TAMPA, Fla. — FC Tucson forward Tate Schmitt leads the inaugural group of 50 players named to the Premier Development League Top Prospects list, highlighting the best athletes competing and impressing in the league.

Schmitt is ranked first in the early parts of his third campaign with Tucson, having played with the club in both 2016 and 2017, racking up 10 goals and six assists over 25 matches. Schmitt has also played three years as a starter at the University of Louisville, scoring 21 goals and recording nine assists in 61 career appearances through his junior year.

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Joining Schmitt in the top five are Michigan Bucks midfielder Brad Dunwell, who competes collegiately with national powerhouse Wake Forest and helped guide the Demon Deacons to the No. 1 overall seed in last fall’s NCAA Tournament. Rounding out the top five are Portland Timbers U23 and University of Portland forward Benji Michel, Reading United AC and Penn State midfielder Aaron Molloy and Sounders FC U23 and Florida International University forward Santiago Patino.

The USL Scouting Network consists of scouts from across North America, including coaching directors, technical directors and head coaches, provide the PDL with valuable insight on the top Under-23 performers in the league throughout the season. The Top Prospects list, which serves as a resource for professional clubs who are interested in identifying and scouting high-level players, ranks players based on their performance within the PDL, their technical and tactical qualities and their potential to play at the professional level.

Since its creation in 2015, the USL Scouting Network has identified numerous standout performers within the league before they made their first professional debuts. Philadelphia Union defender Keegan Rosenberry finished the 2015 PDL season ranked No. 1 on the Top Prospects list, while standout forward Christian Chaney finished the 2016 PDL season ranked No. 1 before signing a professional contract with the United Soccer League’s Sacramento Republic FC - Chaney now competes for the USL’s Fresno FC. In 2017, New York Red Bulls U23 forward and PDL MVP Brian White finished the season ranked No. 1 before being selected in the first round of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft by the Red Bulls and currently competes with the USL’s Red Bulls II. More than 320 PDL alumni are registered in the USL, while more than 195 players are on 2018 MLS rosters.

1. Tate Schmitt - Forward - Louisville - FC Tucson
2. Brad Dunwell - Midfielder - Wake Forest - Michigan Bucks
3. Benji Michel - Forward - University of Portland - Portland Timbers U23
4. Aaron Molloy - Midfielder - Penn State - Reading United AC
5. Santiago Patino - Forward - Florida International University - Sounders FC U23
6. Garrett McLaughlin - Forward - SMU - OKC Energy U23
7. Janos Loebe - Midfielder - Fordham - New York Red Bulls U23
8. Daniel Krutzen - Defender - Albany - Reading United AC
9. Sam Raben - Defender - Wake Forest - Colorado Rapids U23
10. Rey Ortiz - Midfielder - University of Portland - Portland Timbers U23
11. Nikola Fimic - Forward - Oklahoma Wesleyan - OKC Energy U23
12. Alex Comsia - Defender - UNC - Tobacco Road FC
13. Jakov Basic - Defender - UMass - FC Boston
14. Dayne St. Clair - Goalkeeper - Maryland - New York Red Bulls U23
15. Ryan Sierakowski - Forward - Michigan State - Chicago FC United
16. Jimmy Hague - Goalkeeper - Michigan State - Michigan Bucks
17. Alec Smir - Goalkeeper - UNC - Ocean City Nor'easters
18. Griffin Dorsey - Forward - Indiana - Colorado Rapids U23
19. Callum Montgomery - Midfielder - UNC Charlotte - Victoria Highlanders FC
20. Luka Prpa - Forward - Marquette - Chicago FC United

Top 50 PDL Prospects - Full List