It’s no secret that the New York Red Bulls need better center backs. Jamison Olave is gone, Ibrahim Sekagya and Perrinelle are in limbo, Matt Miazga might not be ready to start every game, and Armando is very inconsistent. Enter local player Tim Parker. It’s doubtful that he will last this long in the actual draft, but I took him since he was still available. Parker isn’t huge, but he still has "center back size" at 6’2", 190 pounds. He brings a lot of game experience: he played in 79 of 80 matches during his college career and started in 78 of them. He played his summer ball with the Long Island Rough Riders in the PDL.

Parker isn’t a prolific target on corners and free kicks (4 goals and 4 assists in 4 years), but he anchored a defense that had 30 shutouts over his career. The Red Storm appeared in three NCAA Tournaments and won the 2011 Big East Tournament with him at center back. Parker earned Big East honors in all four seasons and was a First Team All-Big East selection following his junior and season seasons, as well as being a three time NSCAA All-Region selection. The Hicksville, N.Y. native was a member of the U-18 National Team pool during his youth career and was teammates at St. John’s with current Red Bull Connor Lade.

Top Drawer Soccer describes Parker as "a solid, competitive defender." MLSsoccer.com’s Nate Sulat calls him "one of the true good, pure central-defense options in this draft, an excellent athlete and one-on-one defender who is a beast in the air." According to TheInvertedWinger.com, Parker is "a lockdown defenseman" who "can also pass extremely well."

What the Red Bulls will be looking for in the draft: The team needs at least one center back. The fans know it. The coaches know it. The front office knows it. Everyone knows it. Even the people who don’t watch the team know that the Red Bulls need a center back.

Who the experts say the Red Bulls will pick: Ives says Anthony Manning (CB, St. Louis). MLSsoccer.com has the team taking either Parker or Manning. Top Drawer Soccer has Boyd Okwuono (CB/RB, North Carolina) going to the Red Bulls.

Why I’m invariably wrong: There is no chance Parker is still on the board when the Red Bulls pick. He was "under the radar" at St. John’s, but coaches definitely know he exists. The Red Bulls want a center back and will certainly take him if he’s still on the board, but I just don’t see how that’s possible. He’s a top 10 quality talent in this very weak draft class. If Axel Sjoberg (CB, Marquette) is still on the board—due to being an older than the average rookie out of college and requiring an international slot—I could see Curtis and Marsch taking him over Parker. When you have the opportunity to draft a 6’7" Swede, you have to take it. You know... just to say you did.

Why I’m smarter than the pundits: I’m not. But if they insist on asserting their intellectual superiority over me, I will gladly participate in a trivia contest consisting solely of questions related to Meat Loaf, the Chronicles of Narnia, and Tastykake products.