Joshua Yaro

PLAYER PROFILE: JOSHUA YARO

By: PXI STAFF (@ProspectXI)

Position: DEF
Primary Role:  Full Back
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 160
DOB: 03-24-1994
Nationality: Ghana
Preferred Footed: Left
Club: Philadelphia Union (MLS)

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:

No experience with the Ghana national team.

CURRENT STATUS:

Drafted 2nd overall by Philadelphia Union in 2016 MLS SuperDraft.

PLAYING CAREER:

2013: Georgetown (NCAA – D1) – 17 games, 17 starts, 1 goals, 2 shots on target, 1 yellow
2014: Baltimore Bohemians (PDL) – 2 games, 180 minutes, 1 total shots
2014: Georgetown (NCAA – D1) – 23 games, 23 starts, 1 assists, 1 shots on target
2015: Georgetown (NCAA – D1) – 17 games, 17 starts, 1 assists, 1 shot on target

ANALYSIS:

Capable of playing both central defence and fullback, Yaro was one of the top prospect in college last year and was expected to be a top pick in the 2015 MLS Superdraft, but elected to return to Georgetown and finish with his schooling. Originally from Ghana, Joshua came to the United States through the Right to Play Academy program and played club soccer in Santa Barbara California before attending Georgetown University.

In two years at Georgetown, Yaro has played 40 games with Hoyas splitting time between centre-back and mostly left back scoring one career goal, providing one assist and named to the conference first team in both seasons. He played a further 17 games as junior in the center back position after missing the first few games of the season injured. Scouts love his acceleration and control on the ball. He makes smarts decision and a good passer of the ball, but needs to improve his crossing. One MLS scout said of Yaro “He’s the full package and he can play in multiple spots, including outside back and defensive center-mid. He is the quickest centre-back at closing down space I have ever seen at the college level. … There is some concern he’s not the biggest guy around, but he is a very, very good athlete and he makes good decisions.”

Before coming to America, Yaro played in both the Milk and Manchester Cup with his academy and was scouted by European clubs. One scout we spoke with that saw him at that time had questions him being a great talent and added that no team in Europe offered him a academy place while a lot of his teammates were. Yaro was drafted 2nd overall by Philadelphia Union in 2016 MLS SuperDraft, teaming up in defence with fellow Hoya Keegan Rosenberry who was drafted with the very next pick.

HIGHLIGHTS:

+ Played in the Right to Dream Academy
+ Played club soccer with Santa Barbara Soccer Club
+ Played three seasons with Georgetown University in NCAA Div-1
+ Played PDL soccer with the Baltimore Bohemians
+ Drafted 2nd overall by Philadelphia Union in 2016 MLS SuperDraft.