barbara
Honors: 2004 - 2005 ESP, 2005 ESP All*Star, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2006 CSN 2nd All-Freshman Team, 2006 SA Freshman of the year 2nd team, 2006 NSCAA Freshman All-America, 2007 All PDL Team, 2006 Big East All-Conference, 2007 CSN 3rd Team All-American

MF Brek Shea, 17, College Station, Tex.
Honors: 2007 US U-17 Fall Residency, 2007 US U-18, 2007 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team

D Rob Valentino, 22, Univ. of San Francisco
Honors: 2004 2nd All-Freshman Team, 2006 CSN 2nd Team Pre-Season All American, 2007 US U-23, 2007 CSN Pre-Season 2nd Team All-American, 2007 MAC pre-season Hermann Trophy watch.
Notes: If he is going GA, his injury must have given him one more year of eligibility because his bio says he's a senior.

To me this is a good class. While some of the offensive firepower I would have liked to see is missing (Marcus Tracy, O’Brian White) you do get some good prospects in Nyarko, Avila, Beltran and Nimo. I think the younger guys will take some time to develop given their size and experience level, but that is what the reserve team is for, right? I think the college players have a chance to come in and contribute if the situation is right and they work hard.