MLSsoccer.com continues its team-by-team preview of the 2013 SuperDraft with a look at the Colorado Rapids' quest to continue to rebuild the team that won MLS Cup in 2010.
The upcoming 2013 edition of the Colorado Rapids should more closely resemble the vision for a technical, possession-oriented based team that second-year manager Oscar Pareja has for the club.
Gone is the MLS Cup 2010 forward pairing of Conor Casey and Omar Cummings, two more faces that depart from the old Gary Smith tenure. Those moves open up the door for new personnel that perhaps better fit the 4-3-3 style that Pareja is implementing.
Colorado Rapids SuperDraft Picks: No. 6 (1st Rd), No. 25 (2nd Rd), No. 30 (2nd Rd)
Colorado Rapids Depth Chart (21 players):
Goalkeepers (2): Steward Ceus, Matt Pickens
Right Backs (1): Davy Armstrong
Center Backs (4): Drew Moor, Nate Sturgis, Marvell Wynne, Diego Calderón
Left Backs (2): Anthony Wallace, Chris Klute
Right Wingers (2): Atiba Harris, Brian Mullan
Central Midfielders (5): Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Hendry Thomas, Jaime Castrillón, Shane O’Neill
Attacking Midfielders (2): Kamani Hill, Martín Rivero
Left Wingers (1): Tony Cascio
Forwards (2): Andre Akpan, Edson Buddle
Internationals slots (3 of 7 remaining): Castrillón, Rivero, Thomas, Calderón
Colorado Rapids SuperDraft Priorities
1. Attacking Wingers: The Rapids’ No. 6 overall pick is high enough that it should go toward securing one of the top attacking talents in the SuperDraft, at winger or forward. The only wild card is whether centerbacks Walker Zimmerman (Furman), Andrew Farrell (Louisville) or Eriq Zavaleta (Indiana) somehow fall to them.
Wish List (attackers): Erik Hurtado (Santa Clara), Emery Welshman (Oregon State), Deshorn Brown (Central Florida), Ryan Finley (Notre Dame)
2. Fullbacks: Colorado may still be able to find a dynamic, yet serviceable right or left back with the No. 25 pick. Their fullback group (left and right) is shorthanded and inexperienced with Armstrong (right), Wallace (left) and Klute (left), although Moor and Wynne can play on the right in a heartbeat as can Calderón on the left.
Wish List (fullbacks): Andrew Quintana (Central Florida / right back), John Gallagher (Penn State / left back), Greg Cochrane (Louisville / left back), Ryan Clark (Monmouth / left back), Michael Bustamante (Boston University / right back), Joe Franco (Cal State Northridge / right)
3. Central Defense: A reserve defender is a necessity to take the place of old reliable Tyrone Marshall. At pick No. 30 there could be a few options available, but will any of them be technical enough to play in Pareja’s system?
Wish List (center backs): Tommy Muller (Georgetown), Eric Schoenle (West Virginia), Eric Robertson (Brown), Trevor Newquist (St. Mary’s), Kofi Opare (Michigan), Jose Diaz (UC Riverside)
