Quakes put defense first at 2010 MLS SuperDraft
Doyle hints at new attackers to come

Wake Forest defender Ike Opara (23) was San Jose’s first pick (third overall) in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. Photo: Tony Quinn, isiphotos.com

It looks as though the San Jose Earthquakes are following a simple formula in pursuing player acquisitions this winter: draft for defense, discover for attack. That’s the most obvious conclusion after reviewing the Earthquakes’ five picks in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, a group consisting of three defenders, a midfielder, and a forward. The need to put more balls in the back of opponents’ nets is not being ignored, though — San Jose GM John Doyle says that the team has been searching for attacking players in Argentina and Brazil and hopes to announce the signing of at least one player in the near future.

The big news of the day came with at the 2010 MLS SuperDraft in Philadelphia. The Quakes had five picks in the first three rounds, two more than in the last two years combined, and chose the following (links go to their college bios):

• Defender Ike Opara, 20, from Wake Forest
• Midfielder Michael Thomas, 21, from Notre Dame
• Defender/midfielder Justin Morrow, 22, from Notre Dame
• Defender Steve Beitashour, 22, a San Jose native who attended San Diego State
• Forward Andrew Hoxie, 23, from William & Mary

You can also see Thomas scoring off a free kick at the MLS combine in this video, which also shows a Hoxie tally.

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Earthquakes general manager John Doyle

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Wake Forest defender Ike Opara

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Notre Dame midfielder Michael Thomas

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