Nuke Soccer

Courtesy Charles Boehm MLSnet

BALTIMORE — Toronto FC’s 2008 SuperDraft experience couldn’t match the hype and excitement of last season, when the brand-new club picked budding superstar Maurice Edu with the first overall pick, but head coach Mo Johnston and his staff compiled another promising group of young talent.

Beginning with highly touted defenders Julius James and Pat Phelan in the first round, TFC grabbed five players with top-level college experience who may prove capable of making meaningful contributions this season.

James, who is also a Trinidad and Tobago youth international, anchored the back line for a strong University of Connecticut side, while Phelan’s consistency and versatility helped Wake Forest University win the NCAA championship.

“It’s going to be a process, and my mind is really open,” said James, who was quick to cite Toronto’s large West Indian community as a major factor that should ease his adjustment to a new environment. “So I’ll have to go through a very steep learning curve, and I hope the technical staff and the guys over there are going to help me with that.”

» Full TFC Story
» MLS Superdraft 2008
» Round By Round Tracker