Having a commanding leader in defense can be a key piece to the puzzle for clubs looking to contend for a championship, with last season’s USL Defender of the Year Sebastien Ibeagha – now of New York City FC – the most recent in that trend.

Continuing our look at players who could play a key role in the 2018 USL regular season, which kicks off on Friday night, here are five defenders to watch over the coming year.