It’s been a little over eight years since the Philadelphia Union selected UConn All-American Andre Blake as the first pick in the MLS SuperDraft. In most American sports, the weight of being the top pick carries extra weight and responsibility: the face of the franchise, the worst-to-first engine, the wind blowing in a new direction.
Few MLS top draft picks have lived up to the hype. For every Maurice Edu and Steve Zakuani there have been five Chris Carrieris and Danny Mwangas.
Andre Blake has more than fulfilled the role of savior. The three-time MLS All-Star and two-time Goalkeeper of the Year arguably had the best season of his career, narrowly missing out on his third GOTY award despite leading the league in many major goalkeeping statistics.