2012 MLS SuperDraft: Chivas USA Picks Casey Townsend With Fifth Pick

The 2012 MLS SuperDraft took place on Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri, and Chivas USA selected forward Casey Townsend with the fifth overall pick. Townsend, 22, scored 17 goals in 21 games as a senior at the University of Maryland in 2011.

Townsend, who signed an MLS contract before the draft, will report to Chivas USA this weekend and is expected to be in Carson for the start of preseason camp at the Home Depot Center on Monday.

"The kid is unbelievably competitive," said Chivas USA Head Coach Robin Fraser about Townsend on Thursday. "He is a very good finisher, has a good nose for the goal and he completely fits into what it is we are trying to do here [Chivas USA]. We want to get winners here and we got ourselves a winner today."

"[The coaches] said they think I maybe can step on the field and play right away," Townsend told MLSsoccer.com. "They love my mentality- they see that I’m a hard worker and they seem the same way, they’re competitive guys and I think I’ll fit right in."

On Sunday, Rachna Kapur at The Goat Parade correctly predicted Chivas USA would take Townsend number five, noting the team needs depth at forward:

"He could be a great option up top behind the veteran leadership of Juan Pablo Angel and Alejandro Moreno. He's been seen as the 'next Taylor Twellman,' but has also been compared with our very own Juan Pablo Angel, which would be a great match for both the player and the team. While he may not be the biggest player on the field, his ability in the air is tremendous, which is just another asset to add to the list."

For more news and analysis of Townsend and Chivas USA, be sure to read The Goat Parade.