It's not often Wisconsin is producing Major League Soccer talent, but on Thursday the Badgers soccer program got its first ever first-round selection in the Major League Soccer draft. Defender A.J. Cochran left the Badgers a year early and signed as a Generation adidas player with MLS, and on Thursday his name was the 16th called in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, going to the Houston Dynamo.
He is the first Badger selected in the MLS Draft since 2005. Cochran was widely considered one of the strongest and best aerial defenders in the draft. Standing at 6'3" and 195lbs. one could see why he would considered those things. Also being a left-footed defender helped his case in becoming a first round selection.
He finished his Wisconsin career by being named the 2013 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, anchoring a defense that had seven shutouts this season. In 2012, he was named a 1st team All-Big Ten pick. Cochran was a starter for nearly every game played in his career, starting 18 games his freshman year, 19 in his sophomore season and every game this past season.
Fellow teammate, forward Tomislav Zadro was also a competitor in the MLS combine and could be a late pick in this 2014 MLS SuperDraft.
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