SB Nation Mock Draft: LAG Confidential select Prosper Figbe

It’s that time of year again! Ahead of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, the SB Nation team blogs get together and produce our own mock draft. For a few precious hours, we are the ones running the LA Galaxy organization.

With the 12th overall pick, LAG Confidential selects Prosper Figbe, a center back from the University of Virginia.

Sometimes a talented player doesn’t live up to the hype, at least not right away. This was the case last season with much-touted No. 2 pick Tomas Hilliard-Arce, who played sparingly with the first team despite the Galaxy’s terrible defense. Whether Sigi did not afford Hilliard-Arce the opportunity to grow on the field or the level was too high for Hilliard-Arce to jump into right away, the three-time NCAA Champion was unable to make an impact.

Prosper Figbe isn’t a defender who was listed on any of the mock drafts lists floating around social media, but the center back made a name for himself Saturday at the league combine with a commanding composed performance, using his physicality to frustrate attackers with ease.

If Figbe’s play on the field was impressive, his performance tests stole the show. Finishing second overall in both the 30-meter dash and the vertical leap, the 6’2” center back has the physical tools to compete from day one.

(If there’s one drawback, the Nigerian born Figbe would take up an international spot, but if a certain Designated Player were to leave the club that spot would be accounted for.)

Full SB Nation Mock Draft results

1. CIN – Tajon Buchanon
2. SJ – Frankie Amaya
3. ORL – Callum Montgomery
4. DAL – Siad Haji
5. CHI – Akeem Ward
6. TOR – Dayne St. Clair
7. MIN – Brad Dunwell
8. HOU – Griffin Dorsey
9. NE – Sergio Rivas
10. DAL – John Nelson
11. NE – Marcello Borges
12. LA – Prosper Figbe
13. PHI – JJ Williams
14. DC – Logan Gdula
15. COL – Andre Shinyashiki
16. LAFC – Wouter Verstraaten
17. RSL – DeJuan Jones
18. CLB – Ryan Sierakowski
19. NYC – Santiago Patiño
20. SEA – Hassani Dotson
21. SKC – Camden Riley
22. RBNY – Peter-Lee Vassell
23. POR – Abdi Mohamed
24. ATL – Rece Buckmaster