The 2006 class is trending in a concerning direction from a depth standpoint, increasingly reliant on a small group of blue-chip prospects at the top. While the overall player pool is thin, there’s still potential for four to five high-level USMNT contributors to emerge from this group.

Noahkai Banks and Diego Kochen headline the class as the two premier prospects—both at positions of significant need for the senior national team. Domestically, Bombino and Verhoeven have broken through in MLS on loan to San Diego FC, while Banks is the most likely candidate to crack a European first team in the near future. A true breakthrough season from him could even put him in the 2026 World Cup conversation given U.S. center-back needs. Many others, including Kochen, Campbell, Akinmboni, Eyestone, Soma, and Figueroa, are still searching for the right moves to kickstart their professional trajectories.

This is a particularly strong goalkeeper class, with Kochen and Eyestone both having long-term USMNT starter potential. Center-back is also a relative strength with Banks and Akinmboni as legitimate candidates. The full-back pool is solid but lacks elite talent. Midfield is carried by Soma and Corcoran, though there’s little depth in true two-way midfielders. Olney stands out as the top attacking-mid and also provides versatility in deeper roles or wide areas.

On the wings, Campbell is the only clear USMNT-level prospect, with some curiosity around Andre Gitau at Mainz, who was once highly rated but has been off the radar. Figueroa is the most interesting striker option and will be a focal point moving forward.

The upcoming U-20 World Cup will offer a key evaluation window for this class, with many of these players expected to play prominent roles. While depth remains a question mark, the top-end talent still provides hope that this group can produce several impactful senior national team players.