GK – William Mackay, Real Salt Lake
GK – Kendall Starks, Colorado Rapids
LB – Ryan Hartley, LA Galaxy
CB – Andrei Chirilă, FC Cincinnati
CB – Camron Estala, Real Salt Lake
CB – Micah Harris, Houston Dynamo
RB – Kruz Held, Chicago Fire
DM – Evan Lim, NYCFC
CM – Logan Moniz, Boston Bolts
AM – Lukas Robbins, Nashville SC
AM - Daniel Nuñez, Portland Timbers
W/AM – Axel Uriostegui, Real Salt Lake
W/AM – Lionel Gitau, Houston Dynamo
CF – Peyton Presson, Inter Miami
CF – Theo Reed, Philadelphia Union
CF – Leo Flores Gonzalez, Seattle Sounders

Starks, Presson, Reed, and Flores Gonzalez are all receiving their first USYNT camps. Chirilă, Held, and Robbins have not been involved at the national team level since U-15. Nuñez brings significant experience with Mexico’s U-17 national team and likely feels unlucky to have missed out on their U-17 World Cup roster.

Mackay, Harris, Moniz, Uriostegui, and Gitau are among the more experienced USYNT players in this group.

RB — Parker Amoo-Mensah, Orlando City
Recently transitioned to right back, and I liked what I saw from him at MLS Next Fest. Continued progression and some MLS Next Pro minutes could push him into the conversation in the near future.

‍RB — Brandon Dayes, Louisville City
Dayes recently signed a first-team contract with USL power Louisville City and also went on trial with Bournemouth. He has a strong physical profile and real upside.

‍CB — Nico Banks, D.C. United
A 6'5"–6'6" center back who moves well and is smooth on the ball. That combination alone makes him a unique and intriguing profile.

‍CB — Grant Gilmore, Colorado Rapids
Gilmore reminds me of Miles Robinson. Not overly dynamic in possession, but an excellent athlete and a very capable defender.

‍CB — Judah Pritchett, D.C. United
A tall, left-footed, ball-playing center back. Still developing defensively, but the tools are very real.

‍CM — Bryce VanVoorhis, Portland Timbers
A tidy, industrious midfielder. Given the lack of true box-to-box options in this age group, I would not mind seeing him get a look.

‍W — Gabriel Wesseh, Atlanta United (reportedly moving to Fredrikstad)
Reportedly moving to Norwegian club Fredrikstad. Wesseh is my highest-ranked 2008 who has yet to be called into a USYNT camp.

‍CF — Jayden Fitzgerald Boes, San Jose Earthquakes
Recently moved from Sacramento Republic to San Jose and continues to score goals. He may not have an elite standout trait, but he has good size, a well-rounded game, and a strong scoring track record.

I appreciate the experimentation taking place across USYNT camps in January, and I like many of the selections here. Peyton Presson is one of the most intriguing inclusions. He is a 6'5" striker with mobility and good feet. The potential has always been there, but injuries have slowed his progress over the past couple of years. Now healthy, he is starting to flash what made him so interesting early on.

I also like the addition of Kendall Starks to the goalkeeper pool. He is slightly undersized but extremely athletic and comfortable with the ball at his feet. Logan Moniz is another player to watch, as he could move abroad, potentially to Germany, when he turns 18 this summer.

I continue to be a fan of Lionel Gitau, though I am still not entirely sure what his best long-term position will be. Reed and Flores Gonzalez are also intriguing striker profiles with tools worth developing.

There is still talent left out that I believe deserves a look, and I have noted those players above. Overall, this camp offers a solid exploratory view into new corners of the 2008 player pool.