The NCAA champion Akron men’s soccer team has been hailed as one of the most talented college teams in history. Driving that point home is the announcement that Zips are five of the nine players making up the 2011 Generation Adidas class.
Five Akron Players Among Nine Members Of 2011 Generation Adidas Class
Headlining that group are three players WV Hooligan’s Drew Epperley believes could be the top three players selected in the Jan. 13 MLS SuperDraft. Epperley projects forward Darlington Nagbe to be the No. 1 player selected and believes Akron teammates midfielder Perry Kitchen and defender Kofie Sarkode to go in the second and third spots, respectively. Defenders Michael Nanchoff and Zarek Valentin are the other Akron players signed to Generation Adidas contracts.
Rounding out the class are former Chivas de Guadalajara forward Omar Salgado, Indiana forward Will Bruin, Penn State forward Corey Hertzog and Maryland goalkeeper Zac MacMath. All nine players are likely to picked early and Epperley has them all going in the top 10 of his most recent Mock Draft.
Generation Adidas players are underclassmen and are generally paid more than other players picked in the SuperDraft. Their salaries do not count against MLS salary caps.
The Vancouver Whitecaps hold the No. 1 pick in the draft and will be followed by the Portland Timbers. The rest of the draft is in the reverse order of last year's finish, with DC United picking third and MLS Cup champion Colorado picking 18th.
See More:
