The 2024 USL Academy League Finals kick off this Thursday at IMG Academy with 16 teams aiming to make their way through the bracket and lift the trophy in Sunday’s Final.

Since USL Academy’s launch in 2019, however, its platform has been a proving ground for those aiming to make the jump to the professional ranks in the USL Championship and League One.

Players such as former Louisville City FC defender Joshua Wynder – now at legendary Portuguese club Benfica after his transfer in 2023 – or Orange County SC’s Korede Osundina – who joined Eredivisie side Feyenoord this past January – have competed at USL Academy events on their road to the professional ranks, and others competing this week will be aiming to follow in their footsteps both professionally and at the international level.

Here are five players you should be keeping an eye on over the course of the action.

El Paso Locomotive FC – Kenneth Hoban

Kenneth Hoban has yet to make his First Team debut for El Paso Locomotive FC, but there’s a growing buzz around the 15-year-old center back which marks him as a name to know going into this week. Comfortably the youngest player in the Locomotive squad set to compete at USL Academy Finals, Hoban is among a strong group of young talent being developed in the Borderplex by Academy Director Ivar Militar that is aiming to make its mark and impress Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera with an eye on getting called up to the senior side in the 2025 campaign.

Indy Eleven – Maverick McCoy

Maverick McCoy has been a regular in training this year for the Boys in Blue and was selected in the matchday squad on three occasions in the USL Championship this past campaign, and while he’s yet to make his First Team debut, his presence in a veteran-loaded squad has allowed him to gain from their knowledge to push toward reaching his potential. McCoy will be among the Indy players hoping to emulate the pathway of Logan Neidlinger, who a year ago was selected to the Academy Finals All-Tournament Team, which provided a platform for a breakout campaign for the club’s First Team in 2024 which saw him move onto a professional contract late in the season.

Miami FC – Sebastian Joseph

Sebastian Joseph was the youngest player to appear for Miami FC during the 2024 campaign, logging nine appearances and 346 minutes in the USL Championship’s regular season while notching a pair of chances created. As challenging as the campaign was for Joseph and the club as a whole, the 17-year-old has a chance alongside his Academy teammates to end the year on a bright note. Miami finished top of the Southeast Division to earn a place at the Finals and will be aiming to show what it can offer as the club enters a new era through its partnership with Sports Performance Hub.

Richmond Kickers – Griffin Garnett

Griffin Garnett emerged as one of the standout teenagers in USL League One this season as his move up from the Kickers’ Academy to becoming a regular in the First Team’s back line helped Richmond reach the postseason. The 18-year-old led Richmond with 80 clearances across the regular season and playoffs as he ranked fourth on the team with 1,689 minutes of action. He also won 56.3 percent of duels and 20 tackles at a 74.1 percent success rate to earn nomination for the League One Young Player of the Year award. He will be hoping to lead the Kickers’ young squad to success this week.

San Antonio FC – Landry Walker

Landry Walker became the youngest player to appear for San Antonio in the USL Championship aged just 15 years, 24 days old when he came on as a second-half substitute for SAFC against FC Tulsa in June, but there’s been little question as to the central midfielder’s pedigree as he’s emerged from the club’s Academy. This year, Walker has been selected to the United States U-15 Men’s National Team and could become the biggest homegrown product the club has seen since 2021 USL Championship Young Player of the Year Finalist Jose Gallegos.