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Here we are at club No. 20, the finale of our Draft Wish list series. Feel free to go back through our previous stories and see who you think Atlanta United should take in the Expansion Draft. After this, we’ll be compiling our top 10 available players from our series. Stay tuned for that.
The Whitecaps had a disappointing 2016 season despite elevated expectations. They missed out on a playoff spot by seven points. Injuries did play a big part in their failures. Kekuta Manneh missing a big portion of the season was a big blow for them. They have a very solid assortment of talent on their roster. Here’s who we see them keeping:
Projected Protected List
- Fraser Aird
- Giles Barnes
- Christian Bolanos
- Matias Laba
- Kekuta Manneh
- Nicolas Mezquida
- Pedro Morales
- David Ousted
- Tim Parker
- Russell Teibert
- Kendall Waston
Exempt List
- Sam Adekugbe
- Marco Bustos
- Marco Carducci
- Alphonso Davies
- Kianz Froese
- Ben McKendry
Available Players
- Marcel de Jong
- Christian Dean
- David Edgar
- Deybi Flores
- Jordan Harvey
- Erik Hurtado
- Andrew Jacobson
- Masato Kudo
- Brett Levis
- Blas Perez
- Cole Seiler
- Jordan Smith
- Cristian Techera
Potential Targets for Atlanta United: Cristian Techera, Andrew Jacobson, Jordan Harvey
Jason: Vancouver will have a tough time keeping everyone they would like with only eleven spots. If for some reason Techera is left out, Atlanta would be wise to consider him. He is coming off a poor season in 2016 and has been pretty inconsistent. If Tata Martino and company feel that they can get the best out of him, he has the talent to do very well in this league.
Andrew Jacobson and Jordan Harvey are two solid MLS veterans who could do a job for Atlanta. Jacobson is an underrated holding midfielder who is more technical than many others in the position. Harvey is a left back who has played over 150 games with the Whitecaps. He is coming off a strong season, but the numbers game might cause him to be left unprotected.
Rob: Let’s start off with the pessimistic side. It may be a silly rule, but I think if you’ve already been discarded by an expansion franchise (NYCFC), you’re probably not a great fit for another. That would rule Andrew Jacobson out for me. He’s not a terrible player, but he doesn’t offer much as an impact player.
Jordan Harvey is another in the long line of serviceable full backs that could be available. What makes him stand out for me is that he’s a natural left back and a pretty good one at that. If he’s left unprotected, he could be worth a spot.
Techera may be a bit of a stretch in terms of actually being available. However, if the numbers game does somehow work out and he’s out there, he’s a must-pick. He hasn’t gotten off the mark in MLS as he would have liked, but he’s got the talent and more importantly would fit into Tata’s system as an attacking midfielder.
One player I have a personal affinity for is Erik Hurtado. A couple of seasons ago he showed signs of breaking out and becoming a star. This season did not go his way, but he has the ability to change a match with his pace. If he can polish the rest of his game, he could be a player worth considering.