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Nicholas Simmonds, FC Dallas striker
Rob Valentino has called in his second camp as U.S. U-20 head coach, though I do not expect him to work with the 2006 age group for very long. The 2007s will soon take over as the core group for the next U-20 World Cup qualification cycle.
This camp is truly exploratory. For 2006-born players, the 2028 Olympics represent the last meaningful youth international tournament, and this roster does not reflect the top end of that age group. The majority of the players selected are currently in college (11 of the 16 total selections), which is highly unusual for a U.S. Youth National Team roster at this level.
That said, I am always supportive of keeping the outer edges of the player pool engaged.
The roster
GK – Ryan Carney, Providence (New England Revolution Academy)
GK – Blake Kelly, Notre Dame (Real Salt Lake Academy)
RB – Jamie Kabuusu, Duke (New England Revolution Academy)
RB — Shakir Nixon, UCLA (LAFC Academy)
CB – Griffin Garnett, Richmond Kickers
CB – Daniel Krueger, Wake Forest (Philadelphia Union Academy)
CB – Tate Lampman, Georgetown University (Houston Dynamo Academy)
CB – Finn Sundstrom, Philadelphia Union
DM – Christian Mendoza, University of Portland (Portland Timbers Academy)
DM – Peter Soudan, Michigan State (Chicago Fire Academy)
CM – Diego García, FC Dallas
CM – Ian Shaul, Notre Dame (Portland Timbers Academy)
W – Brent Adu-Gyamfi, Columbus Crew
W – Dylan Borso, Chicago Fire
CF – Nicholas Simmonds, FC Dallas
CF – Michael Ramirez, University of Michigan (Chicago Fire Academy)
Roster analysis
I have not seen many of these players in recent years, as I do not closely follow the college game. Below are a few players I have rated in the past and am particularly interested to see how they perform in this environment.
RB — Shakir Nixon, UCLA (LAFC Academy)
Nixon really came on in his final years at LAFC, and I felt he was clearly good enough to turn professional, though he was intent on going the college route. I still think he is a player who could sign a homegrown deal at some point. He is athletic, has good size for the position, and is more defensively oriented, but he does offer offensive value as well.
CB — Tate Lampman, Georgetown University (Houston Dynamo Academy)
Lampman is another player I expected to earn a homegrown deal. I am not privy to why that did not happen. He has solid size, good mobility, and is comfortable playing out of the back.
W — Dylan Borso, Chicago Fire
I have rated Borso for some time, though I expected him to be more dominant in MLS Next Pro last season than he ultimately was. There is still time, and his blend of agility, two-footedness, and effectiveness in the final third remains intriguing.
CF — Nicholas Simmonds, FC Dallas
Simmonds emerged as a legitimate prospect following a highly productive freshman season. He was rewarded with a Generation adidas contract and selected second overall by FC Dallas. He is a big, athletic striker and could be the next college No. 9 to emerge in the mold of Daryl Dike, Patrick Agyemang, or Duncan McGuire.
Simmonds previously represented Jamaica at the youth level, so it is encouraging to see U.S. Soccer bring him into his first camp. He appears to be a late developer who is trending upward at a premium position.
Roster grade: C
This grade is not a criticism of the selections themselves, as the intent of the camp is clearly to evaluate college prospects and the outer edges of the pool. With that context, there are no major omissions that stand out. Most of the top 2006s have been involved in recent camps, so no key players are being completely overlooked.
The potential big win from this roster is Simmonds, who had previously been involved with another federation and looks like a late-blooming striker on an upward trajectory. He is a player I will be watching closely in MLS next year.
