The Red Bulls selected Fordham goalkeeper Ryan Meara, generally regarded as the top keeping prospect available, during the second round of yesterday’s MLS Draft, taking him with the 31st pick.
Earlier, the team acquired Portland forward Kenny Cooper for conditional allocation money and next year’s first-round pick.
Cooper, who provides the club with insurance should striker Juan Agudelo get sold, had eight goals last season and the allocation money is dependent on the 6-3, 207-pounder returning for 2013. Agudelo has been the subject of persistent transfer rumors.
With Frank Rost’s status undetermined, the Red Bulls targeted Meara. The 6-foot-4 Yonkers native had 31 shutouts in four years at Fordham, was named the 2011 A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and finished 11th in the NCAA in goals-against-average (0.65).
“We think he’s the best goalkeeper in the college system,’’ general manager Eric Soler said. “He’s big, he’s strong, we need a goalie, and he’s from New York. Every factor that we looked at was there, and he was the player we wanted most from the draft.’’