The adjective “well-rounded” gets thrown around a lot in soccer these days.
It’s usually used to describe players who contribute productively to their teams in defense and attack. They’re workhorses that are willing to sacrifice personal glory for the sake of team success. The unsung heroes of the sport.
Kyle Scott is that type of player: the definition of well-roundedness who shows up consistently in all phases of the game.
He’s exactly what the Lights were missing in 2025, so here’s why Scott will run the team’s midfield like a well-oiled machine in 2026.
A Defensive Unit… and More
Kyle Scott is a tremendously versatile player who can take on different roles in midfield.
His default position is central midfielder, where he excels as an efficient defender in 1v1 scenarios and man-marking, a fact made evident by the stats during his three years starring in Orange County SC’s midfield.
In the 2023 season, Scott led Orange County in tackles per 90 (2.8), the thirteenth best mark in the league. In 2024, he led again (3.1), ending up sixth in the Championship. He was also second for Orange County in interceptions, showing how he was an essential cog in the Californian side’s ball recovery system.
So, what can the Lights expect from Kyle Scott defensively?
He’ll have an incessant desire to recover the ball and a clinical eye for interceptions, serving as the team’s all-action central midfielder who covers every blade of grass on the pitch.
Turning Defense Into Attack
Offensively, Scott is one of the premier deep-lying playmakers in the USL Championship. So, what does that mean?
With Orange County, the Brit would usually drop deep into Orange County’s four-man backline, acting as a third center back to both solidify the team’s defensive structure and have the space to leverage his top-tier passing and long balls to propel the team into attack.
In this way, he often initiates attacks, finding open attackers between the lines with incisive ranged passing. This means less assists and goals, but this contribution to the attack is vital, as John Morrissey highlights below.
In 2023, Scott was second for accurate passes per 90 (45.9) and third in accurate long balls per 90 (4.0) for Orange County. In 2024, he was the sixth best in sending accurate long balls per 90 in the entire league, cementing his position as one of the best passers in USL.
Additionally, the other way to initiate attacks is through the press. If you can create turnovers high up the field, there’s no need for deep-lying playmaking; you’re already in the attacking third!
Kyle Scott knows how to get this done.
Throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Scott leveraged his physical endurance and correct positioning to lead Orange County in possessions won in the final third, forcing turnovers and putting his attacking teammates in advantageous positions to score.
Overall, Scott is shaping up to be the general of the Vegas midfield in 2026 and beyond. He will be a linchpin for Head Coach Devin Rensing to build his team around, both defensively and offensively.
