A New King of the #3 Hill

There's no getting around it. A still young veteran reached a whole new level in 2020 to grab control of the USMNT's right back hierarchy. In my book, anyway.

Walker Zimmerman
Matt Miazga
Justen Glad

Needs a rally: Miles Robinson
It won't be too long: Henry Kessler, Chris Richards
Hoping for a revival from: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Erik Palmer-Brown

Zimmerman was amazing and then some for Nashville this season; IF LAFC doesn't send him over for some crazy reason, the expansion side don't sniff the postseason. In addition to raising his all-around game, he's the biggest handful of a set piece target in the pool.

Miazga could still make a similar leap (as could fellow youngsters Carter-Vickers and Palmer-Brown, for that matter), but for now, the eternal Chelsea loan-out tends toward plenty of steady play punctuated by stray mistakes in a US shirt. Robinson had a tough year in Atlanta, but could rise high in 2021. If the staff at Real Salt Lake had the appropriate amount of faith in Glad last season, he might already be second here. As is, he seems a decent emergency choice. Kessler and Richards are right on his tail, though, so 2021 will be big for all the guys chasing Zimmerman.



- Greg Seltzer