Sweeney: Revs need to be better in drafting, signing college players

Last Monday, the Revolution revealed which player options were exercised and whose options weren’t, setting up the roster for 2019. In somewhat of a surprise, rookie Mark Segbers — a first-round SuperDraft choice in January 2018 — did not have his option picked up. Fellow first-rounder Brandon Bye, picked eighth, one slot ahead of Segbers, had his option picked up. Fourth-round choice Nico Samayoa’s option was — not surprisingly — also declined.

Since 2012, only eight of the Revs’ 20 SuperDraft selections in that time have seen their options picked up; of those eight, four remain with the club headed into the current offseason.

Those four are as follows: Kelyn Rowe (3rd overall selection, 2012), Andrew Farrell (1st overall selection, 2013), Brian Wright (20th overall selection, 2017), and Bye (8th overall selection, 2018).

The other four players who have seen their options picked up for two or more years are as follows: Donnie Smith (21st overall selection, 2013), Steve Neumann (4th overall selection, 2014), Femi Hollinger-Janzen (51st overall selection, 2016), and Tyler Polak (22nd overall, 2012).

While Smith spent five years on the Revolution roster, he would make a grand total of six league appearances on the pitch for New England, while going on two separate loan spells with Rochester in 2014 and ’16, as well as a loan to Charlotte in 2017. Smith’s option for 2018 was declined, and he played with Charlotte in the USL this season.

Neumann was a part of the 2014 Eastern Conference champion club, and would spend two additional seasons in Foxborough, his playing time decreasing, before he was released following the 2016 season. He announced his retirement just before Christmas that year.

Hollinger-Janzen, too, spent three years in New England, and was a little-used player in 2018, his final season with the club. He wound up scoring twice in his three seasons.

Other draft choices have not been so lucky:

Polak was drafted 22nd overall in 2012, made two appearances for the Revs in 2012, and was sent out on loan to Rochester for 2013. His option was declined following 2013, and has played second-division football ever since.

Luke Spencer and Luis Soffner were second-round selections in the 2013/Farrell draft; Spencer, unfortunately, was injured only a few days into camp and was not offered a contract, and Soffner would go out on loan to Rochester in 2014. He made no appearances for New England.

In 2014, the Revs selected Patrick Mullins, who scored four goals in 21 appearances that season; he was left unprotected in the expansion draft that December and was selected by NYCFC. He has since scored 20 goals for three different clubs.

In addition, the Revs selected Alec Sundly and Pierre Omanga. Sundly spent ’14 on loan to Rochester and did not make an appearance with the club. He is now playing lower level football in Germany. Omanga was not signed.

In 2015, the club only had one selection: Marc Fenelus was a third-round choice, 47th overall. The Revs picks that year were traded for other players: the first-round choice went to Sporting Kansas City in exchange for Teal Bunbury, while a third-round choice went to Vancouver for Brad Knighton. Fenelus did not make the club.

In 2016, Jordan McCrary was the 10th overall selection; he went on loan to Rochester, but was released after the season and is now a starting right back with Seattle. Michael Gamble was the Revs’ second-round selection, and he was waived on June 13, 2016.

In 2017, second-round selection Napo Matsoso (31st overall) did not make the club. Fourth-round selection Joshua Smith made six appearances with New England, and was released after the season.

BSJ Analysis

So… what does it all mean?

We’ve already said that MLS SuperDraft — much like any of the other sports drafts — is a crapshoot. Notice that MLB has 50 rounds, yet how many of those players picked actually make it beyond Double-A ball? The late Fab Melo was a first-round Celtics pick in ’12; he played six games for Boston before heading elsewhere. And hey, how’s that Ryan Leaf guy working out? And sure, you may find a diamond in the rough in the later rounds that leads you to five banners.

Basically, the draft in soccer is a roll the dice scenario, and maybe you’ll get a 7 or an 11. Other times, it’s Snake Eyes.

But there’s also the fact that clubs are leaning more on Homegrown players than those who have not been developed by an MLS club’s Academy. Clubs are developing their own talent, and some are moving on to the college ranks before hooking back up with their parent club. We already explained that back in May.

And sure, clubs are still taking part in the draft — a mechanism that is not going away any time soon — looking for those rare players who did not go through the Academy system. Last year, Atlanta United selected Julian Gressel from Providence College. Gressel is from Germany, so it’s obvious that he wouldn’t have been on MLS clubs’ radar for development at a young age.

But how about Arlington, Mass.’s Miles Robinson, who was drafted by the Five Stripes at No. 2 overall in 2017? The 21-year-old was born in Arlington, and started playing for FC Bolts Celtic at age 13. He went to Syracuse for two seasons before entering the draft as a Generation Adidas player.

Born in Arlington, right under the Revs’ nose? It makes one wonder how they missed him. Why wasn’t he a Homegrown in Foxborough? Could he have been the fourth Homegrown had they seen him? Opportunity, wasted.

(Side note: the Revs have started a program that’ll go into the inner city to discover talent. Hopefully now, no Miles Robinson’s will slip through the cracks.)

Leominster’s Fabio Machado was in the Revs’ Academy. He graduated from Leominster High — had led them to the Central Mass. Division 1 Final in 2010 — before going to Providence and becoming a prolific goal-scorer for the Friars. He wasn’t picked in MLS SuperDraft, and the Revs didn’t sign him to a Homegrown contract. He’s now in marketing. Talent, wasted.

And I'm sure I could go through the old Academy rosters and pick out any name and wonder why they weren't signed to a Homegrown contract... after all, the Revs only have four Homegrowns, two of which making significant contributions, one was sidelined for most of this year, and another doesn't appear to be MLS quality.

Yet while we’ve examined the last seven SuperDraft results for the Revs, what about the 11 previous?

Here’s a sample: In 2002, New England struck gold with Taylor Twellman and Shalrie Joseph. In 2003, Pat Noonan. 2004, Clint Dempsey. 2005, Michael Parkhurst. Skip ahead to 2009, Kevin Alston. 2011, A.J. Soares. Some wonderful names there. Only one is still playing, that being Parkhurst.

What happened? What has happened that since 2013, when Andrew Farrell was selected, that the Revolution have not had a great amount of luck in selecting players? Once again, the only way I can explain it is “it’s a crapshoot.”

Unfortunately, the Revs have landed on Snake Eyes too many times for one professional team to withstand. A better identification of college players is needed to help this team achieve its supporters' goals of competing and winning a championship.

And if you want to do the math, four out of 20 picks since 2012 did not make the roster. That’s 20 percent of your made picks looking for work elsewhere. Three picks — Farrell, Rowe, and Bye — are regular players. Wright has a goal to his credit. That’s 20 percent.

And 10 percent are still in MLS, albeit not with New England.

30 percent in MLS, 20 percent with your team. 70 percent, either retired, are unsigned, or currently playing soccer in lower leagues.

In baseball, hitting .300… that’s Hall of Fame-worthy numbers. Hitting .200… that’s not good. That’s not a good representation of your college scouting department.

SuperDraft 2019 is coming in January, and the Revs have two first-round selections: their natural pick, and Vancouver’s first-round selection from the Kei Kamara deal.

I would recommend to those players selected — don’t get an apartment with more than a 12-month lease. You probably won’t need it.