The trio all left Leeds United for top flight football but their fortunes have been mixed thus far.
Leeds United fans will have been forgiven for having a wry smile as Lewis Cook, Sam Byram and Charlie Taylor all saw their careers falter shortly after leaving Elland Road, but the midfielder may have the last laugh after his surprise England call-up for this evening’s clash with Brazil.
Cook’s first season at Bournemouth did not exactly go according to plan, with injury robbing him of the chance to feature between October and January and Cherries boss Eddie Howe opting to overlook him both before and after.
Having finally made his first-team breakthrough in April he was back on the periphery for the first six games this time round, before again being recalled and subsequently earning a place in a new-look England squad after a raft of withdrawals.
Cook may still be a long way from being an England regular, with a lot of hard work ahead, and yet his international recognition could be the motivation two former Leeds teammates need to keep fighting at their respective clubs.
Byram has rarely featured for West Ham since leaving Leeds, managing 29 appearances in total, without a single league appearance this time round.
The arrival of Pablo Zabaleta has obviously impacted him in that regard but he needs to remain focused and believe in his ability.
Similarly, Taylor has barely got a look-in at Burnley since his controversial summer switch, yet to play a single minute in the league and making do with two EFL Cup games, including one against his former club.
However all three are still very much at the start of their careers and in time the Leeds academy may have produced a hat-trick of young Lions, even if it took a little while for them to kick-start their club careers.
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