Right back is always one of the tricky positions to fill in MLS, and there will be teams looking to fill starter or depth slots through the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday. Who are the top prospects this year at right back? Here are the top five in the draft class:
Saad Abdul-Salaam, Akron
The big, big, big question about Abdul-Salaam is this: Can he defend? There’s seemingly nothing else he can’t do. He’s rangy, skilled, and gets up into the attack with the best of them. That said, because of Akron’s playing style – bombing the fullbacks up the wing – you don’t see Abdul-Salaam in his own half very much, which makes him the Schrodinger’s cat of right back prospects. That said, from conversations we’ve had in the last few months, we actually do think he can fulfill his responsibilities on the defensive side of the ball after he makes the jump to MLS.
Oniel Fisher, New Mexico
Fisher (pictured above) split time between right back and central midfield this year, but after playing every game of the Combine in defense, it’s pretty clear that the MLS consensus is that’s where his long-term future lies. Fortunately, the things that made him good as a central midfielder make him good as a right back – given time and some room to run at guys, he can tear defenders to shreds.
Wesley Charpie, USF
Like Fisher, Charpie is an athlete, and he’s got an engine that won’t quit. He hasn’t done a ton to boost his stock at the Combine – to be fair, no one in the right back pool has – but his stats speak to the quality that he can bring: 21 assists in his four seasons with five goals. Just as important, Charpie has really, really, really been focused on becoming a professional for the last 17 years, if you hear him tell it. He’s worth a look.
Luke Mishu, Notre Dame
Mishu is strong, fast, and loves to get forward. Could his service be better? Yes. But by all accounts it’s improved dramatically over his time at Notre Dame, and he can still get up and down the line with the best of them. You can only prove whether players can keep up with the strength and pace of MLS once the games start, but Mishu should probably be able to do it.
Shawn McLaws, Coastal Carolina
The Big South is certainly not the most competitive conference in college soccer, but you don’t win Big South Defensive Player of the Year twice in a row if you can’t actually defend. McLaws is a versatile defender, and has played in the middle before, but he offers enough serving the ball in from the outside.
