FC Dallas has today announced the signing of 2020 MLS SuperDraft first round pick Nkosi Burgess. The former Seattle University and UConn defender was drafted with the 14th overall pick of this year’s draft.
Burgess has demonstrated a rapid rise since getting into town last month. After a couple of shaky training sessions in the first week of preseason, he’s grown in confidence. An astute defender already, the 22-year-old has made great strides in his passing game both on the practice field and in the three games he’s featured in so far.
“I like working hard and earning things,” Burgess told FCDallas.com. “Getting drafted was a good step, and a window of opportunity that I had, but Luchi always said to all the other guys in training ‘Help the next guy get a contract’. All the guys like Matt and Ryan that were really helpful in terms of helping me get to where I am today, I have to thank them and the rest of my team mates, because I wouldn’t have done it without them.”
At Sunday’s practice Burgess was sporting top of the line Nike boots, something that you only really see in MLS when a player has a sponsorship. His purple hair, which had been growing out, was also replaced by a bright FCD red. Surely signs that the contract was signed awaiting the official announcement.
With Matt Hedges, Reto Zielger, and Bressan as the three primary options at center back, you should expect to see Nkosi Burgess line up for North Texas SC in USL League One, similar to Callum Montgomery last year. This will allow Burgess to grow around Luch-ball where a traditional loan would not.