Every season the Premier Development League acts as a hothouse for the top college players in the country to test themselves and continue their path to the professional ranks. As a result, numerous alumni from the top development league in North America have made an immediate impact in the USL in their first professional seasons.

In fact, from current Real Salt Lake midfielder Luke Mulholland in 2011 to current New York Red Bulls II standout Brandon Allen last season, every USL Rookie of the Year winner this decade has been an alumnus of the PDL. Here are five players who could carry on that streak later this year after strong starts to their first seasons in the professional ranks.