Nashville SC 2020 Report Card: Jack Maher

We’re continuing our Nashville SC report cards with a look at Jack Maher, the second overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.

Position: Center-back
Matches played: 3
Minutes played: 134
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Goals added: 0.06 (48th among MLS center-backs)
Goals conceded: 3
Average Speedway Soccer rating: 6.9
Average WhoScored rating: 6.3

What went right in 2020?

Maher didn’t see much action, but didn’t look out of place when he got on the field. His 0.04 goals added per 96 was the 26th best tally in MLS, an impressive tally for a rookie who played just over 100 minutes. Calm in possession and positionally sound, he has a bright future.

What went wrong in 2020?

It’s hard to call this a negative, but Maher was stuck behind arguably the league’s best center-back pairing in his rookie season. He’s a good enough player that he probably could have been an every week starter for several other MLS teams, but found himself on the bench for most of 2020.

He also picked up a knee injury towards the end of the regular season that kept him out of the playoffs.

What needs to improve in 2021?

Maher needs to get on the field more. It won’t be easy to beat out either Dave Romney or Walker Zimmerman for time, but with a full international calendar on the horizon, Maher should find opportunities to play. Can he challenge for a starting spot?

Most memorable moment

Aside from being dubbed “the milkman” by his teammates, Maher’s most memorable moment was being selected in the 2020 SuperDraft by a bus full of fans who surprised him at his home.

2020 Grade: B-

Author: Ben Wrightis the Director of Soccer Content and a Senior MLS Contributor for Broadway Sports covering Nashville SC and the US National Team. Previously Ben was the editor and a founder of Speedway Soccer, where he has covered Nashville SC and their time in USL before journeying to Major League Soccer since 2018. Raised in Louisville, KY Ben grew up playing before a knee injury ended his competitive career. When he is not talking soccer he is probably producing music, drinking coffee or hanging out with his wife and kids. Mastodon

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