Our silly little player power rankings return for their fifth season! Everyone loves a good power ranking so we decided to rank every player under contract to FC Dallas and North Texas SC (with one additional name this time).
Of course, there’s nothing scientific about this, and don’t take it as a list of best to worst. We’re looking at who is playing well – and well, who is playing – as well as national team call-ups and transfer prospects. Who’s being talked up by the coaches, whose name is in the media, and which names are on the fans’ lips.
FC Dallas in Spain and North Texas has yet to start camp, so let’s get to it.
(Ranking by Buzz Carrick and Dan Crooke)
Starting XI
| Rank | Trending | Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jesus Ferreira FCD (F) | High: 1 | Low: 1 | — 0 | The reigning MLS Young Player of the Year and FCD Golden Boot winner. He didn’t have the World Cup he wanted but he’s still the top man at FCD heading into the season. – Buzz |
| 2 | Paul Arriola FCD (F) | High: 2 | Low: 2 | — 0 | Back in the national team and receiving a lot of attention after his quote about showing his future kids that he didn’t quit after missing out on the World Cup. It’s hard to root against the guy. – Dan |
| 3 | Alan Velasco FCD (F) | High: 3 | Low: 3 | — 0 | Everyone expects the young Argentine to take a step forward this season. He certainly looked up for it in the one scrimmage we’ve seen this spring. – Buzz |
| 4 | Sebastian Lletget FCD (M) | High: 4 | Low: 4 | — 0 | No January camp invite, but when (Kellyn-aside) the midfield totaled just 12 caps, we shouldn’t have expected to see Da Boy. He looked great in the FCD/BSC scrimmage and has said he’s in the best shape of his life. – Dan |
| 5 | Paxton Pomykal FCD (M) | High: 5 | Low: 5 | — 0 | A January USMNT camp gets Pomykal some spotlight now that he’s been fit for two seasons. The club is trumpeting him as back to form and rewarded him with a new contract. Time to see a step forward then. – Buzz |
| 6 | Maarten Paes FCD (G) | High: 6 | Low: 6 | — 0 | A couple of iffy passes mixed with a phenomenal reaction save against Barcelona SC. With Cillessen and Krul not going another World Cup cycle, it’s a good time for the 24-year-old to put quality seasons together in a first-team setting. – Dan |
| 7 | Marco Farfan FCD (D) | High: 7 | Low: 7 | — 0 | Mr. Steady on the outside. The only concern here is getting him some time off and not burning him out like late 2022. – Buzz |
| 8 | Jose Martínez FCD (D) | High: 8 | Low: 8 | — 0 | Martinez should be starter #1… but Seba Ibeagha is being talked up by the coach, told me he’s got a different role than in LA, and has played a fair bit of LCB so far. We’ll need to see how that Martinez muscular issue is in 2023. – Dan |
| 9 | Nkosi Tafari FCD (D) | High: 9 | Low: 9 | — 0 | Enters ’23 as the presumptive right center back starter. Can he hold the spot and prove a consistent starter? Is it the year of Nkosi? – Buzz |
| 10 | Tsiki Ntsabeleng FCD (M) | High: 10 | Low: 10 | — 0 | Tsiki looked incredible in the scrimmage, coming into camp seemingly fitter than everyone. He’s gradually pushing Brandon Servania down the pecking order. – Dan |
| 11 | Ema Twumasi FCD (D) | High: 11 | Low: 11 | — 0 | Held off the challenge from the $600k salary Nanu in 2022. So FCD went out and spent $1.5 million on another right back. Can ET hold again? – Buzz |
Yada
On The Bench
| Rank | Trending | Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Justin Che FCD (D) | High: 12 | Low: 12 | — 0 | Promoted to Hoffenheim’s first team and made two benches in the three games since. Che has played quite a bit of right wing to add to his right back and center back flexibility. – Dan |
| 13 | Geovane Jesus FCD (D) | High: 13 | Low: 13 | — 0 | $1.5 million is a lot of money for a right back. Expectations are high. – Buzz |
| 14 | Edwin Cerrillo FCD (M) | High: 14 | Low: 14 | — 0 | Looked decent in the scrimmage, certainly better than Quignon. Cerrillo needs to win the start in ’23 and not make the 6 a transfer target. – Dan |
| 15 | Sebastien Ibeagha FCD (D) | High: 15 | Low: 15 | — 0 | I keep saying he was brought in for depth. Can he prove me wrong? He’s been playing more left center back than we expected. – Buzz |
| 16 | Brandon Servania FCD (M) | High: 16 | Low: 16 | — 0 | A career-high 23 games in 2022 but we’re seeing Brandon Servania drop to 3rd linking 8 in the depth chart. We all agreed on last week’s pod that we wouldn’t be shocked to see him sold/traded before long. – Dan |
| 17 | Facundo Quignon FCD (M) | High: 17 | Low: 17 | — 0 | Word on the street was Facu was having a strong spring camp. Then he stank up the joint against Barcelona SC. $800k salary is a hefty burden on the bench. – Buzz |
| 18 | Jader Obrian FCD (F) | High: 18 | Low: 18 | — 0 | Got the start in the scrimmage and preceded to miss an absolute sitter. Obrian is a perfect late-game impact option on either side. – Dan |
| 19 | Jose Mulato FCD (F) | High: 19 | Low: 19 | — 0 | Love the potential on display at North Texas SC. But now isn’t the time for potential. If he can’t get it done when subbing for Ferreira FCD will need to go get a striker. – Buzz |
| 20 | Bernard Kamungo FCD (F) | High: 20 | Low: 20 | — 0 | A first-teamer now, challenging Obrian for wing time, and probably your third striker too. A little sloppy in the scrimmage. Wasn’t as fit to start camp as preferred. – Dan |
Second XI
| Rank | Trending | Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Jimmy Maurer FCD (G) | High: 21 | Low: 21 | — 0 | Fantastic leader in training and the locker room. It’s a real bonus for the club to have a legit 2nd choice pushing the starter. Can Jimmy regain the starting spot in ’23? – Buzz |
| 22 | Isaiah Parker FCD (D) | High: 22 | Low: 22 | — 0 | Coach Estevez was keen to point out Parker has come a long way from last year, but that his mental lapses are still a concern. The second-year pro could’ve seen red twice, and seemed to get suckered in by the Barce players. Do you put him on the bench or try to find a USL-C/1 loan for experience? – Dan |
| 23 | Nolan Norris FCD (D) | High: 23 | Low: 23 | — 0 | Impressive performance at LCB vs BSC, he was the talk of the press box. The full CB conversion seems on and ahead of schedule. Don’t expect to see him with FCD much this year but what a future this kid may have. – Buzz |
| 24 | Antonio Carrera FCD (G) | High: 24 | Low: 24 | — 0 | Joined up with the team after U20 camp. As one of two GKs, Toño is a likely participant for USA in May’s U-20 World Cup. – Dan |
| 25 | Dante Sealy FCD (F) | High: 25 | Low: 25 | — 0 | Struggling to break through at PSV. Just 7 starts in 17 appearances (a paltry 650 minutes) for Jong PSV in the 22-23 season and only 1 goal to show for it, a PK. Loan ends in June. – Buzz |
| 26 | Tarik Scott FCD (F) | High: 26 | Low: 26 | — 0 | Tarik looked solid in the scrimmage, but is he best served at North Texas or does he need a bigger challenge? – Dan |
| 27 | Collin Smith FCD (D) | High: 27 | Low: 27 | — 0 | One of FIVE right backs on the club’s roster right now. He may get caught in the squeeze. This kid needs a loan badly. – Buzz |
| 28 | Herbert Endeley FCD (D/F) | High: 28 | Low: 28 | — 0 | The only draft pick kept around for the Marbella camp, Herbie impressed in tandem with Tarik Scott. – Dan |
| 29 | André Costa NTX (M) | High: 29 | Low: 29 | — 0 | Good enough to be involved with FCD in the spring, and even get taken to Spain, but not yet good enough for an FCD contract. – Buzz |
| 30 | Amet Korça FCD (D) | High: 30 | Low: 30 | — 0 | The fifth CB in the scrimmage Korça replaced Nolan Norris for the last 20 minutes. – Dan |
| 31 | Hope Avayevu NTX (F) | High: 31 | Low: 31 | — 0 | All expectations are that 2023 will be (should be?) the “Season of Hope” at North Texas SC. At least it better be if he’s going to get to FCD. – Buzz |
| 32 | Carl Sainté NTX (M) | High: 32 | Low: 32 | — 0 | A permanent addition as a holding mid following a loan from New Mexico United, Sainté will look to build on his four Haiti caps and follow Bernard Kamungo on the pathway to MLS. – Dan |
In Reserve
| Rank | Trending | Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Pablo Torre NTX (F) | High: 33 | Low: 33 | — 0 | A young striker just 1 season out of high school. Love his mentality. Can he take over the NTX 9 position with Mulato at FCD? – Buzz |
| 34 | Alejandro Araneda NTX (M) | High: 34 | Low: 34 | — 0 | In the option year of his one-and-one deal for North Texas. It’ll be a much different midfield for NTX. – Dan |
| 35 | Yeicar Perlaza NTX (D) | High: 35 | Low: 35 | — 0 | The newest signing at NTX and the newest RB at the club. One of five, he’ll be competing with Endeley and Smith (if both are here) for PT. – Buzz |
| 36 | Manuel Caicedo NTX (D) | High: 36 | Low: 36 | — 0 | Literally just announced, we know nothing beyond being a left center back! – Dan |
Comments
Any surprises to see Jesus Ferreira top the list? We’ll normally comment on the biggest upward and downward trends as the rankings change but this is the first lit of the season.
Right now, it’s who can put themselves in a stronger position before the season starts in a little under four weeks, and who could potentially earn a contract outside of those. We included Herbert Endeley as the only player in Marbella without a contract of some form.