As we dive through the murky waters of the top women’s pro prospects in the country, we come to the engine room. Today, it’s the midfielders’ turn to have a spot in the sun.

While the forwards and defenders are all in tremendously good stead, the midfield is more of an enigma. From the outside it appears long on versatile athletes and relatively short on creative playmakers who can pull the strings from underneath the striker. Those tend to come along later, so there’s still time, but the best of the best are largely No. 6s or No. 8s.

With the goalkeepers and defenders behind us, and forwards still to come, here’s a look at the top five women’s midfield pro prospects for the future. Keep in mind these are all of USYNT age (U23 and under), and have not received USWNT caps.