A few weeks back I did my bi-annual Academy signing target list but with the MLS SuperDraft moved up in the calendar, I didn’t get my college homegrown tracking list out before the picks went down.
So perhaps a bit late this go around, let’s look into the college kids I’ve been tracking for years for potential future homegrown or MLS Next Pro signings and see how they are doing.
MLS clubs can sign underclassmen and seniors who were draft-eligible to homegrown deals. In the past guys like Reggie Cannon and Brandon Servania were both signed after their freshman seasons. Just last year, Malik Henry-Scott was signed after his senior year at Tulsa.
More often these days with FCD, we see college seniors get a chance with North Texas SC more than we do homegrown deals like Henry-Scott.
Any Homegrowns Right Now?
No, I don’t think so.
But I do see two center backs and one keeper that are closest to being homegrown target level. We’ll get to them in a bit.
First, I have two senior center backs that were in the SuperDraft pool and went unselected who I would like to see invited to North Texas SC camp as free agents. If they don’t sign somewhere else, that is.
Two North Texas Camp Invitee Suggestions
I think FC Dallas should invite both of these players to North Texas SC spring camp for a shot at a free-agent contract.
Grady Easton, Saint Louis – Center Back
Senior, 6’3″, 190 lbs, The Woodlands, Texas.
Easton came from Houston Texas to the FCD Academy following Eric Quill. Easton played some for North Texas SC before going to SMU. After a handful of minutes as a freshman, Easton transferred to Saint Louis where he had a solid career for the Bilikans harmed by a couple of injury setbacks.
This fall Easton played in 20 games with 15 starts. He notched 1 goal and 1 assist. Total college career: 48 games, 34 starts, 3 goals, 2 assists.
And Quill knows him really well.
Josh Ramsey, Notre Dame – Center Back
Senior, 6’0″, 190 lbs, Plano, Texas.
Ramsey was mostly a Solar kid but after a U17 camp, he moved to San Antonio FC for one season where he got a cup of coffee in USL on an Academy contract before coming to FC Dallas for a season (thus making him homegrown eligible).
Yes, he’s “only” 6 feet tall but he’s a rare lefty center back, a hard worker, a good game reader, and a strong leader. A four-year starter at Notre Dame with 17 starts this year to bring his career total to 80 games and 78 starts, with 3 assists.
Next Best FCD Academy Alums in College Soccer
Now for the three players I think are putting up the kind of performances that might get them into legit Homegrown signing territory with continued success or progression.
Side Note – FC Dallas U23s
These players, and the ones in the section below, are ideal candidates for FCD’s new U23 team set to play in The League for Clubs in 2025. The League for Clubs is a summer league designed for college kids to play under pro coaches and not lose college eligibility (just like USL-2 and NPSL).
So consider every name from here down a list of kids I’d love to see tapped for that team.
Will Baker, Michigan – Center Back
Sophomore, 6’4″, 195 lbs, Frisco, Texas.
Another lefty center back, Baker had a cup of coffee with North Texas SC and was U19 captain. Two seasons at Michigan 37 games, 36 starts, 12 shutouts, with 3,210 minutes played.
He’s one to keep tracking but let him cook bake in college for now.
Aaron Salinas, Furman – Goalkeeper
Sophomore, 6’1″, 168 lbs, Grand Prairie, Texas.
I expected Salinas to have a strong college career and he’s quickly exceeding my expectations.
2024 SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year with 19 starts, a 1.07 GAA, and a 70.1% save pct. 2023 So Con All-Freshman team with 15 starts, a 1.12 GAA, and a 71.2% save pct.
FCD doesn’t need a keeper at the minute but next winter that might be different.
Slade Starnes, Furman – Center Back
Junior, 6’3″, 185 lbs, Dallas, Texas.
After a terrific three seasons at Furman, Starnes is making the portal jump to SMU and the ACC giving himself a chance to show off his skills in FCD’s backyard. That’s a baller move.
2024 SoCon 1st Team, 2023 SoCon 2nd Team, 2022 SoCon All-Freshman Team. 45 games, 43 starts, 6 goals (mostly via headers) and 7 assists. Two-time FCD U19 captain.
He’s been on my watchlist for a long time.
Best of the Rest
Any of these next three players could become homegrown-level targets if they continue to develop. Time will tell.
Again, I would love to see some of them land with FC Dallas U23 this summer.
Diego Hernandez, Furman – Central Midfield
Sophomore, 5’9″, 148 lbs, Mesquite, Texas.
If you have followed my work, you will know I wanted Hernandez to be a homegrown out of the Academy. Hernandez missed his freshman season with a pre-season knee injury but returned in 2024 as their 12th man in minutes played all off the bench (17 games). 2 assists on the year.
Hernandez needs to move into the XI and dominate the SoCon in 2025.
Kevin Kelley, Princeton – Forward
Sophomore, 5’9″, 135 lbs, Dallas, Texas.
The older of the Kelley brothers who were at PSV and Barca prior to joining the FC Dallas Academy. Their family sued FCD after the younger brother, Kris, broke his leg in an intra-squad game. I don’t think either brother will want to return to FCD but they are Academy alums so I will keep tracking them and wishing for their success.
After mostly being a sub as a freshman, Kevin moved into a starter role this year. In total with the Tigers, 32 games, 20 starts, 3 goals (all this year), and 2 assists. Needs to be more prolific in the Ivy to break into the next tier.
Seth Wilson, UNC Greensboro – Goalkeeper
Redshirt Sophmore, 6’5″, 186 lbs, Frisco, Texas.
Wilson has had a really rough road. He graduated from the FCD Academy (made an NTSC bench & played in some US U17 friendlies) and tried to catch on as a pro in Europe in the middle of the COVID pandemic.
After some injury struggles and club false starts, he finally landed at Akron in 2022 where he was redshirted. Getting just 4 games at Akron in 2023 as a red-shirt freshman, Wilson transferred to UNC Greensboro where he finally got a chance to play and looked good this season in the SoCon with 12 starts, a 0.82 GAA, and a 79.6% save pct.
Now do it again.
Additional Academy Alums I’m Tracking
Again, invite some of these kids to join FC Dallas U23 this summer.
| Player | School | Class | Pos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Aguila | Tulsa | So | CM | 15 games and 11 starts in ’23, just 3 games in ’24. Injured I assume but I can’t find it. |
| Aiden Bazzell | High Point | Fr | CB | 8 games, 0 starts. Had a great Dallas Cup 2024. |
| Jalen Belong | CS Fullerton | Jr | F | 6’3″ Transferred from Oregon St after freshman year (1 game). At Fullerton: 33 games, 6 starts, 2 goals, 1 assist. |
| “Danny” Elizalde | Incarnate Word | Jr | M | DNP as a freshman, 2 seasons since: 35 games, 25 starts, 3 goals, 3 assists. |
| Cristian Escribano | Wake Forest | GS | RB | 5 years at Wake (cause COVID): 54 games, 51 starts, and 6 assists. Missed all but 4 games in 2024 from injury and is returning for a final 6th year at Wake in 2025. |
| Santiago Ferreira | Pitt | So | CM | 10 games in 2023 but only 3 in 2024. Injured? |
| Mason Grimm | SMU | Fr | CB/6 | DNP due to ACL tear in final Academy season (spring 2024). |
| Kris Kelley | Princeton | Fr | F | 15 games, 4 starts. Joined RSL Academy after leaving FCD (lawsuit) and played for RSL Monarchs. |
| Diego Letayf | Georgetown | Jr | DM | FCD Academy to Tigres U20 then Georgetown. Two years as captain but has missed chunks of games (injuries?). 42 games, 33 starts, 3 assists. |
| Michael Morales | Duquesne | So | F | Fresh at Tulsa: 11 games, 3 starts, 1 goal, 1 assist. Transferred to Duquesne for ’24: 10 games, 0 starts. |
| Ismail Nieves | LMU | Fr | D | ’24: 16 games, 11 starts. 2 goals, 1 assist. 6’3″ |
| Aaron Pondeca | Mercer | Fr | F | 2024: 16 games, 3 starts. |
| Luke Shreiner | Kentucky | Fr | CB | Northwestern in ’24: 13 games, 3 starts, 2 assists. Transferred to UK for next season. |
Is this list definitive? No, it is not.
I do my best but I am by no means infallible. If you know of an FCD Academy or Youth alum who is excelling in college, be sure and let me know.