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 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Forget about coping with the significant expectations attached to high draft picks. Try living as an aspiring professional forward following in the footsteps of your Canadian international striker of a father.

Teal Bunbury knows how to handle the comparisons by now. When his name gets called out at the top end of the first round in Thursday's SuperDraft, he'll become the first son of a former MLS player to join the league. He knows that pundits and fans will compare him to his father, former Kansas City striker Alex, and wonder whether he'll match up to the standard set by his 60-plus Canadian cap-winning dad.

As he does when presented with a gilt-edged opportunity in front of goal, Teal Bunbury deals with the inevitable question in stride. The comparison is natural for any son of a pro athlete, Bunbury said, and it raises the stakes as he waits to start his career.

"I guess there's a little expectation, but it's just something that I'll have to live up to," Bunbury said. "I'll just have to keep doing what I'm doing."

Bunbury has done plenty to set the stage for his professional debut regardless of his lineage. The 6-2, 175-lb. forward out of Prior Lake, Minn. earned a spot on the Canadian U-17 national team and picked up two All-American nods during his high school days. All the buzz made him a highly-recruited prospect, a player many schools wanted to add to their program.

Instead of opting for one of the established powers, Bunbury, like more than a few high school standouts in recent years, opted to join Caleb Porter's growing program at Akron. Talent isn't in short supply there these days, leaving the highly touted prospect to bide his time. Bunbury might have had the name and the resume to step on the field and tear things up during his freshman year, but he had to make due with living in Steve Zakuani's shadow.

Life wasn't too bad in the speedy Zakuani's wake -- six goals in 23 games, even though Bunbury made just 10 starts in his first season -- especially when the rising sophomore turned from secondary option to main attraction from the moment Zakuani signed his Generation adidas deal last winter.

With Zakuani now torching defenders for Seattle after Sounders FC selected him with the top overall pick in last year's SuperDraft, Bunbury knew he needed to improve his ruthlessness in front of goal to assume the responsibility of leading the line.

"I worked really hard to polish up my finishing," Bunbury said. "I knew I had a lot on my shoulders, but I worked with Jared Embick (Akron assistant coach) on my finishing and trying to be lethal."

More than a few college forwards around the country would be interested in the practice methods Bunbury used because he just couldn't stop scoring in 2009. Seventeen goals in 24 games led the nation and served as one of the key pillars for the Zips' undefeated regular season. Virginia shattered Akron's dreams of a first national title in the College Cup final, but Bunbury and his teammates reached heights few could have imagined when Porter took over in January 2006.

While Bunbury may not have celebrated the championship he and his teammates craved, there were other reasons to smile. Bunbury collected just about every honor a college player could ever want -- multiple player of the year awards and a first-team All-America berth -- after the season and then capped off his laudatory lap with a trip to St. Louis to hear his name called as the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy award winner on Friday night.

"It's an amazing feeling and I owe it all to my teammates," Bunbury said. "It's basically a team award and I was just there to pick it up."

The award ceremony marked Bunbury's last true act as a college player after signing a Generation adidas deal in December. After two years and 23 goals for the Zips, Bunbury decided to make the leap to MLS.

"I just thought the timing was perfect," Bunbury said. "At Akron, they helped me a lot to develop obviously. I just thought the opportunity was too nice to refuse. In that aspect, I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream to play professional soccer. My coach, Caleb Porter, just said it was an amazing opportunity for me and he said that I had to take it while it's hot."

Alex Bunbury was right there with his son every step of the way, from the moment Teal kicked his first ball to the night when Teal earned college soccer's most prestigious honor. When Teal needed a coach back in Minnesota, Alex guided the team. When Teal needed support or advice, Alex listened and guided. When Teal needed a reminder to stay humble and to keep his faith in God, Alex counseled. Alex always pushed Teal to be the best player he could be on and off the field, Teal said.

"He's done a lot," Bunbury said. "He's always been there for me."

Considering the track record between father and son, it isn't any surprise that Alex is in south Florida with Teal as he takes the first steps in the professional game. Son will hope to show he can translate his professional frame and his goalscoring ability to the stage where father once excelled.

Whether Teal Bunbury thrives immediately or develops slowly, it's clear the expectations of coming off the board early and adjusting to the professional game won't faze him. His experience as his father's son will see to that.