Ex-Arsenal trainee Zakuani to go No1 in MLS SuperDraft

Former Arsenal trainee Steve Zakuani is expected to go No1 in the MLS SuperDraft.

Zakuani, a 20-year-old forward from the University of Akron, was in the Arsenal youth system from 1997-2003 and his older brother, Gabriel, plays for Peterborough United after coming through the system at Fulham.

Earlier today, MLS unveiled a list of nine players who make up the 2009 Generation adidas class and each will surely be prominently featured at the St. Louis Convention Center.

Last year's class of nine players made up six of the top eight picks in the 2008 SuperDraft, including the top three selections -- Chance Myers (Kansas City Wizards, No. 1 overall), Brek Shea (FC Dallas, No. 2), and Anthony Beltran (Real Salt Lake, No. 3). The No. 1 overall selection in each SuperDraft since 2003 has been a member of the program.

This year's list includes three players from the University of Maryland national championship team, as well as the leading scorer in the nation, who is also a finalist for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, college soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy.

The nine players are: Kevin Alston (Indiana University), Danny Cruz (University of Nevada Las Vegas), Stefan Frei (University of California), Omar Gonzalez (University of Maryland), Jeremy Hall (University of Maryland), Baggio Husidic (University of Illinois-Chicago), Peri Marosevic (University of Michigan), Rodney Wallace (University of Maryland) and Steve Zakuani (University of Akron). Gonzalez, Wallace and Hall each helped lead Maryland to the NCAA championship last month.