FRISCO, Texas — Even though some thought FCD would take Dallas-area product Stephen McCarthy with the 17th pick of Thursday's draft, the club opted for defender Bobby Warshaw.
And there's plenty to like about Warshaw.
FCD technical director Barry Gorman, who admitted he's been following Warshaw since the Stanford product was 12, said he likes the fact that Warshaw is composed and always looking for the ball.
"He tries to play, and he’s one of those guys that other players like because he doesn’t hide in the game," Gorman said. "He brings good leadership qualities to the club as well.”
WATCH: Bobby Warshaw highlights
This draft was Gorman’s first since being hired as the club’s TD last spring. He had previously spent the last few decades coaching at Penn State. One of his former PSU players is already on the roster — forward Jason Yeisley, a 2010 pick — but he couldn’t resist noting that Warshaw is a Pennsylvania native.
[inline_node:326554]“He’s from good, solid stock,” Gorman said of Warshaw, who hails from Mechanicsburg, Pa. “He’s a very bright boy. He’s a good boy in terms of his work ethic and attitude towards being a pro."
FCD could play Warshaw at center back, where he has played the past two seasons, or they could also give him a look at defensive midfield, which he played earlier in his time in Palo Alto to provide some depth behind captain Daniel Hernandez.
“I’ll be coming to a good team that plays good soccer and played for a championship,” Warshaw said. “I couldn’t be happier right now.”
And it doesn’t hurt that Gorman and Yeisley also have roots in the Keystone State.
“It makes it feel like home” Warshaw said. “I’m happy to go in there with people from the area. Barry and I have been familiar with each other for a few years. It’s exciting to kind of share that experience to hopefully make Pennsylvania proud for years to come.”
Even though not many mock drafts, if any at all, had him even going in the first round, the Stanford product knows exactly why Gorman and the rest of the FCD brass selected him.
“I think Schellas, Barry and coach Ellinger, they like soccer players; they like soccer minds,” Warshaw said. “They liked me more than other people. I think I did OK at the combine, but they know how I like to play soccer.”
One thing the 23-year-old defender isn’t worried about is his prospects for playing time as a rookie under Schellas Hyndman.
“Every day, Schellas will get everything I have," Warshaw said. "In terms of playing or anything like that, I’m not really thinking about that.”
