PHILADELPHIA – It was clear for weeks that Connecticut striker Cyle Larin was the consensus choice for the No. 1 pick in the MLS SuperDraft.
But even in the final moments before the event officially kicked off at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Thursday, it wasn't a sure thing that Orlando City SC would be the ones taking the Canadian youth international, as rumors swirled that one of the clubs in his home country was making a late play to swing a trade with the Lions.
But the 2015 expansion side held their nerve, and held on to the first pick, snaring Larin after admiring him for months.
“We had one or two conversations with one or two of the Canadian teams,” Orlando head coach Adrian Heath said after making his club's first-ever SuperDraft selection. “But more importantly, we thought we were getting the best value [with Larin].
“We were quite keen on keeping him,” Heath added. “Goalscorers, if he can translate what he's been doing in college into the pros, they generally go for a lot of money and become very, very valuable. We liked him, we've got him and I'm just looking forward to working with him ... He was certainly at the top of our list from the beginning.”
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Heath and OCSC president Phil Rawlins were full of praise for Larin, a 2015 Generation adidas member who they believe can mature into a top-class striker with a bit of seasoning at the professional level.
“He's got all the tools. He's big, he's strong, he's quick,” Rawlins said. “He's 6-foot-2, he's a goalscorer and if anybody can work with a striker, it's Adrian.”
Said Heath: “If you were to draw up the archetypal center forward, this kid's got all the tools ... He has got a bit of everything. He's good with his back to goal, he's got good feet, he's got a lovely, nice, silky touch on the ball. He can score with his head, he's good one-on-one with the 'keeper. You only have to look at the highlight reel today.”
Larin wasn't on hand in Philly to don one of his new clubs' purple scarves, but with good reason – he's on duty with the Canadian U-20 team in Jamaica seeking to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup later this year.
The Brampton, Ontario native did get the opportunity to thank Orlando City and a bevy of his coaches and family via a video stream from the Caribbean, showing a glimpse of the character that made OCSC's decision that much easier.
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“You want good people in the building, and that's something we've always prided ourselves on,” said Heath. “The first thing that everybody speaks about Cyle is that he's a smashing kid.
“That's the one thing that's been really, really evident. He's a very respectful boy, wants to come in and work hard and we're looking forward to getting him in the building.”
