As difficult as it is to believe; with his striking physical attributes, the speed and power package, and the can't-miss hair to boot, Jordan Tyler might be a bit overlooked.

But don’t blame Tyler.  Blame his environment.  Blame his club the Michigan Wolves and their standard of excellence.  Blame the who’s who of blue-chippers that seem to grow on Derby County trees.

Michigan’s “Mr. Soccer” Soony Saad; SCR Altach signee Josh Gatt; dangerous striker and Northwestern commit Reed Losee …

Blame them.

“I feel somewhat overlooked a little bit sometimes,” Tyler admitted. “We have two or three All-American players and they were either on first team all state or the dream team so everyone is pretty talented. But there are no jealousy issues.  Our team just plays its game.”

And Tyler’s game falls seamlessly into the mix – a gift and a curse for the talented midfielder.

I mean, it’s not an average Joe we’re talking about here: Tyler is headed to Penn State this fall; he has two U.S. Development Academy National titles under his belt with the Wolves and is a certified play-maker on the field.

Fellow players and soccer circles know Tyler.  But you may not.  And you should.

Tyler has many of the tools that can’t be taught and that scouts drool over.  He has great size and speed and displays good vision in the middle – his most unnoticed skill.

“There’s not much you can do (as far as making people notice things), you just have to be better to make it stand out,” Tyler said.  There are always better people out there, I just try to use my advantages accordingly. I can still improve.  You can always improve.”

The flipside of playing amongst other great players is having the opportunity to be challenged.  I mean, no disrespect to Tyler’s Stoney Creek High School but no one’s pushing him there.  But Joshua Barens, Adam Grinwis, Eric Weberman and the rest of the Wolves can bring the best out of him.

“The competition level at practice is so high.  A lot of great players have come through our club and it has really helped me improve,” Tyler said.  You’re always competing for something and it won’t always be given to you even though you’re only at practice.”

Tyler will again cross paths with many of his current teammates next season in the Big Ten where friends will turn foes.

He’s too nice a kid to ever say it, or probably even think it, but Tyler appears built for college soccer and at the next level he may very well find himself upstaging some of the players who received top billing over him at the club level.  

Tyler isn’t buying any of that though, even if we are.  If his skills end up lost on some then, well, it’ll have to remain their loss.

“My motivation in the game is just to be the best that I can be,” Tyler said. “You have to be mentally strong. You can’t let anything get to you.”