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It's been an evolving theme in Real Salt Lake's offseason. And on Tuesday, RSL continued stacking defenders. After re-signing Aaron Maund and Abdoulie Mansally last week, RSL signed RSL academy product Phanuel Kavita to a Homegrown contract and a few days later drafted University of North Carolina product Boyd Okwuonu in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft.

The theme has carried into this week as RSL drafted Syracuse defender Jordan Murrell with the 57th overall pick in the third round of the SuperDraft Tuesday. Throw in reports that RSL is close to signing Jamaican outside back Demar Phillips and Guatemalan center back Elias Vasquez and it's clear the coaching staff and front office are formulating competition for spots along the back line, whether it be at RSL or Real Monarchs.

Along with Murrell, RSL drafted midfielder Lucas Baldin with its 77th overall pick in the fourth round Tuesday. The University of South Florida attacker spent time with Liga MX club Toluca at the U-20 capacity before enrolling at USF and was part of Cruz Azul's U-17 side as well.

"We are happy with that we accomplished in the SuperDraft this year and today we were able to select two players that we envision to have the type of upside potential to help our club," RSL technical director Craig Waibel said in a release from the club.

Murrell, 21, was born in England before relocating to Canada where he spent time playing with the Canadian U-18 national team. Prior to that, the outside back was part of the Toronto FC academy and captained the side in 2011. In four years at Syracuse, he had five goals and 20 assists, starting in all 74 appearances for the Orange. During his senior year, Murrell had two goals and seven assists.

"Murrell is a talented left-sided defender that can play multiple positions," Waibel said in the release. "He has a very high soccer IQ and we are looking forward to having his physical presence and steady play in our back line."

Baldin's journey to MLS has been a winding one. The 24-year-old was born in Brazil, but has lived in Argentina, Mexico and now the United States. He's starred at the youth level for two Mexican Primera Division clubs and was part of the Seattle Sounders' U-23 squad. (To read more on his unique path to the states and abroad, here is a profile on the Sounders' site). Baldin had five goals and nine assists in 20 matches with USF in 2014. In his collegiate career with the Bulls, he had 10 goals and nine assists in 59 matches.

"Baldin can play different roles in the attacking half of the field," Waibel continued in the release. "He is clean on the ball and will add another goal-dangerous option in our attack."

The picture is becoming more clear as to who is part RSL's 2015 roster — or preseason roster, that is. RSL is simultaneously drafting and signing players to compete for first-team minutes as well as possibly star with the USL Pro club Real Monarchs, slated to start sometime in March. In drafting Okwuonu, Murrell and signing Kavita, those are three defenders who could theoretically make up the Monarchs inaugural back line in 2015 if they don't crack the first team. Baldin's versatility in the attack could make him an option in the midfield for the Monarchs.

This, of course, is all speculative since the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire at the end of the month, so how and where certain players and contracts fit into the new CBA talks (which is guaranteed to be made trickier with the influx of USL Pro clubs) remains to be seen.

-Chris Kamrani

Twitter: @chriskamrani