Portland Timbers Select Nick Besler With No. 5 Pick

With the No. 5 pick in the 2015 Major League Soccer Superdraft, the Portland Timbers have selected Nick Besler.

A central midfielder out of Notre Dame, Besler is probably best known as the younger brother of USMNT defender Matt Besler. He has carved out a solid career of his own at Notre Dame, however, serving as the team captain in 2014 and as a vital piece of the school's 2013 NCAA Tournament winning side.

Not a big point scorer during his college career, Besler is more of a defensive midfielder than the box to box prototypes that Timbers fans might be used to in Will Johnson and Diego Chara.

Where Besler will fit in with the Timbers remains to be seen as the team is set to be without Will Johnson early in the season. The team captain will still be recovering from the dual tibia/fibula break that knocked him out of the end of the 2014 season and his absence could open the door for Besler to contribute to the first team.

More likely, however, Belser could end up with the newly-former Timbers 2 side where he would be assured game time at the start of the year and could find himself in competition with Ben Zemanski and George Fochive in the center of the park as the year progresses.