The high temperatures in Atlanta this year were only matched by the incredible talent on the boy’s side. Top schools from the region were treated to some great players and a beautiful facility. Here are the boys who stood above the rest-

Trevor Byrne- Defense/Midfield- United Futbol Academy- 2018- Byrne gets the nod here due to his utility and team-first mentality. He is a smart player, both on and off the ball. Throughout the day, Byrne took up great positions and constantly covered his teammates. On top of that, he is confident and decisive on the ball.

Beausejour (BJ) Tally- Defense- Carolina Elite Soccer Academy- 2017- Tally is a very energetic, coachable and versatile player. He went in to every tackle with confidence and strength, rarely coming out on the losing end of any challenge. Tally has great communication skills and is as comfortable going forward as he is defending.

Alex Wagner- Defense- AFC Lightning- 2016 Wagner is a big, strong, center back that is a commanding force on the back line. He constantly communicates with his teammates and is able to take charge.  He has good touch and played simple throughout the combine. Wagner is aggressive and a valuable tool in set piece opportunities.

Garren Hayes-Defense- Huntsville United FC- 2017- Hayes has a great soccer brain and an innate ability to know which spaces to fill. He is smart and calm on the ball. Hayes combines his solid physical stature with his intellect to command respect along the back line. He challenged for everything in the air and was good in 1-on-1 defending situations.

Zach Birkhead- Midfield- AFC Lightning- 2016- Birkhead was the stand out wide player of the Atlanta combine. He has great speed and uses it well when running at defenders. He is always willing to take a player on 1v1 which allowed him to create multiple chances for himself and teammates.

Jared McWhorter- Midfield- Georgia United- 2017- McWhorter is a pass-master extraordinaire. He has a clean first touch and solid vision which allowed him to deliver multiple killer balls. Playing in the center of midfield, Jared is as comfortable getting in a tackle as he is playing in close courters. McWhorter finished the combine with a fantastic finish during the full field scrimmage.

Connor Peed- One player who had the technical ability and strength to control the center of midfield is Peed. He is all around a solid player.  He has great control in tight situations and the vision and knowledge to keep possession. Peed is a great team player whose coachable attitude will allow him to thrive at the next level.

Colin Tarala- Atlanta Fire United SA- Midfield- 2016- Tarala is a versatile player who seamlessly slotted in to a midfield role when asked. He is very good in tight spaces. Tarala made great decisions throughout the day, rarely giving away possession. 

Quentin Reese- Gulf Coast Texans- Forward- 2017- Reese put on a clinic in finishing for everyone in attendance of the Atlanta Combine. He had a hat trick in his first full field game, not bad for a 25 minute scrimmage! He used great speed with his decent touch to carve out opportunities for himself and teammates.  

Ja’Vaughn Todd- Forward- 2017- Todd is very aggressive when running at opposing players, constantly causing defenders to make mistakes. He sees the field well and confidently moved the attack from side to side. Todd has a very clean strike on the ball.

James Teal- Chattanooga FC Academy- Goalkeeper- 2016- Teal is in this Best XI for a multitude of reasons. He is aggressive when coming off his line and is very smart in his decision making.  Teal has clean distribution and a composed touch. He has very good size and is a commanding presence in his box.

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