Major League Soccer has added University of Akron freshman Jonathan Lewis to the 2017 Generation adidas class. In addition, three youth internationals and three college seniors have been extended invites to the 2017 adidas MLS Player Combine, which kicks off on Sunday afternoon and runs through Thursday.
All participating players are eligible for selection in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, which takes place on Friday at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Lewis, 19, joins the Generation adidas ranks after one season at Akron, where the forward was named Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year after recording two goals and 12 assists in 22 matches in 2016. The Plantation, Florida native is a member of the US Under-20 national team camp called in preparation for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, and has also attracted the attention of the Jamaican national team program.
Also joining the Combine are youth internationals Souheib Dhaflaoui (FC Helsingør; Tunisia/Denmark), Martim Galvao (Pfeiffer University; Portugal) and Dominic Oduro (FC Nordsjælland; Ghana), as well as college seniors Ethan Kutler (Colgate University), Nathan Regis (Pfeiffer University) and Chris Wingate (University of New Hampshire).
Generation adidas is a joint program between MLS and adidas which sees a handful of top collegiate underclassmen and youth national team players signed by MLS to Generation adidas contracts and made available in the SuperDraft. Generation adidas players do not count against an MLS team’s salary budget.
Lewis is the sixth member of this year's GA class, joining UCLA stars Abu Danladi and Jackson Yueill, Syracuse defender Miles Robinson and Canadian youth internationals Shamit Shome (FC Edmonton) and Adonijah Reid (ANB Futbol).
If you'd like to see which of these recently-signed players might go in the first round, be sure to check out Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle's Mock Draft.
