The fall college soccer season is upon us, so it’s time again for my annual FC Dallas Academy players in college watch list.
We’ve been talking about the changes in the college game for years. The development of the Academy system and the MLS Next Pro pathway has diminished the value of college. But there are still plenty of good players there. Not everyone wants to skip college and some players develop later than others.
So here are ten players out of the FCD Academy in the college this fall that I am most interested in.
This year’s list includes a crop of 5 (!) interesting center backs (some of whom we’ve been tracking for years), several central mids, and a goalkeeper I wasn’t expecting to see on here this soon.
Think I missed someone? Have someone you really like? Tell me about them in the comments.
In alphabetical order…
10 FC Dallas Products to Watch in College Soccer
Jared Aguilar, Tulsa – Central Midfield
Sophomore, 5’9″. 142 lbs, Denton, Texas.
A kid who played a little bit for North Texas SC in 2022 (5 games) but didn’t make it back in the Spring of 2023 before heading to Tulsa for his freshman year this Fall. He’s mstly a 6 or 8.
Aguilar played in every Tulsa U game last season. After breaking into the lineup against Drake, he started the rest of the way. Named to the American Conference All-Rookie Team.
Will Baker, Michigan – Center Back
Sophomore, 6’4″, 195 lbs, Frisco, Texas.
Baker originally committed to Furman but took a gap year to stay at the FC Dallas Academy and North Texas SC. In two seasons with NTXSC while he was in the Academy, Baker played in 7 games making 4 starts.
A rare left-footed center back, in his freshman year at Michigan he made 17 starts logging the 2nd most minutes (1,502) for the Wolverines.
Grady Easton, St Louis – Center Back
Senior, 6’3″, 180 lbs, The Woodlands, Texas.
Back in 2021, during his final Academy season, Easton played for North Texas and trained with FC Dallas. He joined SMU that fall but only made one start in seven games for a total of 310 minutes.
Easton transferred to St Louis for ’22 making 14 starts in 17 appearances, adding 2 goals, helping the Bilikens win the A-10 regular-season and tournament titles.
In 2023, he only played 4 games before missing the season with injury. Can he bounce back in 2024?
Cristian Escribano – Right Back
Grad Student, 5’10”, 198 lbs, Frisco, Texas.
Right back. Redshirted as a Sophomore, he’s started 42 of the 45 career games he’s played with 6 assists. Wake’s captain in 2023. Born in Madrid, Spain, and holds dual citizenship.
This kind of long-term college starter for a great program in a power conference is the kind of player FCD likes to grab in the later rounds of the draft or even as a free agent afterward.
Diego Hernandez, Furman – Central Midfield
Sophomore, 5’9″, 148 lbs, Mesquite, Texas.
You guys know how I feel about my man Diego. Hernandez was high on my Homegrown watch list for a couple of years. After recovering from a bad auto accident, Hernadez regained his peak form as a senior and showed serious game control with North Texas SC being named MLS NEXT Pro Rising Star of the Month for May in 2023.
Unfortunately, he was injured and missed his freshman season in college. Furman lists him as a sophomore, guess they didn’t redshirt him.
Diego Letayf, Georgetown – Central Midfield
Junior, 5’10”, 170 lbs, Southlake, Texas.
During his Academy days, oh man, I was so high on this kid. I had him on multiple future Homegrown lists. He jumped to the Tigres U20 as a U17, that’s how good he was. Post-Covid he showed up at Georgetown to play soccer.
19 starts in 20 games played for the 2022 Big East Champs (2nd lowest GAA in Big East). Team Captain in 2023 – as a sophomore, that should tell you something – with 13 games played and 12 starts (injured).
Captain again in 2024.
Josh Ramsey, Notre Dame – Center Back
Senior, 6’0″, 190 lbs, Plano, Texas.
Mostly a solar product, Ramsey jumped to San Antonio FC on an amateur contract and then came to the FC Dallas Academy for one season before heading to Notre Dame. 2021 All-ACC Freshman team.
Over three seasons, 61 starts in 63 games. He should be a four-year starter for a big-time program.
At only 6 feet he might be a bit undersized for the standard MLS center back play but he’s a very smart defender and game-reader playing in a great conference. Plenty of big game experience. The kid can play.
Aaron Salinas, Furman – Goalkeeper
Sophomore, 6’1″, 168 lbs, Grand Prairie, Texas.
I was expecting Salinas to have a good college career – I put him on my honorable mention list last year – but I wasn’t expecting him to walk in and start at Furman. 15 games, 14 starts as a freshman. 1.12 GAA with a 71.2% save PCT and 5 shutouts. Named to the SoCon All-Freshman team.
He’s been handed the #1 jersey this year. Well done.
Luke Shreiner, Northwestern – Center Back
Freshman, 6’4″, 165 lbs, Dallas, Texas.
Had a fantastic year for the FCD U19s then capped it with an impressive Dallas Cup. Had a cup of coffee with North Texas SC. MLS Next All-Star while an FCD U17.
He’s got the right size and physical profile. He’s been named the Top Drawer Soccer Big 10 Freshman to Watch. Can he progress in college?
Slade Starnes, Furman – Center Back
Junior, 6’3″, 185 lbs, Dallas, Texas.
Starnes climbed through the FCD ranks from Premier to the Academy to U19 captain as he matured physically into a Matt Hedges-type profile (6’3”, 185). Along the way, he worked with NTX and the FCD first team.
As a freshman, Slade earned Southern Conference All-Freshman honors over 18 games and 17 starts with 3 goals and 2 assists. He helped lead Texas United to one of the best records in USL-2 that summer. 2023 was marred with an injury, so just 11 games at Furman but still with 2 game-winning goals.
For 2024 he’s been named Preseason All-Souther Conference and is a big leader for the Paladins.
Honorable Mention FCD College Watch List
Here are few others of some note.
| Name | School | Class | Pos | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden Bazzell | High Point | Fresh | D | Had a great senior season and an impressive Dallas Cup. Got any more kid? |
| Jalen Belong | CS Fullerton | Junior | F | Started his college run at Oregon St (1 game) then transferred to Fullerton, 17 games last season, 3 starts, 1 assist. |
| Stetson Buttrill | Utah Tech | Fresh | F | Showed flashes with the Academy and ECNL, looking forward to seeing if there’s some progression in college. |
| Berin Droemer | San Diego St | RS-Soph | F | Played for FCD, went to Germany, came back statesside and played for Solar. Redshirted in ’22, missed ’23 with injury. |
| Santiago Ferreira | Pitt | Soph | M | Jesus’ brother, played a bit at NTX. 10 games, 1 start, 1 assist as a freshman at Pitt. |
| Mason Grimm | SMU | Fresh | CB/6 | If not for an ACL injury late in his senior season he might have been in the 10 above. Strong leader. He can 6 too. |
| Kevin Kelley | Princeton | Soph | F | Terrific athlete, 14 games, 5 starts, 1 assist as a freshman. |
| Michael Morales | Tulsa | Soph | F | 11 games, 3 starts, 1 goal, 1 assist as a freshman. |
| Aaron Pondeca | Mercer | Fresh | F | Younger brother of Tomas Pondeca, another older brother also plays at Mercer. Can he take a step? |
| Seth Wilson | UNCG | RS-Soph | G | 4 games at Akron, 0/29 GAA, transferred to UNCG. |
Missing in Action
Jared Salazar – Mid/wing
He was supposed to be heading to Portland on a ride… and he’s not there on the roster.
A talented attacker, Salazar played a fair bit for North Texas SC in 2023 but my sources say he only ever got a North Texas MLS Next Pro offer from FCD that he turned down. He had a good Dallas Cup in 2024 and was named to the GA Cup Best XI back in 2023.
So now I don’t where he’s going or what he’s doing.
