Alex Morgan and Some of Her 2008 U20 World Cup Winning Teammates Figure To Be Among The High Draft Picks in Friday's WPS Draft

I actually had this one done a day or two earlier…and then Jeff Kassouf had to blow my mind with today’s post that Philly were going with a central defender at the #5 pick. I’d laugh if they were lying, but had to adjust everything accordingly. This is also a somewhat sane take on the Draft. Trust me, there could be some weird goings on tomorrow afternoon…

Round One

1 – WNY – Alex Morgan – F – Cal

A no brainer. Morgan is far and away the top rated prospect of the 2011 class and should immediately form a potent partnership up front with Christine Sinclair. Morgan’s already shown her skill at the highest level internationally, meaning the acclimation period that other high striker picks like Amy Rodriguez and Lauren Cheney have gone through should be minimized. The only problem from the Flash’s standpoint is what happens when Morgan and Sinclair are both gone for the World Cup?

2 – PHI – Sinead Farrelly – M – Virginia

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Philly coach Paul Riley probably showed his cards a little too much earlier in the week when talking up Farrelly and Christen Press in the same sentence. Ex-Independence GM Terry Foley also probably revealed a bit too much when talking up Farrelly as well. As a local product, Farrelly makes sense, as well as from a team need standpoint since the team has enough fast strikers as is. This is a prime spot to trade down from with one of the other teams desperate to take Press at this spot. But does anyone have the assets to make it worth Philly’s while?

3 – ATL – Christen Press – F – Stanford

It may fill a need, but I think a marriage between the Beat and Press would be just about the worst case scenario for all involved. The Beat are woefully thin on the ground as far as talent goes, especially up front, where, at the moment, the only real scoring option would seem to be Johanna Rasmussen, a winger by trade. With practically no proven strikers on the free agent market still, that means that much of the goalscoring onus would fall on Press. Press is a talented player, but not one that can make something out of nothing while taking on a wave of defenders. She’s probably best as a ‘second banana’ type playing off a bigger forward. But if Press falls to #3 and the Beat, what choice do they have?

4 – WSH – Lauren Fowlkes – D/M – Notre Dame

The Artist Formerly Known As The Washington Freedom should be doing cartwheels if Fowlkes falls to them in the middle of the first. A team that got shredded on defense last season could possibly line up with Fowlkes, Sauerbrunn, and Marshall on their back line. This wouldn’t be the most glamorous pick, but it would be the most practical. Fowlkes would probably be able to step in one day one and be a rock at the back for the AFKAWF.

5 – PHI – Lauren Barnes – D/M – UCLA

Jeff Kassouf says that Philly is thinking central defender at this spot with Fowlkes and Barnes the obvious targets. Barnes is the lesser of the two, but with Fowlkes being taken above, she becomes the obvious pick. Barnes can also play in the midfield or out wide on the back line in a pinch. I thought her draft stock might have suffered after UCLA’s poor year by their standards, but evidently not if she goes this high.

6 – BOS – Elli Reed – D/M – Portland

You could probably flip a coin with this pick between Keelin Winters and Reed, but the deciding factor in my mind is the depth at the positions of need for Boston in the players available. The depth at full-back falls off the table after Reed, while there are still a few defensive midfield prospects highly rated after Winters. DiCicco is familiar with Reed from his work with the U20s, and the Portland star can fill in at winger in a pinch.

7 – ATL – Amanda DaCosta – M – Florida State

I’m not sure it makes a whole lot of sense for the Beat since a midfield with DaCosta and Lloyd doesn’t exactly scream “balance”, but given the reputed interest in DaCosta, I just can’t see her falling past this point in the draft. It also wouldn’t shock me to see the Beat trade down from this spot to try and accrue more picks later in the draft seeing as how they kind of need a LOT more than three new players to flesh out the roster.

8 – WNY – Meghan Klingenberg – M/D – North Carolina

I had Klingenberg going at #5 to Philly before Kassouf’s latest update that indicated Riley was thinking center-back at that spot. The Flash are in luck as they need a left winger and cover at left-back which Klingenberg would provide nicely. Size is a concern obviously, but Klingenberg’s intangibles are through the roof. She’s got a non-stop motor and would run through a brick wall if asked. Then again, it wouldn’t shock me if she went to Washington at #4 or Boston at #6 either.

Round Two

9 – PHI – Megan Jesolva – M/D – Cal

Philly needs wingers, but the market dries up considerably after Klingenberg. Jesolva is more wing-back than winger but could probably make the transition with a lot of work and a little luck. This is a prime pick to move, and it wouldn’t shock me to see Philly trade down, perhaps with Boston so the Breakers can pick up Keelin Winters.

10 – WSH – Keelin Winters – M/D – Portland

The AFKAWF are a total mystery at the moment, even with rumors that there are a flood of player signings to announce sometime in the future. If they can fight off what’s sure to be a charge from the Breakers to try and trade up to get her, the Freedom will have a nice water carrier in midfield with tremendous leadership ability to boot.

11 – PHI – Rose Augustin – F/M – Notre Dame

Philly are in the unenviable position of having a lot of picks in an area where the need doesn’t quite fit the quality of the talent available. The Independence need wingers, but there just don’t seem to be many of them worth taking. Augustin probably won’t be a winger but could be cover at both attacking midfielder and forward ala Sanderson. I just can’t see Philly not trading out of either this spot, their other second round pick, or maybe even both spots.

12 – BOS – Kylie Wright – M – UCLA

Having missed out on Winters, the Breakers would move on to the next option at defensive midfielder in Wright, an unfussy player who may never be a star but who should be able to do her job effectively in the center of the park. A definite need pick with the possibility of Osborne being selected for the World Cup team.

Round Three

13 – WNY – Ashlee Elliott – M – Florida

The Flash may be looking at offensive players, but having filled two offensive needs in the first round, it may be time to fortify the midfield which stands to lose Caroline Seger and Yael Averbuch during the World Cup. It also doesn’t hurt that Elliott, who did a little of everything at Florida, can get forward just fine and is a big threat on set pieces.

14 – ATL – Kristin Arnold – GK – Texas A&M;

If you haven’t noticed, the Beat don’t have a single keeper rostered right now, and the options left on the market are dwindling on a daily basis. With Loyden out with a shattered hand and Solo seriously considering not signing a contract until after the World Cup to focus on her rehab, the Beat could be in a world of hurt between the pipes. Arnold would be a stopgap measure until (hopefully) Solo returns but is far and away the class of this year’s goalkeeping crop, even if her upside probably tops out at very good backup.

15 – PHI – Omolyn Davis – M/F – George Mason

His kingdom! His kingdom for a winger! I’m sure Paul Riley has a plan in his back pocket that will dazzle us all, but why not take a flyer on Davis? Philly, by my count, still has a few international spots open, making the Jamaican international an option. Not exactly a winger by trade, I still don’t envy the defender who has the hulking Davis running at them. A project perhaps but one that could reap huge dividends.

16 – SBFC – Meghan Lenczyk – F – Virginia

Another team in the long line of sufferers bemoaning their fate at the lack of talented wide players in the draft. With a crew of underperforming and unproven misfits at forward though to play alongside Aluko, Sky Blue could use a fresh face at forward to provide some competition. Lenczyk could be a perfect foil for Aluko’s pace with her strength and power…but she’s also notoriously streaky as well.

17 – WSH – Cassie Dickerson – D – Ohio State

It’s “Best Player Available” as a rule with the mystery team of the WPS, which means it’s Dickerson’s time to come off the board. She still had remaining eligibility at Ohio State, but with surgically repaired knees and her stock at its apex after a brilliant season with the Buckeyes, it was clearly time to go. Who knows if her health will hold up, but if it does, she could become a nice defender in the league.

18 – PHI – Katie Bethke – F/M – Minnesota

Bethke came on like gangbusters for the Gophers in her last two years with Minnesota and has the ability to contribute as a midfielder or forward. Was an assist machine for the Gophers.

19 – BOS – Tanya Taylor – F – UC Irvine

The Breakers are also in the market for wide players, but also need depth at forward, making Taylor worth a grab here. Fast and physical, Taylor really erupted during her senior year to help the Anteaters to a tremendous season.

Round Four

20 – WNY – Jessica Tsao – D – Portland

Despite what Aaron Lines may be intimating about being after offensive players, the Flash still need defensive depth with Chapman, Riley, and possibly Engen all departing for the World Cup. Tsao would be an absolute steal if she falls this far and would help shore up the center of defense for WNY.

21 – SBFC – Tiffany Yovino – M – Hofstra

Sky Blue needs right flank players, but as I’m sure you could tell by now if you’ve read this far, there just isn’t that much of a market for them this season. Yovino is probably far too small to play centrally in midfield, but she’s a fighter and has shown no small amount of talent at Hofstra in her career, making an experimental switch out wide a possibility.

22 – WSH – Courtney Wetzel – D/M – Oregon State

Wetzel was one of the main reasons behind the renaissance at Oregon State over the past couple of seasons. A versatile player with U23 experience, she could be a boon this low in the draft.

23 – PHI – Kerri Butler – GK – West Virginia

After Arnold, Butler is the best of an uninspiring bunch at goalkeeper from this year’s class. The West Virginia mainstay could stick as a third keeper, but Philly would be wise to go out and snap up someone like Allison Whitworth to serve as understudy to Val Henderson.

24 – BOS – Kacey Richards – D/M – UConn

When in doubt, go local. Richards, like many of these late picks, is versatile and should at the very least provide defensive cover when the Breakers get ransacked right before the World Cup.

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