Philadelphia Union announced Tuesday it has selected two players in rounds three and four of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, taking UCLA defender Aaron Simmons with the No. 51 overall pick and Saint Louis defender Raymond Lee at No. 71 overall.
Simmons is a six-foot, 166 pound versatile fullback from Mansfield, Texas who was an All-Pac-12 selection who impressed at this year’s MLS Combine. At UCLA, he split time as the team’s center back and defensive midfielder appearing in all 24 matches for the Bruins this past season.
“In rounds three and four we were looking to add depth defensively,” said Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin. “In [Aaron] Simmons, we got a kid that can play center back, is comfortable at defensive midfield, can compete athletically and give us some great depth at those two spots.”
In Lee, the Union earned itself a naturally left footed player that likes to push into the attack. However, the 5-11, 175 pounder hailing from Kansas City will be tasked with adding defensive depth at the left fullback position. In his junior season at Saint Louis, Lee appeared in 19 matches finishing fifth on the squad in scoring.
“To add a left footed, left [full] back [in Raymond Lee] was important for cover,” Curtin continued. “We see a kid with a high upside, really good speed down the left hand side and a left foot, which is a commodity. So again, a guy that will come in and compete for playing time at that left back spot. We are happy with the two guys we got, they were guys we targeted even before the [first two rounds] of the SuperDraft began.”
The pair comes on the heels of last Thursday’s SuperDraft picks in round two when the Union selected forward Dzenan Catic from Davenport (Mich.) College and Eric Bird, midfielder from the University of Virginia.
2015 MLS SuperDraft Union selections
Third round, No. 51 overall
Name: Aaron Simmons
College: UCLA
Position: Defender
Height: 6-0
Weight: 166
Hometown: Mansfield, Texas
Fourth round, No. 71 overall
Name: Raymond Lee
College: Saint Louis University
Position: Defender
Height: 5-11
Weight: 175
Hometown: Kansas City, Mo.
