Akron forward Darren Mattocks was selected second by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday, and in doing so, they chose the most complete player available in the two-round draft.
Mattocks was the 2011 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year. He will be reunited with former UA teammate Michael Nanchoff, who was the eighth overall selection of the Whitecaps a year ago. Mattocks and Nanchoff were both starters on the Zips’ 2010 National Championship squad.
“”"”The drafting of Mattocks continues Akron’s run of SuperDraft picks.
In the past six years, UA head coach Caleb Porter, who is also head coach of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team, and his staff have produced 13 MLS draft selections, including a record seven draftees a year ago. Nine were taken in the first round.
Entering the day, just two schools — Wake Forest (16) and Maryland (13) — had produced more SuperDraft selections since 2007. In all, 14 former Zips — including undrafted Montreal Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush — will suit up for an MLS team next season.
Mattocks, who was a 2011 Hermann Trophy semifinalist, is the fourth UA sophomore to be drafted in as many seasons, following Steve Zakuani in 2009, Teal Bunbury in 2010 and Valentin in 2011. The native of Portmore, Jamaica, finished second in the nation with 21 goals, which was the third-highest, single-season total in school history.
Zakuani was the highest player to be drafted from Akron, going No. 1 overall in 2009.
The expansion Montreal Impact selected Duke forward Andrew Wenger with the first overall pick.
The Hermann Trophy winner as the top NCAA player, Wenger was the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year last season and Offensive Player of the Year this season, finishing with 17 goals and eight assists.
Mattocks is a speedy Jamaican who wound up at powerhouse Akron because he wanted to acclimate himself to playing in colder weather. He will certainly get that opportunity in Vancouver.
Vancouver President Bob Lenarduzzi said his decision was easy once Montreal made its pick.
“It’s been the consensus that the top two were Wenger and Mattocks,” Lenarduzzi said. “We just needed Montreal to make up their minds. All along you sort of jokingly ask what they’re going to do, but they never were going to tell me anything.”
Ethan Finlay of Creighton was chosen by Columbus with the 10th overall pick.
UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe went third to New England, followed by UC Santa Barbara’s Luis Silva to Toronto FC and Maryland forward Casey Townsend to Chivas USA.