MLS Mock Expansion Draft 2011, Sixth Round: Montreal Impact Select Jake Gleeson (Portland Timbers)

With their sixth pick in the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft, the (fake) Montreal Impact select:

Kevin's explanation: This is the first of two picks that could best be described as 'gambles.' However, they are gambles on players who are very young and very inexpensive. Jake Gleeson was a highly regarded youngster coming into Major League Soccer, but looked a bit over his head in his four starts in a Portland Timbers uniform. In his defense, all four of those starts were in front of a below-average defense. He lost once and drew once on the road, then won twice at home, failing to get a shutout in all four starts. At 21 years old, his best years are almost certainly in front of him.

The Impact are likely to sign Bill Guadette to an MLS contract and they've already signed Evan Bush There is literally no reason to pick up a serviceable but unspectacular journeyman or career backup. There's no keeper better than those two who was left unprotected other than Faryd Mondragon, so I'm going with potential.

Analysis from Drew Epperley: I'm not really sold on a keeper pick. Gleeson is a decent keeper and one that filled in well early on for the Timbers but if I am Montreal, I take a page out of Philadelphia's book and go out and snag a veteran keeper to guide the club. Sure he's young but you can get quality keepers that are young in the draft if you want to go that route.