We've all gone over those draft picks, watched their YouTube highlights (the greatest ever measure of a player's ability and potential, of course), and decided that we have indeed had a successful SuperDraft: We got one of the top-rated players in Enzo Martinez — one whom many people think will be able to perform well in our system and could start playing at a professional level very quickly; we got a relatively unknown full back in Diogo de Almeida; we got a very unknown attacking midfielder in Sebastian Velasquez — but he's proved he can score bucket loads of goals at a junior college level.
Let's, then, go over the players and see where they fit into our system and where they find themselves in the pecking order at current (mind, we likely still have players coming in — I hope!):
Enzo Martinez: I've taken to calling the lad Enzo, as it's got a very nice ring to it, doesn't it? He's known as an attacking midfielder, and while that could certainly change based on our needs, I think he'll initially be slated for a spot there. He does have Javier Morales and Luis Gil ahead of him, so he has a battle on his hands to get into the lineup — I wouldn't expect to see much of him in his first season with the club, but if he gets his head down and gets to work, anything's possible.
Now, I do know Enzo's spoken about being willing to track back, make the tackle, and he's being talked about as a contender for one of the box-to-box spots in the midfield. I suppose that's possible, and in a crunch, we might see him play there — or, perhaps, in a U.S. Open Cup match or something of the sort. Luis Gil also has the ability to play there, so if injury strikes, we could see both Luis Gil and Enzo Martinez on the pitch. That'd be a treat, wouldn't it? Two Generation Adidas playmakers in an attacking tandem? Our luck is sometimes undeniably awesome. Perhaps it's fate, or, uh, something.
Diogo de Almeida: We still don't know too much about Diogo, but as a full back we might be seeing him sooner than any of our other draft picks unless we sign another full back — Mr. Kreis has spoken before about wanting four full backs on the team at all times (too bad about Blake Wagner, eh?) and we might see that play out. If we don't, then Diogo could find himself thrust into the first team faster than you'd normally want a draft pick in there.
Sebastian Velasquez: This one's probably a signing a bit for the future unless Jason and Garth have again struck gold. Or oil. Or, you know, some sort of precious gem. At any rate, Seb is an unknown quantity, and while he had a successful RSL combine by all accounts, it's doubtful that he'll be ready for the first team for two or three seasons. I'd love for him to prove me wrong, though. Unless he's also slated to play up front, he'll find himself behind Javier Morales, Luis Gil and Enzo Martinez for that lucrative diamond-tip spot. I certainly can't rule him out at this point, but I expect he'll spend some good time under the tutelage of the coaching staff before he's on the pitch.
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As one would expect, any additional signings will tell a more complete story as to how often these draftees might be playing in their first season with Real Salt Lake — but let's hope they're here for the long-term and can fulfill their bright potential.
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