The Fire didn’t believe it would have a shot at picking Patrick Nyarko in Friday’s MLS SuperDraft.
Sure, the Fire needs scoring, and Nyarko was considered the best forward in the draft, but many predicted the Virginia Tech junior would be picked well before the Fire made it’s selection at No. 7.
When Nyarko dropped to seventh, Fire coach Denis Hamlett thought he hit the jackpot.
“He was a guy we wanted, but we didn’t think he would be available,” Hamlett said. “When he fell in our lap … we couldn’t have turned in that form fast enough.”
Hamlett believes teams may have passed on the Ghana native because he struggled during the combine and because he uses up a senior international spot.
Each team is allowed a maximum of eight international seniors.
“I know people were talking about me going first [in the draft], but I didn’t know,” Nyarko said. “I was relieved to get out of my seat when the Fire picked me.”
Not only is the 22-year-old looking forward to joining his friends on the Fire — Bakary Soumare and Osei Telesford — but he also is excited to play alongside Cuauhtemoc Blanco.
“To be on the same team as Blanco — it doesn’t get much better than that,” Nyarko said.
Nyarko, a runner-up for the college player of the year award, is known for his scoring touch and speed. He also has an advantage in being part of the Generation Adidas program that identifies the country’s best young talent. Such players do not count against a team’s salary cap.
The Fire appeared to be one of the biggest winners Friday. After selecting Nyarko with the pick it received from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for coach Juan Carlos Osorio, the Fire selected Tulsa’s Dominic Cervi at No. 12.
The 6-foot-6-inch goalkeeper provides the Fire with a backup plan if Matt Pickens does not re-sign with the team. If Pickens signs with England’s Norwich City, where he is currently on trial, Cervi likely would compete with Jon Busch for the starting goalkeeper spot.
“We made what we felt was a good offer last night and [Pickens’] agent turned it down,” said Hamlett, who believes talks will continue. “We couldn’t just sit around and wait. We needed to protect ourselves.”
After getting a steal in the second round with Santa Clara midfielder Peter Lowry (No. 26), the Fire selected Lynn forward Dwight Barnett in the third round (No. 38).
The Fire also selected Maryland midfielder Stephen King in the third round (No. 40). With its last pick, the Fire selected Gonzaga defender Austin Washington in the fourth round (No. 54).
The 13th edition of the draft saw the Kansas City Wizards select UCLA defender Chance Myers first overall. FC Dallas used the No. 8 pick on Josh Lambo, who played for local youth team the Chicago Magic, and its No. 31 pick on Barrington native Ryan Miller.
In the fourth round, the Red Bulls drafted Northwestern’s David Roth (No. 44), the Colorado Rapids drafted Edwardsville native Brian Grazier (No. 47) and the Wizards drafted Rauwshan McKenzie of Hoffman Estates (No. 53).
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larroyave@tribune.com
