SOURCE: Rapids will sign homegrown Jackson Travis

An executive in Major League Soccer told Burgundy Wave on Friday that the Colorado Rapids will sign left back Jackson Travis to a homegrown contract. The club confirmed later in the day.

The young man is from Mississippi but has been in Colorado for some time. In 2021, he was named the Rapids Academy Player of the Year. He is on a four-year Homegrown Player contract with two club options.

“We’re delighted to sign a promising young talent like Jackson to a Homegrown Player deal,” Executive VP & General Manager Pádraig Smith said in a news release. “He’s a dynamic, left-footed full back with excellent physical and technical qualities that make him an attacking threat and has shown great potential while training with our first team last year. We look forward to seeing him continue to develop and contribute to our club.”

Jackson has trained with the first team and was a key part of the U-17 Academy team run to the quarterfinals of the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup.

Travis is the 16th homegrown player the Rapids have signed and the first in 2022. Travis will be one of eight homegrown players currently on the roster. Both Sam Vines and Cole Bassett were sold to European clubs last year, marking the most successful homegrown signings in club history. Travis is one of the many moves the Rapids have made to overhaul their roster quietly, keeping it young and full of talent. He’ll seemingly be behind Anthony Markanich on the depth chart; a draft pick the club signed on Thursday. The Rapids started Lucas Esteves at left wing-back last Saturday while Auston Trusty has played left center back. Trusty is leaving for Europe this summer.