U15 USYNT November roster analyis

GK, Sean Fields, LA Galaxy
GK, Mario Martinez Reyes, Orlando City
GK, Boaz Rinckes, Ajax
LB, Yohann Calixte, Inter Miami
LB, German Del Toro, San Jose Earthquakes
CB, Tyler Edwards, Red Bull New York
CB, Caleb Loriston, NYCFC
CB, Jason Mitchell, Orlando City
CB, Charles Owensby, Atlanta United
CB, Noah Pine, Philadelphia Union
DM, Jonathan David, Red Bull New York
CM, Luke Dixon, Colorado Rapids
CM, Eduardo Iglesias Rivas, Houston Dynamo
CM, Landon Lucas, Eintracht Frankfurt
AM, Griffin Brill, Chicago Fire
AM, Boston Kahoalii, New England Revolution
AM, Matthew Teruel, Orlando City
W, Evan Uiuiu, Seattle Sounders
W, Jaxon Vereen, NYCFC
W, Yaseen Zaghdoudi, NYCFC
CF, Nico Cook, Seattle Sounders
CF, Bodie Mass, FC Florida

I still haven’t finished my first full look at the 2012 class. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of video problems this year, especially for this age group. Of the players selected, I haven’t seen Bodie Mass or Boaz Rinckes, and I haven’t seen Landon Lucas this season, though I’ve watched him before. He was at Orlando City until this season.

Goalkeepers

Martinez Reyes is my early favorite for GK1 in this class, and Fields is a solid player as well, so I have no issue with either selection. I haven’t seen Rinckes play, but I’ve heard good things.

Left-backs

Calixte is my LB1 and probably a top 10 player in this class for me right now. There isn’t a clear LB2 for me. Right now I like Javier Seymour, who plays both LCB and LB for Philly. Long term, I like him as a defensive-minded LB unless he grows a few inches.

Right-backs

There isn’t a true right-back on this roster, and I’m okay with that if U.S. Soccer doesn’t believe there’s one at YNT level. That’s the way they should think about it. Instead, they brought five center-backs, and a few can certainly play right-back in a more defensive role. Loriston, Edwards and Pine all have the athleticism to do it, and Loriston has more of a right-back profile size-wise.

Center-backs

The center-back group is the strength of this class, and by a good margin. Edwards and Pine are two top prospects, both extremely talented. Pine is a little more polished right now, but Edwards has incredible potential. As mentioned above, Loriston will probably be used more as a right-back because he’s pretty undersized for a CB. I like Owensby more as a six, but he’s a good player. Mitchell is solid as well.

Adrian Applewhaite (Mainz), who I understand was invited but not released by Mainz, is considered a top prospect in Germany. He’s likely one of the top Americans in this class, though I haven’t seen him play yet. He’ll get into a camp at some point and add even more strength to the center-back group. I also really like Owen Hemphill (Chicago Fire). He looks like another top 10 prospect in this class for me and is my CB3 until I see Applewhaite play.

Pivots

Dixon and David are the two top players here. Both are very good, and they complement each other well. David is disruptive and composed, and he keeps things moving and simple. Dixon is a bit more dynamic and can progress the ball in a number of ways. I’m excited to see them play together. Iglesias is also a solid player, and Lucas is small but mighty. He was one of the top players at the U14 level last year. He’s a super late developer, but he’s fearless. Once he starts to mature physically, he’ll be a handful.

Attacking-mids

There are three attacking-mids on the roster, which is more than I’d like to see, but my top two right now are both here: Teruel and Brill. Neither is super dynamic, but both are high-performing players right now. Kahoalii has some physical limitations but can play. The most dynamic player in this group for me is Sebastian Bennett. He hasn’t appeared on an Inter Miami roster since the September U.S. U15 camp, so there may be an injury or something else we’re not seeing. I’d also like to see Antwan Vazquez (AS Roma) get a look at some point.

Wingers

Vereen is my top winger in this class, and it’s great that he’s here. I see Uiuiu as more of a free eight. I haven’t seen enough of Zaghdoudi to have a strong opinion.

The three other wingers I’d have liked to see here with Vereen are Nehemias Molina (Orlando City), Ryu Roberts (Houston Dynamo) and Abdul Hamadi (Seattle Sounders), though there may be reasons they weren’t available that I’m not aware of.

Center-forward

Nico Cook is a great addition to this group. He’s the top striker in this class for me. He may not be a striker long term, but he does so many things well on the pitch, and he has a profile that can play anywhere: 6-1, explosive, functionally strong and left-footed. I could see him ending up as an LCB, six, eight or striker. I haven’t seen Mass, but I know he’s a little raw with a ton of upside. He’ll be at an MLS academy soon, I’m sure.

There are some interesting but super raw strikers in this class I’ll be keen to see in the future, including Gino Cecere (Philadelphia Union), Rashid Gbla (Columbus Crew), who has already been in a camp, and Tyson Apollo Thompson (D.C. United).

1. CB, Adrian Applewhaite, FSV Mainz 05
2. CB, Owen Hemphill, Chicago Fire
3. W, Ryu Roberts, Houston Dynamo
4. CM, Anthony Garcia Cortez, San Jose Earthquakes
5. W/CM, Abdul Hamadi, Seattle Sounders

It’s only the third camp for this age group, and I think U.S. Soccer has done a good job narrowing in on the top players already. I love that they’re already bringing in kids from European academies. Martinez Reyes, Calixte, Edwards, Pine, David, Dixon, Lucas, Vereen and Cook all look like they can be core pieces for this class for a long time.

I have some nits throughout the roster, which I’ve called out, but that’s going to happen early in the process, especially when I don’t always have the full picture on availability. Overall, I’m excited to see this group play together.