The Colorado Rapids have plenty of talent in the pipeline, and on Friday, they called up another.
The Rapids announced they had signed Jackson Travis to a four-year Homegrown Player deal with two club options. The 18-year-old left back becomes the first player to play in MLS Next before signing a Homegrown Player deal. MLS Next is an elite youth soccer league managed and controlled by MLS.
“We’re delighted to sign a promising young talent like Jackson to a Homegrown Player deal,” Rapids general manager Pádraig Smith said in a club statement. “He’s a dynamic, left-footed full back with excellent physical and technical qualities that make him an attacking threat and has shown great potential while training with our first team last year. We look forward to seeing him continue to develop and contribute to our club.”
Let's get it 💪#Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/q38hGYDOSC
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) March 4, 2022
Travis, who is listed at 5-foot-8, 148 pounds, still sits behind Auston Trusty, Lucas Esteves, Aboubakar Keita and Anthony Markanich in the depth chart, but could move up quickly.
The Jackson, Miss., native becomes only the third player ever to represent the Rapids from the state, along with Niki Jackson (2018-20) and Marlon Hairston (2014-18).
Travis rose through the ranks quickly after he joined the Rapids Academy U-17 team in August 2020. He came in as a midfielder but developed further as a defender. Last year he helped the group reach the MLS Next Cup quarterfinals. After the season came to a close, at the team’s annual “A Burgundy Affair” banquet and team awards ceremony, Travis was named Academy Player of the Year for 2021.
He becomes the 16th Homegrown player in Rapids history.
