1. DeAndre Yedlin
Pos: D | Seattle Sounders | Age: 21
Last Year in 24U24:#3
2014 Stats: Matches played: 21 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 3
Castrol Index (as of 9/24/14): #130
Three years ago, he was still in the Sounders academy. Two years ago, he was at the University of Akron. Today, Yedlin is a World Cup veteran, an MLS All-Star, and a soon-to-be EPL player. It’s a whirlwind trajectory that provides a blueprint for future player development.
What the technical staffers say: "He's arguably the top attacking right back in the league. His speed is excellent. He needs to improve on the defensive side of the ball -- locking down in the final third and not giving up so much space. Because he goes forward so much, he's susceptible to leaving holes."
What Opta Sports says: Has attempted 72 crosses, fifth most among defenders. His 72.3 percent passing accuracy in the final third is second among defenders with at least 100 passes attempted.
- READ: Discovering DeAndre: How the Sounders found and developed Yedlin
- WATCH: Yedlin takes World Cup trivia challenge
- WATCH: MLS Insider: The Homegrown Revolution
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