Sporting KC Add Two More in Draft

Sporting KC closed out the 2015 MLS Superdraft today with two picks in the third and fourth round of the draft via conference call. In recent history the third and the fourth round hasn't brought a whole lot of sustainable talent to MLS, but it has brought some depth, and occasionally there is the break out talent that turns up.

With their third round pick, the 53rd overall, Sporting KC selected midfielder/forward, James Rogers from the University of New Mexico. The 21 year old had spent time in both the Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids academies and also represented the US at the U20 level. Rogers will likely play out wide in one of the wing positions should he end up making the team.

In the fourth round, 73rd overall, Sporting again looked to address defense, taking Tony Rocha from the University of Tulsa. Rocha was a four year starter at Tulsa and helped Tulsa qualify for the NCAA tournament in 2012 and 2014. Rocha will be added to a large group of incoming outside backs it appears. But with Kevin Ellis' return not sounding extremely likely, and Igor Juliao's future still a bit up in the air, there's spots to be won backing up starters Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic.

Sporting's academy also was involved in the draft today as well as two academy graduates were taken in the draft's fourth round. Philadelphia drafted their second academy graduate in as many years when they took University of St. Louis midfielder, Raymond Lee with the 71st pick. Philadelphia apparently want to try to convert Lee to an outside back. Then with the 83rd pick, the Colorado Rapids selected Butler defender Brandon Fricke.