Whether it’s a Homegrown signing or a Major League Soccer SuperDraft selection, not everyone enters the league ready for the first division. Orlando City’s experience has shown that for some players, the United Soccer League is the right path. The Lions have also proven that some of these seemingly less significant signings can have huge future returns. There are three ways that a player might use the lower league to reach the top division. Some enter the country by joining the league, while others join out of college or are cut by MLS teams.
Players develop at different rates, which make their destinations differ.