MLSSoccer.com is counting down their annual 24 Under 24 rankings this week, and FC Dallas defender Walker Zimmerman is the first to check in on the list at No. 11.
At just 23 years old, Zimmerman has established himself a key member of Dallas' success in 2016 and leads all FCD players in MLS minutes played thos year. He is among the league leaders in aerials won, clearances and interceptions, and has set career-highs in every major category, including 3 goals, 26 starts and 2,340 minutes played.
Here's what MLSSoccer.com had to say:
FC Dallas took their time bringing along Walker Zimmerman after selecting him seventh overall in the 2013 SuperDraft. Injuries early in his career, along with his youth, kept Zimmerman's development at a deliberate pace. But in 2016, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound center back has finally established himself as a rock for Dallas, appearing in 26 games and playing the full 90 in all of them while scoring three goals.
Now, with his status in the FC Dallas lineup set,Zimmerman is turning his sights on breaking into the US senior national team. He was on the roster for the Under-23 squad in their Olympic qualifying efforts in 2016, but did not make any appearances.
Stay tuned throughout the week to see where other members of Oscar Pareja's youth movement fall on the list!