Bryan Arguez first got to know Freddy Adu when both selected for the under-20 U.S. national team. The two are currently in Florida with the team, and next week they head to Panama for the CONCACAF U-20 World Championship final found qualifying tournament.
“Freddy says every ball is a good ball,” said Arguez, who turns 18 today. “He’s a hard worker.”
Chosen with the 11th pick of the 2007 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, this season the 6-foot-2, 165-pound defensive midfielder will replace the departed Adu as D.C. United’s youngest player.
“We did not expect him to fall that far,” said United technical director Dave Kasper. “We thought he would be taken around the third pickor so. The kid has a massive upside.”
D.C. did not make any last-minute moves on draft day, and used its fourth of five picks on Georgetown senior Ricky Schramm, the 2004 Big East offensive player of the year but a forward who is known as streaky. Schramm was not invited to the MLS combine and first worked out for United last Tuesday.
“I still can’t decide whether or not it was wishful thinking going into today,” said a surprised but elated Schramm, who said he wasn’t on anyone’s predicted draft board. “I just went in to today saying my prayers and hoping it would happen.”
Led by Maryland junior midfielder Maurice Edu, picked first by expansion team Toronto FC, four underclassmen from Maryland and Virginia were taken in the first six picks.
Chicago chose Virginia freshman Bakary Soumare second, Real Salt Lake took Maryland sophomore goalkeeper Chris Seitz fourth, and the Colorado Rapids selected Virginia junior midfielder Nico Colaluca with the sixth pick.
