With the annual release of the initial list of MLS Combine invitees behind us, it’s time again to talk about the coming MLS SuperDraft and the unnecessary limitations associated with it that reduce opportunity for teams and players alike.
Let’s start with the one thing all 53 players on the Combine list have in common: their exhausted college eligibility.
While it’s commendable that the more than four dozens players listed are within grasp of finishing their college degrees, the fact that they are all seniors in the 21-23 age range is problem number one for a league that has fallen short in providing opportunities for young players (I counted 54 players under age 22 on the MLS player database at MLSoccer.