Jamaica international Sergio Campbell (pictured) was chosen by Columbus Crew SC in the 2015 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on January 15, 2015. (Photo: Mexsport)
PHILADELPHIA -- Three Jamaicans were chosen in the first two rounds of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Thursday.
Forward Romario Williams was taken by the Impact de Montreal as the third overall pick, defender Sergio Campbell by the Columbus Crew SC as the 18th choice and midfielder Oniel Fisher by the Seattle Sounders as the 40th selection.
“We were looking at forwards for this draft and we liked Romario very much,” Impact head coach Frank Klopas said. “He showed improvement in every game at the combine. He’s got a lot of pace, is dynamic off the dribble and has a good shot. He adds quality depth at the forward position.”
The 20-year-old Williams, played his last three seasons with the University of Central Florida, recording 18 goals, including seven game-winning tallies, in 51 games. He was a unanimous selection to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) all-conference first team in 2014. A year earlier, Williams was named the 2013 AAC offensive player of the year.
Williams, from Portmore, Jamaica, played on the Jamaica under-17 national team, appearing in three games at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He had started four of five games at the 2011 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship.
Campbell has played for the Jamaica senior team twice. With University of Connecticut, he was the 2014 AAC defensive player of the year and a member of the all-conference first team in 2013 and 2014.
“Sergio Campbell is physically dominating," said Columbus head coach Gregg Berhalter. “He was one of the strongest and one of the most agile center backs in the Draft. He is 6-4 and can leap vertically over 30 inches, so he is an incredible athlete. He likes to pass the ball and he’ll fit right into our system and gives us a little added height to our backline.”
Fisher, 23, made his international debut for the Reggae Boyz in 2010. The former University of New Mexico standout has experience playing in the midfield and at right back, a position the Sounders needed to address due to departure of United States international DeAndre Yedlin to Tottenham Hotspur.
“I thought he was probably the best outside back at the (MLS) combine,” Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said. “A couple of guys got picked ahead of him, and maybe him being an international hurt him a little bit, but we liked him a lot. We think he’s a guy who will be able to contribute for our club going forward.”
