With every matchday of the 2012 MLS Player Combine, MLSsoccer.com's draft experts highlight the players who helped and hurt their stock heading into the SuperDraft on Thursday, Jan. 12 (noon ET, ESPN2 and ESPN3). Simon Borg, Jason Saghini and Travis Clark select their movers after Day 1 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.:
STOCK UP:
Borg: A virtual unknown heading into the Combine, Paraguayan Under-20 midfielder Aldo Paniagua (pictured above) was a revelation of Friday's action. He showed quality most every time he touched the ball at right midfield and an awareness to pop up in the right spots on the field. Goal was sublime.
Saghini: Ivy League Player of the Year Lucky Mkosana showed his class and ability to see teammates in his blind spots on Friday. While he's still only a borderline SuperDraft pick (first two rounds), he is certainly on everyone's radar now.
Clark: Lanky midfielder Warren Creavalle showed well playing at right back, getting up the flank and drawing adiZero’s penalty that playmaker Enzo Martinez failed to convert on Friday.
STOCK DOWN:
Borg: Louisville forward Colin Rolfe came in with high expectations, especially after being invited to trials in Europe before the college season. However, on this day he did not impact the match, regularly finding himself outnumbered and dispossessed in attack.
Saghini: English midfielder Jason Banton has speed, but his decisions in the final third are in question. It showed in limited playing time on Friday and then left with an injury before the chance to make amends. He'll hope to get healthy in time to impact the game on Sunday.
Clark: Hulking defender Matt Hedges has set high standards for himself, and he wasn’t quite at his best on Friday. He was beat around the corner to set up an opposing goal and looked a touch slow on the turn – one of his biggest questions as he makes the jump to MLS.
