New York Red Bulls SuperDraft Preview: Another new era in Jersey | Armchair Analyst

Matthew Doyle

Ahead of the 2015 SuperDraft, MLSsoccer.com is breaking down each team's needs and potential draft targets. The New York Red Bulls are coming off the most successful two-year stretch in team history, but things are looking significantly different than they did two months ago.

The New York Red Bulls have to replace Thierry Henry. You won't find that kind of talent in the SuperDraft.

They also have to replace Jamison Olave. While the chances of finding a talent of that caliber in the SuperDraft aren't great, they're not nil, either. Especially for a team that has a long and pretty decent history of getting good defenders in the draft.

Mock Draft: Pre-Combine Edition

Chris Duvall, their top pick last season, was solid at right back until he hit the wall in late September. Tim Ream was sold to Bolton after a very good two years. And one time, long ago, they drafted a guy named Mike Petke. He left a pretty decent legacy with this team.

RBNY SuperDraft selections: #18 (1st round), #39 (2nd round), #49 (3rd round), #79

RBNY Depth Chart: 20 players

Goalkeeper (2): Luis Robles, Santiago Castano
Left Back (2): Roy Miller, Ambroise Oyongo
Center Back (2): Armando, Matt Miazga
Right Back (1): Chris Duvall
Central Midfield (5): Dax McCarty, Eric Alexander, Connor Lade, Ian Christianson, Michael Bustamante
Attacking Midfield (2): Peguy Luyindula, Sean Davis
Winger (4): Lloyd Sam, Ruben Bover, Sal Zizzo, Eric Stevenson
Forward (2): Bradley Wright-Phillips, Tim Cahill

Primary Need: Defensive depth

Yeah, right now the only two central defenders on this roster are Armando -- who was mistake-prone and immobile in his first MLS season -- and Matt Miazga, who has loads of potential but looked miles from realizing it as a rookie. He's looked better recently for the US U-20s, but guys like Lee Nguyen and Luis Silva are better than Guatemalan youth leaguers.

So New York, even if they sign a veteran center back or two this winter (they will, I promise), will still need to find at least one guy at that spot in this draft. They don't need a star, and they don't need a stud who they can sell for millions down the road, a la Ream. They just need somebody who can eat up 1500 or so minutes across all competitions.

The good news? This draft looks like it's packed with guys like that.

Targets: Tim Parker (St. John's), Oumar Ballo (UMBC), Aaron Simmons (UCLA), Axel Sjoberg (Marquette), Anthony Manning (St. Louis), Boyd Okwuonu (North Carolina)

Secondary Need: Forward

There were times in 2014 when RBNY simply didn't have a true forward to bring in off the bench. I have Cahill listed there behind BWP, but chances are the Aussie int'l will be spending most of his time in a slightly withdrawn, free role in Jesse Marsch's 4-2-3-1 -- if he's still a Red Bull come March.

Even with those two guys healthy and in the fold, getting a big, strong No. 9 will be high on the team's priority list. They simply don't have the likes of that anywhere on the roster.

Target: Dzenan Catic (Davenport), Andy Craven (North Carolina), Miguel Aguilar (San Francisco)

SUPERDRAFT TEAM PREVIEWS