It was a good week to be a Colorado Rapids 2013 SuperDraft pick.
On Wednesday the team signed its 2nd round pick in the January Draft, defender Kory Kindle. Then on Friday, #6 overall selection Deshorn Brown and #11 pick Dillon Powers both started the team's final preseason match against the LA Galaxy, perhaps a sign that both could be options for next week's season opener.
"They are to guys that I'm very sure are going to contribute to the team this year," head coach Oscar Pareja said of his two rookies afterwards. "They are young, coming from the collegiate level and now getting the responsibility to play MLS games, and against a good team that won the Championship."
WATCH: Rookie Powers, Kindle, Brown connect
WATCH: Inside the SuperDraft Episodes 1-6
Powers got his first start of the spring with the first group, playing in front of holding midfielders Hendry Thomas and Pablo Mastroeni, with Brown starting at forward.
"It was good to go up against the best," Powers said of playing LA. "Deshorn and I obviously have a lot of room to grow and improve, but I think we're developing a little bit of a chemistry."
Pareja has a track record for trusting young players. Last year's top draft pick, Tony Cascio, played more minutes in his rookie year than any other Rapids rookie since 2003.
"They didn't disappoint us. It was a lot of positives from both of them," Pareja said of Brown and Powers. "I think they are going to help us a lot this year."
The Rapids kick off the 2013 season next Saturday at FC Dallas, in Powers' hometown.
