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Definitely best not to read too much into performances at the MLS College Combine: the matches aren't much more than high-level pick-up games, after all. Still, if you want an advance peek at players who may end up auditioning for MLS contracts with the New York Red Bulls, chances are a few of them (RBNY has three picks in the 2017 SuperDraft, until or unless it trades some or all away) will be playing at the Combine.
There are 66 invited players at the Combine and they have been divided into four teams: Chaos, Control, Copa, and Tango.
On Match Day One, Control beat Chaos, 3-1. And Tango beat Copa, 4-0.
Mlssoccer.com is providing live streams and commentary on all the games at the Combine. Once A Metro is mostly interested in Team Control because that is where three players of note have been allocated.
Goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky has been floated as a possible RBNY pick by mlssoccer.com. Defender Austin Ledbetter is an official Once A Metro pick in the SB Nation mock draft (and Top Drawer Soccer agrees). And forward Wuilito Fernandes is a 26-year-old who trialed with RBNY back in 2010.
Over on Team Chaos is defender Colton Storm, who has been linked to RBNY by SBI Soccer and Draft Utopia.
Finally, on Team Tango, defender Walker Hume is another official Once A Metro mock draft pick.
It is comforting to believe that RBNY already has a very good idea of the players it will draft based on its own scouting, and that there isn't much that can happen at the Combine to change the Red Bulls' plans. But there is always the possibility that an unheralded player has a standout run-out in front of the assembled MLS coaches and technical staff and prompts a re-think.
Make your own mind up about RBNY's Draft Day options by tuning in to the second match-day of the 2017 College Combine.