PHILADELPHIA – Patrick Mullins, a two-time winner of the MAC Hermann Trophy awarded to the nation’s best college soccer player, patiently waited for his name to be called in Thursday’s MLS SuperDraft.
And waited … and waited.
Finally, after surprisingly slipping out of the top 10 of the first round, the Maryland senior striker was scooped up by the New England Revolution with the 11th pick.
But shortly after the selection was made, the leading goalscorer in college soccer expressed neither surprise nor disappointment about falling so far down.
“I think that’s how the draft works sometimes,” Mullins told reporters. “A lot of trades happen, a lot of things come in, there are timeouts all over the place. It makes the spectacle really something to enjoy and cherish. I think I did that. I’m glad I ended up in a great place in New England. And I’m excited.”
One reason he’s excited about the destination is because he’s going to New England with a player he knows well: Georgetown senior midfielder Steve Neumann. The Revs picked Neumann with the fourth overall pick, arguably leaving the draft with the most seasoned and successful college players on the board.
“We were roommates here, and we got to play in the Combine together and we were talking about how it would have been cool to maybe have played together in college,” Mullins said. “And here we go, now we’re both in red and navy blue. And we’re excited.”
Mullins expressed even more excitement about joining a New England side already loaded with other talented youngsters.
- Get the latest Revolution news at RevolutionSoccer.net
His goal now is to be a valuable piece to that young core – and perhaps even become just as successful as another Revs striker from Maryland (who just happened to be at Thursday’s draft on behalf of ESPN).
“I just think it’s a great place to be,” Mullins said. “And I think some Maryland forwards in the past have been pretty successful there like Taylor Twellman. I’m a different player but I hope to have similar success.”
