2009 MLS SuperDraft Live Tracking...

Folks, here is how we're going to work this today. This will be the live thread. I'll update it as information comes across the wires running under my desk. You can follow along live on ESPN360 and via all the other blogs out there. In particular I'm going to give you my thoughts and the honors I've tracked for these kids. Nerves must be high in St. Louis right now. We're 15 minutes away from go time. Remember to refresh, refresh, refresh...

all times Mountain time by my computer clock.

12:03 pm - Is anyone getting anything on ESPN360?

12:07 pm - Steve Zakuani #1 overall as many expected. He grew up in London playing with the Arsenal youth squads. Had a strong college career. Is rumored to have signed the largest Generation Adidas contract in the history of MLS. Honors: 2007 CSN All-Freshman Team, 2007 MAC Newcomer of the Year, 2007 1st Team All MAC, 2008 CSN POTW, 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List, 2008 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2008 Hermann Trophy Finalists, 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 1st Team.

12:11 pm - Toronto FC takes Sam Cronin with the #2 pick. I guess they didn't want to wheel and deal the way people thought. Honors: 2003 NSCAA Youth adidas All-American, 2003 - 2004 ESP, 2007 TDS 3rd Team TOS, 2007 NSCAA/adidas All-America 2nd Team, 2008 CSN 1st Team Pre-Season All-American, 2008 ESPN.com Preseason All-American Starting XI, 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List, 2008 All-ACC 1st Team, 2008 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2008 Hermann Trophy Finalists, 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 1st Team

I think LA will take Frei. They need help in the nets.

12:12 - Ohh yeah, I now have ESPN360 up and running after restarting it. Nice.

12:15 - Oops, forgot about Ricketts the keeper they just signed. LA takes...Omar Gonzalez. He's a tall one. Honors: 2005 FIFA U-17 WC Team, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 PARADE All-America, 2006 US U-20, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2006 SA Freshman of the year 2nd team, 2007 U-18 Pan Am Games, 2007 TDS 1st Team TOS, 2007 NSCAA/adidas All-America 3rd Team, 2008 CSN 1st Team Pre-Season All-American, 2008 ESPN.com Preseason All-American Starting XI, 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List, 2008 All-ACC 1st Team, 2008 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 1st Team

12:19 - Let's check in on my mock draft. I've got two out of three right in that they went in the first round. I had who, when, wrong. Ohh well. Better than Emile's 1/3.

12:20 - Toronto takes....UConn's O'Brien White. Well, this is the Canadian angle many saw coming but I've got to say I would think he'd be on the board a lot longer. Does Mo not care about their next first round pick because I think he would have been able to get him then. Who knows if another team would have taken a risk on him. Seems like Mo could be dealing the next one if he didn't wait for White in the #13 slot. Honors: U-15, U-17 and U-20 Jamaica, 2005 1st All-Freshman Team, 2006 Big East All-Conference, 2007 CSN POTW, 2007 CSN Playmaker, 2007 TDS 1st Team TOS, 2007 NSCAA/adidas All-America 1st Team, 2007 CSN 1st Team All-American, 2007 SA POTY, 2008 CSN 1st Team Pre-Season All-American, 2008 ESPN.com Preseason All-American Starting XI, 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List, 2008 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 3rd Team.

12:24 - Got this one right. FC Dallas takes Peri Marosevic. Go Blue!!! Honors: 2004 - 2006 US U-17 Residency, US U-17 & U-18 Team Member, 2005 ESP, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2006 CSN 2nd All-Freshman Team, 2007 US U-18, 2007 U-18 Pan Am Games, 2008 US U-20, 2008 Big Ten All-Conference 1st Team.

12:29 - DC United takes Rodney Wallace with the 6th pick overall. A quick, young defender from Maryland. Solid choice and I hope he works out for the Red and Black. Honors: 2004 ESP, 2007 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2007 TDS All-Rookie 1st Team, 2008 All-ACC 2nd Team.

12:31 - As in previous years Generation Adidas kids are going quickly.

12:34 - 5 minute time out for DC United...there must be a trade on the table because there is no way they need an extension when they have back to back picks. Trade, trade, trade!

12:37 - DC United...is picking someone? Chris Pontius, F, goes to DC. Good pick up, but why did they need the time out? Honors: 2007 CSN POTW, 2008 CSN 3rd Team Pre-Season All-American, 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List, 2008 Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 3rd Team.

12:38 - Pontius is making an acceptance speech? At #7. Hugh?

12:42 - KC Wiz takes Matt Besler, D/M. Honors: 2004 ESP All*Star, 2008 CSN 2nd Team Pre-Season All-American, 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 1st Team. Another acceptance speech.

12:44 - That last pick is the first I really blew in the mock draft. I had Matt at the bottom of the second round. Congrats to the senior defender from Notre Dame on moving into the first round. He is a Kansas City kid so looks like a solid pick from that angle.

12:46 - Wait, did anyone else notice the kid they just showed in a SuperDraft shirt and standing with a Chivas USA scarf was previously shown holding a DC United scarf? WTF?

Chivas USA picks Michael Lahoud. M/F from Wake Forest. Honors: 2008 All-ACC 2nd Team.

12:51 - New England goes for Kevin Alston. He slipped from where I thought he would go but I'm expecting some good things from him. I think he has a solid pedigree and a lot of skill. Nicol made a great pick here I think. Honors: 2004 ESP, 2005 FIFA U-17 WC Team, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2005 Parade All American, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2007 U-18 Pan Am Games, 2008 Big Ten All-Conference 1st Team.

12:55 - #11 sees Jeremy Hall go to NYC. This could be an exciting pick for them. Knows how to score and play the ball. Harks makes an interesting point...another outside midfielder for NY? I guess they could see him as a replacement for Dave VDB who just went to Dallas but those are big shoes to fill for a rookie. Honors: 2003 - 2005 US U-17 Residency, 2004 ESP, 2005 FIFA U-17 WC Team, 2005 NSCAA/adidas Boys Youth All-America Team, 2006 PARADE All-America, 2006 CSN 100 Freshman to Watch, 2006 ACC Freshman OTY, 2006 CSN 1st All-Freshman Team, 2006 SA Freshman of the year 1st team, 2007 U-18 Pan Am Games, 2008 All-ACC 1st Team.

1:00 - RSL goes for who? Jean Alexandre...Lynn University....Didn't have him on my list. Ohh well, he's going to RSL. I guess he's from Haiti.

1:04 - Wow guys, how do you really feel about Mexico?

1:05 - #13 for Toronto FC picks the MVP from the combine, Stefan Frei. Well there you go. I got the player right, just the wrong round. I think Toronto has just had a very successful first round. Honors: 2007 NSCAA/adidas All-America 1st Team, 2008 CSN 2nd Team Pre-Season All-American, 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List.

1:09 - #14 pick for FCD - George John from University of Washington. Honors: 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List. I heard from an MLS insider that John is his dark horse pick for 2009. He was right in that no one expected him in the first round. I had him at the start of the second.

1:13 - Twellman says he's coming back to NE this season, he wants to see a good pick. What if he gets traded right now? Hah. That would be a funny one.

1:15 - NE takes Ryan Maxwell, M from Tampa. I guess Taylor will stay in NE another season. Last pick of the first round.

1:18 - My Rapids are coming up in this next round, five more picks. Let's think about who they could select that I'd like to see in Denver in 2009....personally I think a forward is an important piece for the Rapids. But a solid defender would be nice as well. Mike Grella would be nice if you can sign him. He says he wants to go abroad. Since this is their only pick for awhile lets skip him. Jordan Seabrook did some good work to impress at the combine. Those are a couple forwards. How about Michael Holody on the defensive side...or perhaps Yohance Marshall. We'll see soon enough.

ESPN360 is gone....my posting will be slower in the second round.

1:24 - Did you all notice no trades in the first round. WTF? Anyone want to research when the last time that didn't happen. Does that mean Mo isn't Mr. Trade now?

1:39 - #16 Seattle - Evan Brown, #17 San Jose - Brad Ring & #18 New York - Babajide Ogunbiyi. New York is collecting a team of names. Look at their roster with Babajide Ogunbiyi. All noise before the Rapids first pick.

1:41 - Without my ESPN360 feed I nearly missed a trade. Chivas USA's #19 pick to LA?

1:44 - AJ DeLaGarza to LA after the trade. I like this guy. A lot of people think he's too small to be in MLS as a defender but what they're forgetting is how often players are converted in MLS. Perhaps he can help on the outside of defense or in midfield. We'll see what LA does with him, but I think it is a good pick. He was solid for Maryland on the road to the 2009 championship.

Now the RAPIDS are on the clock. First big move of Coach Smith's career.

1:47 - Rapids trade their pick to Chicago who takes Baggio Husidic. Now is when we'll see if that new Rapids blog is at all useful.

1:49 - There you go. The Rapids Undercurrent has some useful information on the trade: "Colorado has swapped second round picks with Chicago in a deal that nets the Rapids the rights to a player to be named later. Now Colorado will make their first pick of the day at #28." Well done Undercurrent.

Player to be named later...hmmmm.......Brian McBride? Doubt it! Must be a lower level guy who is worth trading up 8 slots for.....want away Wilman Conde? Calen Carr for a little sizzle on the front line?

1:59 - No sign of the Chicago player headed to Colorado. I'm working a couple lines. There could also be allocation money going on of the directions.

2:07 - Rapids Undercurrent now saying allocation money is in fact going to Chicago in the deal. That makes me think the Rapids are getting a bigger name like Conde...however word just in is that Colorado traded for Matt Pickens' rights because Bouna isn't re-signing.

2:11 - Colorado is almost back on the clock. Can we snag an attacker this time around?

2:14 - FCD takes F Brian Shriver from UNC. I like that pick. Rapids are on the clock.

2:18 - Still no confirmation on the trade as we await the next Rapids pick.

2:20 - Rapids take Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe, M/F from George Mason University.

2:24 - End of the second round. We saw our first trades this round, and I'm still trying to figure out what happened with the Rapids and the trade with Chicago. We know Colorado moved down and got a player, but who? We know some size of allocation money went to Chicago. Stay tuned.

2:35 - Just noticed the Rapids now have 1 pick in the third round, #37. They traded #35. MLSnet.com says it is now with Chivas USA via LA.

2:46 - Toronto take Mike Grella with the 34th pick. Good move by Toronto. They've filled their plate with young players who should contribute in the next couple years...now if Grella can't sign in Europe he'll come back to them too. Low risk move with what they've already accomplished today.

2:50 - Ives and I agree. Jordan Seabrook is the best talent still on the board. Here's hoping he doesn't get picked by DC before the Rapids can take him.

2:56 - Rapids take Steward Ceus, GK, with the 37th pick. I guess the Rapids aren't too keen on keeping Justin Hughes around. Honors: 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 3rd Team. Huge kid at 6' 6", 215 lbs. Interestingly he went to Albany. Isn't that where Bounatime went to college? Between this and the Pickens rumor I think Bounatime is over in Denver.

3:06 - Ives is confirming what we reported here an hour ago.

3:07 - The Rapids trading for Matt Pickens and then selecting a solid prospect in Steward Ceus
shows coach Smith is starting over at keeper. Preston Burpo was part of the Clavijo team and had his ups and downs while Bouna was out of country. When Bouna returned Smith didn't play him right away. Perhaps there was a rift. Bouna was allegedly offered a six figure contract renewal by the Rapids but it now looks official that he isn't signing it, instead he'll probably listen to his agent and try Europe. It makes sense as his family is still in Senegal. So what will happen with Preston Burpo and Sharpe the league keeper who trains with the Rapids?

3:26 - The Rapids take Ross Schunk, F, University of Redlands (OR) with the 47th pick. He's got good size but is going to be a long shot to make the team.

3:36 - In what could be the steal of the draft the Rapids pick Jordan Seabrook, F from S Florida.

Honors: 2004 ESP All*Star, 2005 1st All-Freshman Team

3:42 - six picks to go. Rapids have one more after taking Henry Kalungi with the 53rd pick. Time to start working on the draft recap...

3:58 - Rapids finish their draft on a solid note. Michael Holody. D from Michigan, Go Blue!!!! Good expereince in the PDL and solid size at 6' 3", 200 lbs. Honors: 2003 - 2004 ESP, 2006 PDL TOTW (2), 2008 Big Ten All-Conference 1st Team, 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men's All-America 3rd Team

Chris Clements is the last pick. That is it. I'll come up with some kind of wrap up tomorrow. What do you think of the draft today?

Thanks for following along.