Today, we reach the end of the academy line.

For the last week we’ve been examining the best of the best in terms of MLS academies and their top prospects. For each established academy, I’ve plucked out their top pro prospect and, in the process, broken down the team’s academy system as a whole. As we’ve seen, teams have taken widely divergent paths to get to where they are today.

Academy Series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

For our final installment (note we’re leaving out LAFC, Atlanta United and Minnesota United to give them time to establish), we turn our gaze to the final five. From an underutilized system on the West Coast to a pair of Canadian academies pushing genuine change, we run the gamut today.

Let’s dive in.