The Philadelphia Union’s 2016 Superdraft could make or break their season. With the 2, 3, 6, and 23 overall picks, Philadelphia addressed their immediate needs and drafted 3 defenders and 1 attacking player. These young players will bring much-needed depth into the defense, and with recent signing Anderson Conceição, the Union has brought in 4 defenders in two days. Whether or not these defenders will actually improve the defense is another story. Lets look at each draft pick and what they bring to the table.
The Union traded Zach Pfeffer and allocation money to Colorado for the 2nd overall draft pick, which the Union used to sign all-American Joshua Yaro. To put it plainly, this guy is a stud. His highlights and accolades speak for themselves. I think that come the beginning of the season, we will see a backline of Marquez and Yaro holding down the defense. With Conceição possibly finding a spot, (to be honest I don’t know much about this guy). The ensuing trade did a few things that could benefit the Union. While Pfeffer is homegrown, and holds a lot of potential, he was trying to break into an incredibly strong Philadelphia midfield. By acquiring a defender who could impact the team immediately, Philadelphia allows designated player Maurice Edu to finally shine in his best position, defensive midfield. The past year the Union midfield struggled to cover the backline, with midfielders like Barnetta, Pfeffer and Noguiera all being more prolific on the attack. Now that there is a defensive triangle, I think opposing teams will really struggle to find openings.
With the 3rd pick, the Union drafted outside back Keegan Rosenberry, a teammate of Yaro at Georgetown. I’m not sure if this kid will make his way into the starting XI immediately, as he will have stiff competition with Gaddis and Fabinho. However he will provide needed depth in the back, and likely to feature several times this year.
With the 6th overall pick, which the Union received in the trade deal with Houston for Maidana and Wenger, Philadelphia selected attacking midfielder Fabian Herbers. The German born player looked nervous on stage as well as during interviews, but his excitement could be seen under a slight sheen of sweat. When asked where he could play he replied, “I can play as a center forward, but I also play as a secondary forward”. Herbers could likely also play as a winger as well, meaning he could become invaluable to the Union due to his versatility. Herbers was the only NCAA division 1 player who notched double digit assists and goals in 2015.
With the 23nd pick, and the third pick of the second round, Philadelphia picked defender Taylor Washington from George Mason University. Washington went under the radar during the 2015 season due to injury, which he returned for only the last game of his season. However it was his standout combine that put Taylor on the map. When asked he said, “if you told me this a month ago, I would be just happy to make the combine,” he went on to say “I think I had a really good combine, without it, I probably wouldn’t be here”. Washington, however modest, is athletic and a strong tackler, he may need some time to acclimate to the MLS but only time will tell. It is likely that he will start off with a loan to sister club Bethlehem Steel before getting a chance on the big stage. But if the need arrives I would like to see what this kid could do against MLS opponents. I hope to see what Washington, Rosenberry and Yaro can bring to the table this preseason, and hopefully we will see them in the first team in 2016.
Philadelphia fans should rejoice. The 2016 team will likely look very different from the 2015 team, and that is a wonderful thing judging by the results from last year. The team has been severely restructured, bringing in new defenders, several of whom will have an immediate impact, as well as new attacking players. It is still suffice to say whether or not the Union defense will improve on last year, but all signs point to brighter things. The midfield will look strong as ever. Between Barnetta, Noguiera, and Edu, Philadelphia will be dominant in the middle of the park. Pontius and Restrepo will come in to support Sapong and Le Toux up front, and hopefully Herbers will get a chance to show his talent, however it may be difficult to break into such an established front line. However given the results from last year, the Union should treat this year as a rebuilding effort and give their draftees chances in the early goings. I think 2016 will be a year for a playoff push from the Union. The offseason isn’t over yet and they may sign another player before all is said and done. The Union won’t be a powerhouse this year, but certainly won’t be a pushover either.
