Axel Sjoberg is one of the biggest reasons behind the Colorado Rapids turnaround – literally and figuratively.

The 6-foot-7 center back has grown with the Rapids in 2016, improving on an up-and-down rookie year to become a stalwart in Colorado’s league-best defense. The second-year Swede has started 28 of the Rapids’ 30 regular season matches, recording a pair of goals and an assist and placing among the league leaders in several key defensive metrics.

While Sjoberg’s rise to prominence has taken the rest of the league by surprise, the fact that it happened at all is somewhat remarkable. The 25-year-old took a circuitous route to the league, making an unanticipated move from his native Stockholm to Marquette University when he was a teen before eventually being selected by Colorado in the first round of the 2015 SuperDraft.

The latest episode of MLS Insider, The Big Easy, takes a look Sjoberg’s journey. Check it out above.