Kaedren ‘KK’ Spivey: Scouting Report by natsuo

Kaedren ‘KK’ Spivey: Scouting Report by natsuo

Name: Kaedren ‘KK’ Spivey

Club: San Jose Earthquakes

Position: Central Midfielder (CM)

Nationality: United States

Scouting Category: U15/U16/U18

Technical Ability ⚽

He is quick in executing his movements and footwork, capable of using double touches in tight spaces to quickly escape pressure. A right-footed player with a functional left foot, he sometimes lacks power with his weaker foot, but he can still use it for shooting, adjusting his positioning, and passing. However, he still needs some technical adjustments, particularly in his first touches and passing, which can sometimes be a bit rough.

He also needs to improve his ability to keep the ball close to his foot while dribbling without having to lower his head, allowing him to adjust more easily and optimize his use of space. Additionally, he should further diversify his technical play to escape tight spaces under pressure more effectively. Nonetheless, he remains a player capable of making a big difference through his agility, especially with his ability to escape defenders quickly, either through changes of pace or the speed of his movements.

He takes interesting angles when carrying the ball, which allows him to effectively engage defenders when receiving the ball on the flank and makes him a solid ball carrier overall. Since being promoted to a higher age group, he has been less dominant and flashy in these aspects, but once he adjusts to the new rhythm, he will undoubtedly become the best player on his team again.

He is not inherently a bad passer, and it would even be considered a strength if we weren’t talking about a player of his talent. However, he is not a natural creator; he prefers to be in motion and make an impact with his dribbling. That said, he can still be effective in passing, particularly when switching play from one side to the other to find his winger.

Defensive Technique & Shooting

In duels and defensive situations, his pressing technique is sometimes overly aggressive but remains effective. Combined with his good footwork, it allows him to cover wide spaces efficiently by cutting off passing lanes for opponents. He is quite intelligent in one-on-one situations and does not hesitate to defend, doing so better than most box-to-box midfielders of his profile.

He is also capable of scoring if found near the penalty area, as most of his goals come from that region. He is not an elite finisher, but he is still competent in this area, able to finish plays with both feet in various game situations, adding an extra dimension to his profile.

Physical Profile 🏋️

KK has the complete package of an all-around midfielder. He is approximately 1.80m tall and possesses the explosiveness, power, agility, and running range suited for a box-to-box midfielder covering both ends of the pitch. He hasn’t grown much in the past year, and it seems his physical development happened relatively early. However, his recent promotion to higher age groups might distort this perception.

Kaedren has a strong first step and physically dominates most players his age. However, he still needs to develop further and address a recurring issue with slipping, which makes him vulnerable. This could be due to imperfect balance, insufficient lower-body strength, or even a lack of proprioception, as he sometimes falls without significant contact. Therefore, it is not necessarily the duels themselves that cause him to go down.

Despite this, athletically, Kaedren has all the necessary attributes to impact the game in all areas of the pitch, making his profile highly projectable for professional football.

Tactical Awareness 🗺️

Kaedren plays a classic box-to-box role, though he could easily adapt to any midfield position while still making an impact. He covers ground quickly due to his speed and work rate, especially when he misreads a situation and gets caught out of position. He puts in great effort when losing the ball and is very engaged in counter-pressing. However, since moving up a level, I have noticed a slight drop in his effectiveness in this area due to the increased pace of play.

He is an intelligent and disciplined player who stays connected to the game through constant movement and never remains static off the ball. His habit of taking small, quick steps allows him to stay alert and ready to react to second balls. He anticipates space well and adjusts his positioning accordingly to recover from any misreads.

His ability to influence both penalty areas makes him even more interesting, as he combines a high work rate with an energy expenditure that suits his style. Spivey is a key player in transition—he is difficult to stop once in motion and can cover significant ground with the ball at his feet.

He is so dominant in his age group that, in addition to his ability to move horizontally and vertically in midfield, he can also receive the ball on the flanks. In these areas, he creates danger with his runs and dribbling while accelerating the play with his speed and explosiveness.

Without the ball, he positions himself well near the penalty area and can shoot when given space, further reinforcing his all-around profile. However, he thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic game with room to exploit, and he can struggle against compact, deep defensive blocks. Even when he cannot find favorable attacking situations and the game becomes more restricted, he remains valuable through his work rate, athleticism, and solid defensive contributions.

His physical qualities, already impressive at the U15 level, allowed him to constantly move between his defensive zone and the opponent’s penalty area throughout matches, giving him a continuous influence on the game.

Mental Attributes 🧠

He still struggles to consistently replicate his performances at higher levels and has experienced less dominant periods compared to his age group. This is also true in international duty, where he has found it difficult to impose himself as he does at the club level due to playing in a different context. However, this is likely just an adaptation phase before he can bring his performances to the next level.

His high-intensity playing style sometimes leads him to lose his composure and commit fouls, but this is more a result of his commitment than a mental weakness. Beyond his on-field qualities, he’s a passionate player, humble, respectful, and very kind—traits that reflect his upbringing and family.

Cognitive Aspects 🔎

The young talent from San José thrives in movement and has an exceptional ability to reposition himself off the ball, attacking and moving into relevant spaces. This awareness allows him to avoid unnecessary touches in congested areas, making his positioning more efficient.

Despite scanning the field regularly, he sometimes fails to gather all necessary information in defensive phases, which can lead to opponents making runs behind him as he focuses too much on the play in front of him. His fast-paced style can also lead to lapses in composure, increasing his error rate and leading to unnecessary fouls.

His high tempo also affects his ability to receive passes optimally, whether stationary or in motion. He must learn to vary his pace and moderate his runs to stay in sync with the play, ensuring he receives the ball in the best possible conditions. Additionally, he should lift his head more frequently to identify passing options and create more opportunities.

General Opinion 📋

KK has been one of my personal favorites in the country since 2023, even beyond discussions of talent and potential. He is an energetic player capable of influencing all phases of the game and, on a good day, can be unstoppable when in possession—even if he influences games less at higher levels than before.

I acknowledge the informal tone of this opinion, but my second favorite player happens to be his younger brother, Shemar. Though still very young, Shemar possesses at least as much talent as Kaedren.

Kaedren must now prove he can maintain his level of performance against physically and technically equal opponents. Once he clears this hurdle, his professional future will become inevitable. His mix of athletic and technical qualities should translate well to the highest level, and I hope to see him reach his full potential. Besides, he is a humble and kind individual, which makes his journey even more enjoyable to follow.

Strengths ✅

A complete midfielder who contributes to the game even in suboptimal conditions.

Quick, sharp execution with impressive athletic traits, making him a strong candidate for a move from the U.S. to Europe.

Naturally inclined toward movement and space but also effective defensively.

Areas for Improvement 📈

His early physical development might affect long-term projections of his potential.

Plays with high energy but needs to channel it more efficiently. Even though he’s shown significant progress lately — playing with more composure on the ball, using his energy more wisely, and rushing less. He’s now better at slowing the game down when needed, something he used to struggle with

Struggles to impact the game as effectively when playing against older opponents due to the higher tempo.