Several of this season’s new Seattle Sounders have made a major impact, but almost all were known quantities with established careers overseas (Djimi Traore, Obafemi Martins, and, as of this past weekend, Clint Dempsey) or elsewhere in MLS (Shalrie Joseph). But one, defender DeAndre Yedlin, 20, came as a complete surprise—except to those who had seen him play for O’Dea High School or the Sounders’ U-23 development-league squad, from where he leapt to the team as its first homegrown player. After stunning everyone with an amazing goal in the March 12 CONCACAF match against Mexico’s heavily favored Tigres, Yedlin soon became a fan favorite for his enthusiasm and speed—seeing him power past some ancient, doddering 25-year-old always sends a jolt of excitement through the crowd. He’s earning recognition beyond Seattle too, being named to the U.S. under-20 squad and even tapped to play in the MLS All-Star game on July 31. Already, speculation on his playing in Europe centers on when, not if. Says Sounders Assistant Coach Ezra Hendrickson (a former MLS right back, like Yedlin): “DeAndre has come on a lot faster than we thought he would. We thought maybe five–10 games in we’d be able to put him in, but from the way he played in preseason, we realized we could put him in from the start. He’s done well for us. He made the All-Star team, which is a testament to how well he’s been playing. He’s been lined up as a starter every time he’s been available for selection. He’s doing well, he’s got so much potential, he’s got so much more to grow. It’s amazing to see a young player like that with all that potential that’s willing to learn—he’s a sponge. I expect great things from him.”