Somehow this is year number eight of our whimsical little power rankings. If you’re new to this, the premise is very simple – power rankings are fun, so we look at all 48 contracted professionals for FC Dallas and North Texas SC.
We look at who is playing well, who is playing at all, and whose name is on the lips of our colleagues in the media, and the fans. With all that in mind, let’s get to it and start the 2025 MLS campaign off the right way.
Starting XI
| Rank | Trend | Comments | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acosta, Luciano | High: 1 | Low: 1 | — 0 | 2023 MLS MVP, 4-time MLS Best XI, and the new Big Man on Campus. – Buzz |
| 2 | Musa, Petar | High: 2 | Low: 2 | — 0 | Record-breaking first season, and now he’s thrown into a more attacking-focused system, paired up with the man with the 9th-most assists to his name in the history of MLS. That’s worth $10 of anyone’s money at +3300 in the top scorer market! – Dan |
| 3 | Paes, Maarten | High: 3 | Low: 3 | — 0 | Props up the defense, might lead the league in saves, and break the FCD single-season saves record. – Buzz |
| 4 | Lletget, Sebastian | High: 4 | Low: 4 | — 0 | Seba brings key experience to the midfield, and continuing his good form will be key to linking play up to the new-look attack. – Dan |
| 5 | Julio, Anderson | High: 5 | Low: 5 | — 0 | Looks game-ready and game fit. Scoring goals in the spring. – Buzz |
| 6 | Moore, Shaq | High: 6 | Low: 6 | — 0 | A deal legitimately a decade in the making. Moore brings experience and some pace to a key role with Eric Quill’s fast transition from the wide backs. – Dan |
| 7 | Farrington, Logan | High: 7 | Low: 7 | — 0 | An influential player with or without the start, but where is his short-term future? After a great spell at right wing, Farrington has been used more at the 9 in preseason. – Buzz |
| 8 | Ibeagha, Sebastien | High: 8 | Low: 8 | — 0 | A strong preseason for the 1.5-time MLS Cup winner. His steady presence is a huge asset to a much-changed backline. – Dan |
| 9 | Farfan, Marco | High: 9 | Low: 9 | — 0 | Solid defensivly. Can he add going forward or is he the stay at home guy this year? – Buzz |
| 10 | Ramiro | High: 10 | Low: 10 | — 0 | The Brazilian looked promising against Atlanta, but an injury shortened his preseason and he’s a year removed from an ACL repair so how much can FC Dallas lean on him? – Dan |
| 11 | Kamungo, Bernard | High: 11 | Low: 11 | — 0 | Bernie became Bernie under Quill at North Texas, can Quill get him back to first-team impact form? – Buzz |
In the Mix
| 12 | Pedrinho | High: 12 | Low: 12 | — 0 | The former North Texas SC man was the big surprise of the preseason. He’ll likely back up Lucho, but Pedrinho showed what he can do as a false wing in a couple of those friendlies. – Dan |
| 13 | Abubakar, Lalas | High: 13 | Low: 13 | — 0 | He finished spring in the XI but the new guy just showed up. – Buzz |
| 14 | Ntsabeleng, Tsiki | High: 14 | Low: 14 | — 0 | Solid roster presence, and coming off a bounce-back year. There are plenty of minutes to be had in the midfield at this stage of the transfer window. – Dan |
| 15 | Newman, Enzo | High: 15 | Low: 15 | — 0 | The club loves him and he might be the first-choice backup at both outside back spots. – Buzz |
| 16 | Chu, Leo | High: 16 | Low: 16 | — 0 | We haven’t seen a lot of the gentleman who sits behind only Leo Messi for most assists in a single game in MLS history. There was some talk his fitness may not have been where it should be early in preseason. – Dan |
| 17 | Show | High: 17 | Low: 17 | — 0 | Missed spring because he was sick, how big a setback was it? He’s important. – Buzz |
| 18 | Collodi, Michael | High: 18 | Low: 18 | — 0 | The reigning MLS NEXT Pro goalkeeper of the year may have edged into the number two spot behind Maarten Paes. His relative experience is a big plus for a young keeper. – Dan |
| 19 | Urhoghide, Osaze | High: 19 | Low: 19 | — 0 | New guy, big expectations. But is he any good? Who knows. – Buzz |
| 20 | Delgado, Patrickson | High: 20 | Low: 20 | — 0 | Pedrinho’s preseason may have pushed Patrickson Delgado down the pecking order at the 10 spot. – Dan |
| 21 | Norris, Nolan | High: 21 | Low: 21 | — 0 | Nolan’s progression has been steady. Can he take the next step? – Buzz |
| 22 | Garcia, Diego | High: 22 | Low: 22 | — 0 | The 18-year-old was a coup as a Homegrown signing after coming through with El Paso. He’s got time on his side, but is he a better candidate for MLS benches or a loan? – Dan |
Second Team
| 23 | Carrera, Antonio | High: 23 | Low: 23 | — 0 | Did he lose the battle for #2? He needs PT and games. – Buzz |
| 24 | Endeley, Herbert | High: 24 | Low: 24 | — 0 | Enzo’s gain was really Herb’s loss as Coach Quill seems to have pushed Endeley higher into the deepest position group in the roster. – Dan |
| 25 | Sainte, Carl | High: 25 | Low: 25 | — 0 | On loan to Phoenix. Will we see him again? Is he a CB or a 6? – Buzz |
| 26 | Sali, Enes | High: 26 | Low: 26 | — 0 | On loan to Al-Riyadh. The Saudi Pro League winter break ends on Wednesday. – Dan |
| 27 | Ramirez, Anthony | High: 27 | Low: 27 | — 0 | Talented by young, an exciting 10 or false wing. He can even 8. But can he crack the rotation in ’25? – Buzz |
| 28 | Scott, Tarik | High: 28 | Low: 28 | — 0 | If 2024 was really a write-off in his return from ACL and LCL surgery, what can Scott do the make his mark for FC Dallas this year? – Dan |
| 29 | Baran, Daniel | High: 29 | Low: 29 | — 0 | He’s probably at NTX full-time (or close to it) in 2025, but he should be impactful there. One for the future. – Buzz |
| 30 | Alvaro | High: 30 | Low: 30 | — 0 | The 19-year-old impressed on trial while the team was in the Algarve to earn a 3+2 year contract. Once he has his visa, we should expect at least some time with North Texas SC, but there’s not a lot of depth in his area of the roster. – Dan |
| 31 | Sarver, Samuel | High: 31 | Low: 31 | — 0 | As an older draft pick, he should be a leader at North Texas SC. Plays a high work rate style. – Buzz |
| 32 | Swann, Caleb | High: 32 | Low: 32 | — 0 | Buzz has hyped Swann ever since he swapped Solar for the FCD academy, and the just-turned-18-year-old will look to make a mark on an overhauled North Texas midfield. – Dan |
| 33 | Urzua, Alejandro | High: 33 | Low: 33 | — 0 | Too often held back by injuries, now in his 3rd season as a Homegrown. Needs a big year, can he dominate NTX? – Buzz |
In Reserve
| 34 | Molina, Malachi | High: 34 | Low: 34 | — 0 | With the hybrid deal elevated to an MLS contract, Molina needs to make the right back spot his own for NTSC to demonstrate his progression toward the first team. – Dan |
| 35 | Pondeca, Tomas | High: 35 | Low: 35 | — 0 | On loan to New Mexico. Effectively, Enzo Newman took his spot. – Buzz |
| 36 | Molomo, Zach | High: 36 | Low: 36 | — 0 | An MLS NEXT Pro deal at 16 is a nice endorsement. He’s been playing at center back but the left back role should be in his future. – Dan |
| 37 | Orejarena, Leonardo | High: 37 | Low: 37 | — 0 | Up till now, he’s basically been a paid Academy player, but he’s getting spring PT with North Texas SC. – Buzz |
| 38 | Cangiano, Gianluca | High: 38 | Low: 38 | — 0 | Another punt on a South American attacker, Cangiano signed out of San Lorenzo’s second team. John Gall talked him up as a target forward with good feet. – Dan |
| 39 | Bulkeley, James | High: 39 | Low: 39 | — 0 | One of North Texas SC’s new center back signings. – Buzz |
| 40 | Kaakoush, Isaiah | High: 40 | Low: 40 | — 0 | Now could be the step into the pro game from essentially being a paid academy player in 2024. Interestingly, a regular 6, Kaakoush has spent his spring as a center back. – Dan |
| 41 | Luccin, Marlon | High: 41 | Low: 41 | — 0 | Straight MLS Next Pro contract and a North Texas reserve central mid. – Buzz |
| 42 | Contreras, Jaidyn | High: 42 | Low: 42 | — 0 | A late-season hybrid signing, the young winger should expect a decent role while in the running for a 2026 Homegrown contract. – Dan |
| 43 | Pepi, Diego | High: 43 | Low: 43 | — 0 | A home grown our sources say is going on loan to Texoma FC. A very unusual signing. – Buzz |
| 44 | Scabin, Kaka | High: 44 | Low: 44 | — 0 | Only one game for North Texas last year, the Brazilian-born American is another player on course for that MLS contract decision at the end of the year. – Dan |
| 45 | Darub, Victor | High: 45 | Low: 45 | — 0 | Is he the North Texas SC number-one keeper or not? – Buzz |
| 46 | Aroyameh, Favour | High: 46 | Low: 46 | — 0 | A box-to-box midfielder signed out of Nigeria in the past couple of days. – Dan |
| 47 | Pomykal, Paxton | High: 47 | Low: 47 | — 0 | We all can’t wait for his return. Will we see him midseason? Fingers crossed. – Buzz |
| 48 | Jesus, Geovane | High: 48 | Low: 48 | — 0 | So many whispers about Geo’s knee knack not faring so well, but he was at Cocktails & Cleats so he is for sure in and around the club at this time. – Dan |
There you have it. Let’s see how much of it changes after the Huntsmen return from Frisco with hopefully still a firm grasp on El Capitan.
With no one to highlight for their rise or fall, let’s start with the obvious that Lucho Acosta is the man on day one. There is plenty of room to move in that top group if Osaze Urhoghide makes a fast start to live in MLS, or depending on how healthy Ramiro can stay.
Further down, we have a lot of new faces at North Texas SC, and some academy players working through their hybrid deal in the hope that FC Dallas picks up their MLS option. They have some big roles to fill for the defending MLS NEXT Pro Cup winners with two weeks left before their final season in Arlington.