For a club that promotes so often from their academy, there were rumblings that FC Dallas might move one or both of their top 10 2019 MLS SuperDraft selections.
FCD opted to keep both picks, selecting two highly rated defenders. Callum Montgomery (No. 4) and John Nelson (No. 10) are ecstatic that Dallas kept their picks and chose them, as the path to minutes and professional development in North Texas for a young player is clear.
"I hear Dallas is a great city," Montgomery said after being drafted. "With a new coach coming in, it's an exciting time for the club. I think it's going to be an unbelievable experience. There's some great center backs I can learn from and grow my game every single day, that's my mentality: I want to get better every single day. I'm really excited."
Montgomery, 21, was the first defender selected Friday. The center back was a four-year starter at Charlotte.
Nelson, 20, was the third defender off the board after the fullback started 41 games he appeared in over two years at North Carolina.
"I know FC Dallas believes in their youth," Nelson said. "I'm good friends with a few of those guys. I'm super excited. I know they have great team chemistry. I'm ready to go."
Both players met with Dallas coaches at the combine, paving the way for their selections.
"We had a great interview," Montgomery said. "I thought it went really well. I was really excited about what they had to say about the coaches coming in, just overall as a city and a club." Nelson added that the FCD staff made him feel "very comfortable."
Part of the conversation was their track record of giving youth a chance, as typified yet again in 2018 by 20-year-old Homegrown Player signing Reggie Cannon, who started 33 matches after making his debut in 2017.
"We talked about how they believe in their youth, they believe in kids," Nelson said. "If they should play, they play"
