Gavin Beavers, Real Salt Lake (2005) Adam Beaudry, Colorado Rapids (2006)

Beavers and Beaudry are two of the top three options right now and if Kochen isn’t going to be released for U20 football, these two are two of the top options heading into the U20 World Cup. 

Beavers is reportedly heading to Brondby, one of the top clubs in Denmark. He is unlikely to become their top keeper right away, so he may continue to be available for the U20s. 

Beaudry is Colorado’s #2 and was released for this camp, an indication that he will continue to be released for U20 duties.

Diego Kochen, FC Barcelona (2006), Julian Eyestone, Brentford (2006), Andrew Rick, Philadelphia Union (2006)

Has Kochen graduated beyond the U20 level? I am not sure. He hasn’t been with the group since March 2024 and he has been with USMNT twice during that period. It’s possible that Barcelona are not going to release him for youth camps/tournaments at this point, so it’s possible that his time as a U20 player might be up. 

Eyestone and Rick are in direct competition with Beavers and Beaudry but may be slightly behind in the depth chart right now. Most of Philadelphia’s team was not released for International camps so if Rick was selected, he likely wasn’t released. 

RB/CB, Ethan Kohler, Werder Bremen (2005), RB, Aiden Harangi, Eintracht Frankfurt (2006), RB/LB, Owen Presthus, Columbus Crew (2006), LB, Nolan Norris, FC Dallas (2005), LB, Luca Bombino, LAFC (2006)

The full-back position has been one of the most tightly contented position groups on this team. 

Kohler has played both right-back and center-back for this group and continues to get called in. He is seen as one of the leaders of this team and I would expect him to be on the final roster if available. 

Harangi returns to the group after being out with an injury. 

Presthus moves up from the U19 team to the U20, indicating that he must have shown well in his U19 camp. 

Norris is the captain of the team and continues to get called in. 

Bombino is also back after missing some camps due to injury.

RB, Leo Duru, Barrow FC (2005), RB/LB, Reed Baker-Whiting, Seattle Sounders, LB, Peyton Miller, New England Revolution (2007)

Duru had solidified himself as the preferred right-back, but just completed a loan move to League Two side, Barrow FC in England, and likely did not come because he needs to get integrated into his new team and start competing for minutes. 

Baker-Whiting is another top option, but was likely not released by Seattle who is starting their first team preseason. 

The same can be said for Peyton Miller who figures to be a key player for the New England Revolution this year. 

These three players are the top three full-back options in my opinion.

Grayson Dettoni, Bayern Munich (2005), Drew Murray, Freiburg (2005), Freddie Anderson, Stoke City (2006), Chibuike Ukaegbu, Sacramento Republic (2007)

This group sees a complete turnover of names from last camp to this camp.

Dettoni gets his first U.S. U20 camp. It’s been rumored that Bayern Munich had not released him for previous camps. He gets his chance to impress the staff and make a case to be considered for the U20 World Cup. 

Murray had been missing from this group for a while even though I think he is one of the top five options for this age group. I am glad to see him back in the team to get a chance to show that he belongs. 

Anderson is a completely new name within the United States Youth National Team pool. He had not been publicly known as a United States eligible player until now. He is the son of Viv Anderson, an England International who was capped 30 times by England. It’s been reported by Brian Sciaretta that Anderson’s American connection is through his mother. From one game of  scouting that I have done, Anderson looks like a player that could compete for a spot if the top names are not released. 

The youngest center-back on the team is Sacramento Republic’s Chibuike Ukaegbu who continues to show that he is highly rated within U.S. Soccer. This is Ukaegbu's first selection to the U20 team and while it is likely because some of the top guys are not available, it still shows that the selection team believes in him. 

Josh Wynder, Benfica (2005), Noah Cobb, Atlanta United (2005), Noahkai Banks, FC Augsburg (2006), Matai Akinmboni, Bournemouth (2006), Stuart Hawkins, Seattle Sounders (2006), Neil Pierre, Philadelphia Union (2007)

Wynder, Cobb, Banks, Akinmboni, Hawkins and Pierre were likely all not released by their clubs which is why we see so many new names on the roster. It’s also likely that Wynder, Banks and Akinmboni would have been the first choice options, but it’s unclear which center-backs from the rest of this group would have been called over the current selections.

DM/CM, Brooklyn Raines, Houston Dynamo (2005), DM, Bryan Moyado, LAFC (2005), DM, Matthew Corcoran, Birmingham Legion (2006), CM, Sergio Oregel Jr, Chicago Fire (2005), CM, Taha Habroune, Columbus Crew (2006), CM, Darius Lane, Brighton Hove & Albion (2007)

I am slightly disappointed to see Brooklyn Raines available for this camp because I am hoping he solidifies himself as a starter for Houston Dynamo this year. His release may indicate that they have other plans. Either way, Raines has proven to be one of the most important players on this roster. 

Moyoda returns as a depth piece because other options were likely not available.

Corcoran gets a promotion from the U19 team and is a player that could earn a role on this team before the U20 World Cup. 

Oregel has been a consistent player for this team and provides good midfield depth and experience.

Habroune is another core midfielder for this team and a strong contender to make the final U20 World Cup roster, though I do hope he starts to become a more important player for Columbus Crew this year. 

Darius Lane is the youngest player from this position group and gets his first opportunity with the U20s. If Mitrovic has release issues with his top options ahead of the U20 World Cup, Lane is a player that could sneak his way onto the roster. 

DM, Pedro Soma, FC Barcelona (2006), CM, Benjamin Cremaschi, Inter Miami (2005)

Soma is a top player for his team, but was likely not released by Barcelona. 

Cremaschi was selected to the USMNT during this window.

AM, Cruz Medina, San Jose Earthquakes (2006), AM/WING, Ruben Ramos, LA Galaxy (2007), WING, Xavier Gozo, Real Salt Lake (2007)
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Medina has been primarily playing with the U19s as of late, but gets called into this camp likely because of a lack of top options. 

Ramos continues to be selected and appears to have a strong chance to make the final roster. 

Gozo returns to the U20 team after getting moved down to the U19 for the last several camps.

AM, Niko Tsakiris, San Jose Earthquakes (2005), AM, Paulo Rudisill, Feyenoord (2006), AM, David Vazquez, Philadelphia Union, AM, CJ Olney, Philadelphia Union (2006), WING, Kristian Fletcher, Nottingham Forest (2005), WING, Luke Brennan, Atlanta United (2005), WING, Tarik Scott, FC Dallas (2005), WING, Cole Campbell, Borussia Dortmund (2006), WING, Bryce Jamison, Orange County (2006), WING, Nimfasha Berchimas, Charlotte (2008)

Tsakiris, Rudisill, Vazquez, Olney, Fletcher, Brennan and Campbell were all likely not released for this camp. 

Scott and Jamison seem to be on the outside looking in though I believe they deserve an opportunity. 

Berchimas was either not selected or not released. It could be either.

Keyrol Figueroa, Liverpool (2006), Caden Glover, St. Louis City (2007)

Figueroa seems to have secured the top striker spot for this group for now.

Glover appears to be the top 2007 option and gets his first selection to the U20 team.

Marcos Zambrano, Vitória Guimarães (2005), Aidan Dausch, Coventry (2006), Alex Woiski, Mallorca (2006)

Zambrano has not been in the last two camps. I am not sure if that is because of injury, release or coach's decision. 

Dausch was selected to the U20 team in October and then was dropped down to the U19 team in November. It’s unclear whether he was passed over in favor of Figueroa and Glover or not released. 

Woiski currently favors Argentina over the United States.

There really isn’t a lot to nitpick other than there is only one true winger on the roster. Many of the top options were almost certainly not released for this camp, so Mitrovic and his selection staff had to get creative with his picks. 

Freddie Anderson is the only player getting his first U.S. Camp and it’s encouraging to see U.S. Soccer continue to keep their eyes and ears open to dual-nationals across Europe. He appears to be a player that can compete for a role on this team. I am also happy to see Dettoni finally get an opportunity with this group.

Murray, Presthus, Corcoran and Lane are a few of my favorite selections. Tarik Scott and Bryce Jamison are two players that continue to not get an opportunity that I think deserve one, especially with the lack of natural wingers on the rosters.