It’s that time again, kids – time for another episode of our FC Dallas college players to watch.
There are a lot of former FC Dallas Academy and ECNL players in the college ranks. Here are the top ten I am interested in this season as potential future pros. Yes, the list changes!!
Think I missed someone? Have someone you really like? Tell me about them in the comments.
In alphabetical order…
10 FC Dallas Prospects to Watch in College Soccer
Luke Adams, St Louis – Centerback
Redshirt Junior, 6’4”, 175 lbs, McKinney, Texas, 20 years old (ish).
Yes, he was drafted by Charlotte FC in the second round (52nd pick) of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, but he has two seasons of college eligibility left. Charlotte’s MLS rights to him (they last two MLS seasons) will expire before he is scheduled to graduate in May of 2028.
2025 American Conference Defender of the Year and All-Conference First-Team at Tulsa, then transferred to St Louis University. Former FCD ECNL player for one season (no homegrown rights), played three years at Tulsa (redshirt, then 28 starts over 2 years).
United Soccer Coaches 2026 Herman Watch List. Played with McKinney Chupacabras this summer.
Jared Aguilar, Tulsa – Central Midfield
Redshirt Junior, 5’9”, 145 lbs, Denton, Texas, 21 years old.
United Soccer Coaches 2026 Herman Watch List. High expectations for a big rebound season as a 6/8 type player.
A two-year starter out of three at Tulsa, missed most of 2024 with an injury in the middle. 35 games, 28 starts, 3 goals, and 5 assists as a deep midfielder. 2023 American Conference All-Rookie Team
Played five games for North Texas SC back in 2022.
Will Baker, Michigan – Center Back
Senior, 6’4″, 195 lbs, Frisco, Texas. 22 years old.
Baker grew into his height; he’s leaner and quicker than he was in his Academy days. Being a real left-footed center back really ups his value. I think he’s 100% a homegrown candidate this season, or at the very least a North Texas SC target.
Three-season starter at Michigan, he’s played in 58 games with 57 starts. 2025 Second Team All-Big 10. Played with the FCD U23s during the summers.
Baker played a little bit over two seasons with NTXSC while he was in the Academy (7 games, 4 starts).
Diego Hernandez, Furman – Central Midfield
Senior, 5’9″, 150 lbs, Mesquite, Texas. 21 years old.
The big dog and captain for the #3-ranked Furman Paladins, USC 2026 Herman Watch List. Another high-end Homegrown candidate in our opinion. Frankly, I’m amazed he wasn’t signed after last season. Box-to-box dominating player.
He crushed it in 2025. MAC Herman Semi-Finalist, USC First Team All-American, TDS Best XI, TDS POY Finalist, Southern Conference Player of the Year, and SoCon First Team. 23 games, 10 goals, 9 assists. 2025-26 Furman Male Athlete of the Year.
After missing all of 2023 with an injury, he came back in 2024 with 17 appearances and 2 assists. Two summers with the FC Dallas U23s since the injury. He also got married this summer.
Played 12 games with North Texas SC in 2023 while in the Academy, earning MLS Next Pro Rising Star of the Month.
Landon Hickam, SMU – Holding Midfield
Sophomore, 5’11”, 165 lbs, Frisco, Texas. 19 years old.
A deep-lying midfielder and holder. Defensive first with a quietly solid passing game, more of a pure 6 than anyone else on this list.
19 games, 6 starts, 2 goals for SMU as a freshman; that’s not as much playing time as I was expecting. I’d really like to see some game progression from him.
He played in nine games with six starts for North Texas SC in the spring 2025 season after coming up to the Academy from ECNL just a couple seasons before.
Luke Munson, Furman – Right Back
Sophomore, 5’9”, 157 lbs, Little Elm, Texas, 19 years old.
Came up through FCD as a centerback, until he stopped growing. A terrific athlete with pace, FCD moved him to RB later in his school days, but that’s a crowded path at FCD, so Munson swapped to Charlotte’s Academy. Played for Crown Legacy in MLS Next Pro.
FCD likely does not have his homegrown rights.
As a freshman at Furman in 2025, played in 22 games with 22 starts and 3 assists. Named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team. Warrior mentality.
Bryce Outman, UMKC – Central Midfield
Sophomore, 5’7”, weight unlisted, Dallas, Texas, 18 years old.
Former USYNT U15 and U17. Five foot seven might be generous. High-end touch and ball skill. Am 8 or 10, maybe even wing.
2025 Summit League Newcomer of the Year and First Team. Took over as the starter in the 6th game of the season for the Summit League Champions. 21 games, 15 starts, 2 goals and 5 assists.
In the modern game, I’m surprised he didn’t transfer. Played with the FCD U23s this summer.
Chris Salazar, Wisconsin – Striker
Freshman, 6’1”, 175 lbs. Frisco, Texas,18 years old.
A pure goal scorer with 89 goals in his final three Academy seasons, can he break through in college and, if so, how fast? Does he have another level?
Over his final two seasons in the FCD Academy, Salazar played in 26 games for North Texas SC (4 starts), scoring just 1 goal. While he has yet to break through in NP as a goal scorer, he does have the body and mindset.
Aaron Salinas, Furman – Goalkeeper
Senior (Redshirt Junior?), 6’1″, 180 lbs, Grand Prairie, Texas, 20 years old.
The 2024 SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year and Tournament MVP. In two seasons at Furman: 34 games, 1.07 GAA, 11 shutouts, and a 16-8-8 record.
Missed all of 2025 with an injury he picked up playing for the FCD U23s, but he was on the USC Herman Watch List for that Fall before the injury.
Can he reclaim the starting job?
Seth Wilson, UNC-Greensboro – Goalkeeper
Redshirt Senior, 6’5”, 185, Frisco, Texas. 24 years old.
Came out of the FCD Academy in peak COVID. The pandemic, combined with an injury, derailed his European contract. Landing back at Akron in 2022, redshirted and sat a second season before transferring to UNC Greensboro for 2024.
In two seasons with the Spartans since, he put up some serious numbers: 35 games, 0.98 GAA, 73.7 sv pct, and 12 shutouts. 2025 All-SoCon Second Team.
Wilson won the 2026 USL-2 Championship with Vermont Green.
Ten Honorable Mentions – FCD College Watch List
Here are ten other FCD alums in college that I’m tracking.
This list is by no means exhaustive (yes, there are many more). Strong seasons might move them up; a bad season might move them off.
| Player | School | Class | Pos | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Belong | Cal State San Bernardino | RS Sr | F | His 4th school in 5 years: Oregon State, Cal State Fullerton, and UMass previously. 66 college games. 6’2″ 185. |
| Michael Cortellessa | Harvard | Soph | RB | A player on my Homegrown list out of the Academy. Played 13 games as a freshman, but just 4 starts. In the Ivy, that’s not enough. |
| Aiden Jordan | UNCG | Fresh | G | FC Dallas Academy and North Texas SC keeper. He’ll likely sit behind Wilson this year, but one to watch moving forward. |
| Ismail Nieves | LMU | Jr | LB | 6’3″ Transferred from Collin College (2022 to 2024) but has seemingly eligibility left. Two seasons at LMU: 28 games, 23 starts, 3 goals, and 3 assists. |
| Ninor Olu | Houston Baptist | Fr | LB | Graduated a year early from HS. Late soccer bloomer but loads of raw talent. Wearing the #56 in college, his Academy number. |
| Kevin Rodriguez | NIU | Fr | CM | A quality all-around midfielder and the next talent in the FCD to NIU pipeline. |
| Andre Saucedo | Midwestern | Fr | CM | The Academy 10, Former Mexico U15/16/17. He was high on my homegrown list and probably had to move late to get a college spot. He should dominate at this level. |
| Luke Shreiner | Fairfield | Jr | CB | Started at Northwestern, moved to Kentucky, and now Fairfield. Plays mostly off the bench so far. Transferred looking for starts? |
| Ren Sylvester | Notre Dame | So | F | Left FCD a semester early to get a jump start on his freshman year last fall. 17 games, 3 starts, 2 goals, 2 assists. |
| Nyle Waugh | Ohio State | So | F | 15 games with 1 goal as a freshman Buckeye. Jamaican U17 and U20. |