GK — Emmanuel Arias, Nashville SC
GK — Connor Dale, FC Cincinnati
GK — Jackson Dale, Seattle Sounders
LB — Seyi Fakiyesi, Atlanta United
LB — Alex Soria, FC Dallas
CB — Patrick Arne, FC Dallas
CB — Carlos Guillen-Lopez, FC Dallas
CB — Rocky Rommel, San Jose Earthquakes
CB — Daniel Tagbo, Atlanta United
RB — Lennox Alvarado, Orlando City
RB — Jeremiah Munoz, Charlotte FC
DM — David Ilevbare, Atlanta United
DM — Nathan Tchoumba, Colorado Rapids
CM — Adam Amireh, Charlotte FC
AM — Adin Fikic, Seattle Sounders
AM — Mono Martinez, LA Galaxy
AM — Jax Padgett, Colorado Rapids
AM — Noe Santillan, Atlanta United
W — Oscar Avilez, D.C. United
W — Erick Feliciano, Austin FC
W — Alex Hernandez, Colorado Rapids
W — Liam Stribling, Nashville SC
CF — Jamil Danjaji, Columbus Crew
CF — Landon Lucero, Seattle Sounders

From this roster, the following players can be considered core pieces for the age group at this stage. They are either top-end talents and/or have been consistently selected for key youth national team camps: Connor Dale, Seyi Fakiyesi, Carlos Guillen-Lopez, Jeremiah Munoz, David Ilevbare, Nathan Tchoumba, and Jamil Danjaji.

I am particularly high on Dale, Fakiyesi, Ilevbare, Tchoumba, and Danjaji. There is a significant gap between Fakiyesi and the next-best left-back in this class, and given that he is also eligible for Canada, it feels important that U.S. Soccer continues to prioritize him. He has also been one of the most improved players from last year to this year.

Some of my favorite selections outside that core group include Jackson Dale, Daniel Tagbo, Mono Martinez, Oscar Avilez, and Landon Lucero.

Jackson Dale is probably the third-best goalkeeper in this class. Tagbo is a left-footed center-back who can also slide out to left-back. Martinez has been a standout for Mexico’s youth national teams, and this marks his first U.S. camp in quite some time. Avilez is one of the top wingers in the age group, while Lucero earns his first youth national team call-up, which is very well deserved. He is another player who has significantly elevated his game this year and recently debuted on my 2010 top-20 prospect list.

Players receiving their first USYNT camp invite include Patrick Arne, Lennox Alvarado, Adam Amireh, Erick Feliciano, Adin Fikic, Landon Lucero, Jax Padgett, Rocky Rommel, and Daniel Tagbo.

I want to note that Real Salt Lake center-back Evan Emmenegger would likely have been part of this camp if not for a recent injury. Hopefully he gets another opportunity soon. I also heard that Matthew Arana, another Mexican youth international, was expected to attend, but something appears to have changed late.

Regarding the absence of Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union players, it is my assumption that this camp conflicts with Philadelphia’s international academy tournament, the Snow Bowl, which both clubs are participating in.

GK — Jason Nemo, Chicago Fire
Likely would have been selected if not for Snow Bowl. Typically one of the top two goalkeepers in this age group.

RB — Fred Bond, Atlanta United
Has been in and out of the team recently.

RB — Dominick Lester, FC Cincinnati
Given the ongoing rotation at right-back, it’s surprising he hasn’t received a look yet.

RB — Finn McCraney, Chicago Fire
At Snow Bowl. Has not been selected since the U-15 Concacaf Championship last summer.

RB — Christopher Thompson, Philadelphia Union
At Snow Bowl. Unclear if he would have been selected otherwise.

LB — Roman Avakian Gomez, 1. FSV Mainz 05
Continuing to perform well in Germany. Given the lack of depth behind Fakiyesi at left-back, he should be considered soon.

CB — Miles Aalbersberg, Ajax
One of the top center-backs in this class. U.S. Soccer typically does not bring Europe-based players into domestic camps, and he is currently with the Netherlands.

CB — Mikel Akinmboni, D.C. United
Continues to be overlooked.

CB — Joshua Brown, Atlanta United
Received his first invite last fall. More raw than some peers, but his upside is higher than most.

CB — Max Gordon, Bayer Leverkusen
Not yet in contact with U.S. Soccer and currently focused on Germany, but a top-level player in this class.

CB — Landon Mulvenna, Philadelphia Union
At Snow Bowl and likely would have been selected otherwise.

CM/AM — Kamil Castillo, D.C. United
Currently playing up an age group with the Dominican Republic at U-17 Concacaf qualifiers and is provisionally tied.

CM — Abdoulaye Diop, Philadelphia Union
At Snow Bowl. Should be among the first midfielders selected for this team. Struggled somewhat in Spain due to being misused as a six and needs to play higher up the pitch.

CM — Ezra Mehteme, San Jose Earthquakes
One of the most talented players in this class yet to receive an invite.

CM — Lisandro Torres, LAFC
Appears to prefer Mexico at this time.

AM — Will Recupero, VfB Stuttgart
Appears to prefer Germany at this time.

AM — Vinny Garcia, LA Galaxy
Recently promoted to the 2009 team.

W — Josh Boney, FC Cincinnati
Recently moved from Barca Residency to FCC, with some hiccups along the way. Another top player still waiting on his first camp invite.

W — Tamba Hallie II, FC Dallas
One of the best players in the class who still has not been invited. I rate him above some wingers selected for this camp.

W — Robert Turdean, Chicago Fire
A top player in this class. Not present due to Snow Bowl.

CF — Da’vian Kimbrough, Sacramento Republic
Unclear why he is not included. Possibly due to preseason commitments with Sacramento.

CF/W — Easton Wilson, Real Salt Lake
A breakout performer who has developed into a dynamic attacker capable of playing centrally or wide. Needs to be in a camp soon.

I am aligned with the overall approach—a mix of core players, dual-national recruitment, and experimentation. For domestic camps, this is the right formula. Where I differ slightly is in which players were given first-time opportunities. I would have preferred initial looks for Akinmboni, Boney, Hallie, Lester, Mehteme, and Wilson.